Has anyone on the beta tried the running features yet? Any comments on ease of use with creating custom workouts? How about how the iOS fitness app shows the running metrics like ground contact time, running power etc.? These features really go a HUGE way to close the gap with dedicated running sports watches but we only got a brief glimpse (and obviously for longer distance runners improved battery life in the fall watches would be ideal...) thanks!
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WatchOS 9 beta... anyone try the new running features?
- Thread starter canyonblue737
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I don’t think they’re active. I can’t even find the old metric customization setting. I’m guessing they will be added in as betas progress.
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'I don’t think they’re not active'......So you think they are active
Great question 👍
I’m interested to hear about intervals- is autolap disabled? And what about wearing a HRM from Garmin, does that still work? It sounds more and more like “a real running watch”.
He in the cold north (Denmark), it’s difficult to press the screen or the 2 side buttons wearing gloves 🤷🏻♂️
Yes it can still pair with an external HRM. It now has heart rate zones, running power, running metrics including stride length, ground contact time, and vertical oscillation, custom interval workouts, and running against previous PRs on known courses and more. The lack of buttons and low battery life remain but there are rumors of a new variant of the Apple Watch for outdoors hiking and sports coming this fall that may have significant additional battery life and perhaps more physical buttons to make starting/stopping etc. easier?
I have run with the new OS and as some have stated...the new metrics are not available yet. At least I can't find them. There is some added functionality when in a workout where you can swipe up through various screen showing different data sets, like HR Zones, Elevation profile, Splits, and Workout Rings (?!). Nothing I would want to use, but they're there now.
And also, there's no way to customize the workout screen layout now. I'm guessing that'll show back up when the new metrics (GCT, Running Power, etc) show up.
And yes - Garmin HRM works still.
And also, there's no way to customize the workout screen layout now. I'm guessing that'll show back up when the new metrics (GCT, Running Power, etc) show up.
And yes - Garmin HRM works still.
Sounds great 👍🏼 Looking forward to see it in action.
I have the AW7 and a couple of Garmins, and must admit for serious interval sessions, the Garmins are easier to use 🤷🏽♂️ Although, I really like the AW health part, cellular connection, Apple Pay and all the other smart features. Garmin have some of the features as well, but apple eco system just works.
Used them to do a custom interval workout at the track yesterday (1600m with 90 seconds rest x 3) and was pretty simple to set up the workout on the watch itself. Couldn’t see a way to do this on the Watch app on the iPhone. Also did an open run today.
Both worked perfectly fine and the intervals were announced with an audio announcement via the watch itself with no headphones in along with a tap on the wrist. I was able to manually move to the next interval by double tapping the screen as Watch didn’t precisely recognise I’d done the full lap of the track (normal for some watches). You’re able to scroll with the Digital Crown and see heart rate zones etc on various screens on watch and full breakdown with new metrics available in activity in workout app after.
Both worked perfectly fine and the intervals were announced with an audio announcement via the watch itself with no headphones in along with a tap on the wrist. I was able to manually move to the next interval by double tapping the screen as Watch didn’t precisely recognise I’d done the full lap of the track (normal for some watches). You’re able to scroll with the Digital Crown and see heart rate zones etc on various screens on watch and full breakdown with new metrics available in activity in workout app after.
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I really like how it gives you a percentage breakdown of how long you spend in the various heart rate zones. PLUS it’s much nicer to pull that up on your iPhone later after the run.
Also, this may be because it’s new, but I liked swiping thru the new workout data screens on my run today. It was rock solid too. No crashes or glitches whatsoever that I noticed. The 5 little green dots to the right of the elapsed time are the available views. My screenshot below was the 2nd.
Also, for some reason when I opened my outdoor run for the first time in watchOS 9, it was set to 4x400 repeats.
Also, this may be because it’s new, but I liked swiping thru the new workout data screens on my run today. It was rock solid too. No crashes or glitches whatsoever that I noticed. The 5 little green dots to the right of the elapsed time are the available views. My screenshot below was the 2nd.
Also, for some reason when I opened my outdoor run for the first time in watchOS 9, it was set to 4x400 repeats.
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Thanks for your great report, appreciate it.
Is it possible to define interval targets like pace, power, etc? And if yes, is there an alert when breaching the targets?
Also, how comfortable is it to design the workouts on the watch? Any chance copying existing workouts to ease design?
More complex workouts possible or only warmup, repeat x times fast/recovery, cool down?
This is HUGE! I have been wishing for the for SO LONG! Damn this feature was a nice surprise (to be honest, I had lost hope of Apple making a move into a more serious running watch).
This will really pump up my speed training. The Ghost-feature where you are running against your old times on the same route, could you test that as well? Seems to be an awesome feature and if it shows up great on the display during the run, it could be motivating for pushing through to a new best time.
There is kind of a copy feature. You can open a standard track workout and if you make changes it appears to save as a new custom workout.
setting up on the watch seems fairly easy. Most of the fields are variable. You can assign work and rest in terms of distance or time, miles, yards, KM, or meters. Change the order, cool down etc. All on the watch.
Thought I’d follow up and try and answer some questions. Not been for another run yet (rest day) bit had a quick look at the workout app. Added some pics too.
