Your Apple Watch just got way smarter about tracking your run data

It’s nothing short of amazing what the minicomputers we attach to our wrists can do. All too often, though, we don’t take advantage of the GPS and other technology that’s built into the GPS watches that we’re wearing. While many people are drawn to the Apple Watch for all of the smartwatch features, the latest versions and updates provide so much health and fitness data that they are becoming an increasingly popular option for serious triathletes and runners.

Thanks to the latest watchOS 9 update for the Apple Watch, the workout app now offers more metrics which can enhance your training experience to help you meet your running goals. While the experience is enhanced with the Apple Watch Ultra, with its large screen, long battery life and extra “action” button, other Apple Watch models that have been upgraded to the new OS can also provide these workout experiences.

Apple Watch Ultra is ready for your Ironman racing and training needs

Running Form Data

In addition to pace, distance and time, your Apple Watch can now provide data on:

• Vertical oscillation: how much you move vertically during each stride. If the number is high, it could mean that you’re expending energy pushing yourself up into the air rather than forward. If its low, you could be shuffling too much and not getting enough spring from each step.
• Stride length: the length of your running stride. Longer usually means faster, but too long (over-striding) can be less efficient and lead to injury.
• Ground contact time: how long your feet are on the ground. The lower your ground contact time is, the more efficient you are.
• Power: Keeping track of your running power can help you pace yourself during races and workouts.

Screen metrics

You can always check your data after your workout, but you can also change what you’re seeing on the screen while you’re running. You can customize the workout views so you can see five different metrics on a screen. Some metrics you might want to add to the screen include: 

• Elevation: The altimeter in the Apple Watch can display your elevation gain or your current elevation.
• Segments and Splits: A quick press of the action button will create a segment of your workout. Using the digital crown, you can scroll through to see those segments as you’re running.

Custom Workouts

It’s easy to set up a custom workout using either distance or time goals. During your run, the watch will use both haptic and voice feedback to let you know when to switch between work and recovery efforts.

The latest Apple Watch can get you through an Ironman … and much, much more

Pacing and racing

You can set up a distance and goal finish time, then use the Pacer function of the Apple Watch to give you alerts during your run to keep you on track to meet your goal. For workouts you’ve done before, you can race against previous performances, too – you’ll get alerts to let you know if you’re ahead, or behind of your previous performance.

Did you know?

• Pressing any two buttons will automatically pause or resume a workout.
• Using Apple Maps data, your Apple Watch will automatically detect when you get to a track. It’ll ask what lane you’ll be running in and count your completed laps.

As Apple adds more and more features to the Apple Watch, it’s becoming a more viable option for serious triathletes. Stay tuned for more updates, too, that will continue to enhance your training and racing experience.