The alerts section is really detailed and you can add them to any type of workout - eg going for an ‘open’ run but want to be alerted when my pace goes under a certain level/range or get an alert every 5 mins/2 miles etc. Can add alerts for each portion of an interval too. The alerts available for an interval are:
Pace (Either target or range)
Heart Rate (Defined HR zones or did custom range)
cadence (target or range)
running power (target or range)
the following additional alerts are available on non-interval runs:
Time - receive an alert every time you go a set time interval
Splits - receive an alert every time you go a set distance
All done on the watch and menu is very easy to navigate on my series 7.
Not tried the ghost feature yet but one is showing up when I go into my outdoor run menu so may check out this weekend.
Edit - also noticed custom workouts and alerts available for other workouts types so this would be great for outdoor walks, indoor/outdoor cycling, HIIT, rowing workouts etc 👍🏽
The alerts section is really detailed and you can add them to any type of workout - eg going for an ‘open’ run but want to be alerted when my pace goes under a certain level/range or get an alert every 5 mins/2 miles etc. Can add alerts for each portion of an interval too. The alerts available for an interval are:
Pace (Either target or range)
Heart Rate (Defined HR zones or did custom range)
cadence (target or range)
running power (target or range)
the following additional alerts are available on non-interval runs:
Time - receive an alert every time you go a set time interval
Splits - receive an alert every time you go a set distance
All done on the watch and menu is very easy to navigate on my series 7.
Not tried the ghost feature yet but one is showing up when I go into my outdoor run menu so may check out this weekend.
Edit - also noticed custom workouts and alerts available for other workouts types so this would be great for outdoor walks, indoor/outdoor cycling, HIIT, rowing workouts etc 👍🏽
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Any quirks or problems or severe battery draining to discourage updating to the beta? I am already on iOS16 on my iPhone and so far so good.
Battery life is impacted slightly but personally speaking for me, not seen any issues.
Usually caveat that WatchOS betas are more riskier than iOS as you can’t revert back so only way is to send off to Apple I believe or take in the store.
I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think I am. I have the AW series 5. On my watch, I can't get alert options for several metrics (Ground Contact Time, Vertical Oscillation, Power or Stride Length). And when I go into the Fitness app on my phone and go to "Workout/Workout Details/Show More/Reorder (at the very bottom)", then I see that those metrics are greyed out and not available to be used in the view. At least that's how I take it.
I didn't know that those metrics required a certain level of AW...perhaps it needs 6 or 7 or higher only? Which is disappointing if true, since I don't recall seeing that mentioned anywhere.
I didn't know that those metrics required a certain level of AW...perhaps it needs 6 or 7 or higher only? Which is disappointing if true, since I don't recall seeing that mentioned anywhere.
You may be right. I can view and reorder all the metrics on my series 7.
Had a look through the press release and watchOS 9 page and can’t see any mention of this other than the usual ‘not all features available on all models’ etc
watchOS 11
watchOS 11 helps you better understand your daily health status using your overnight vitals and shows you how workouts impact your body over time.
www.apple.com
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Thanks for all the pics and details! I did WatchOS beta last year but only towards the end. I really want these features though and have been teetering on changing to a Garmin. The WatchOS 9 beta may be enough to stop me from switching.
You can have almost all of the new features (plus some others like running tracks maps) already with WorkoutDoors.
I changed from Garmin 2.5 years ago and do not miss anything. Was always running with their high end models (e.g. 945) and run 7 times a week, about 100km, so no "casual runner".
Still, I am happy that the built in app adds these features. Having a choice is always good and this will hopefully attract more runners to go for an Apple Watch.
The two things I wish Apple could match are battery life and recovery metrics. It’s super annoying to me that Apple doesn’t allow the Apple Watch to take more frequent HRV readings and that it constantly changes resting heart rate throughout the day.
Did you not really trust the training data that Garmin provides? I’d like to also see the training effects and such. I’m not sure that Apple will ever provide that, though I also didn’t think they’d add stuff like running power, VO, and GCT.
I know Apple will never match battery life of something like a Fenix, but that would be amazing.
I was not aware about the resting heart rate tidbit until I bought my first Apple Watch end of April. However it did not take me a lot of time to get annoyed by this. I come from Mi Band 5 that provided fixed resting heart rate once I wake up. Unfortunately so far the only way I found to kind of address both issues mentioned by you (fixed resting heart rate and recovery metrics) is to use a subscription based app. So yeah additional payment to get something that I assume Garmin allows for free (have not used them, so I am only speculating).
As much as the new AW running dynamics are an improvement (with running power being a big jump for those who train with it), the new training/recovery metrics Garmin released with the 955/255 leaves the AW a couple of steps behind if you’re doing any kind of training. I‘ve tried a number of third-party apps, but I’ve never been convinced that the data is accurate. I have a bit more confidence in the Garmin/Firstbeat analytics.
The one significant drawback is that Garmin‘s new training/recovery metrics require 24/7 wear, which means the practice I’ve had of wearing an AW most days and a Garmin for activities (and sleep leading up to a race) won’t work anymore.
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