I have a Garmin Forerunner 410 which is already a few years old. On my watch I can have four displays between which I can switch with the tap of a finger. On each display I can show up to three things, where one is displayed big and the other two small. Until the summer of 2014, I used only one of the displays, and on this I always had in the big field the total elapsed time since start. In the two little fields underneath, I had current speed (km/hour) and total distance since start. Nowadays, depending on what kind of training or competition I am doing, I use different functions.
As I was used to knowing my current speed due to a lot of running on the treadmill at Barry's Bootcamp, I used the current speed function a lot before, but nowadays I prefer to watch my pace (minutes/km) rather than my speed. Since, like many women, I find the heart rate belt uncomfortable, I did not use it much before. But after I took a fitness test last August, I use the belt and the heart rate function every single time. Here are a few examples of what I like to display and watch during what kind of activity:
Uphill intervals with Melkesyre: I display "lap time" in the big field in one of the displays, and "heart rate" in the big field in one of the other displays. Since during these intervals we run simply as fast as we can, I do not see the point in watching the speed, but I like to see my heart rate every now and then to make sure that I reach the same maximum HR at every interval. The advantage with lap time is that whenever I push the button a new lap starts, and thus I know exactly when every interval and every break starts and ends. I push restart as soon as I hear the run command, and I push lap stop as soon as I hear the stop command. I don't care so much what the little fields display, since they are anyway too small to see during such an intensive training.
Stoltzekleiven: I simply watch one display and it shows the total elapsed time. The course is so short and intensive that for me it is not possible to keep track of anything else.
5 km race: I display "pace" in the big field. My goal is to manage this particular course under 25 minutes, and I know that I should then have below 5:00 in average pace. Until now I have been displaying current pace, but at the next race I plan to display average pace. In one of the small fields I display the elapsed distance and in the other the total elapsed time. However, I must admit that during such fast races the small fields are not so easy to see.
Uphill races, like Blåmanen races, Fløyenkarusellen: In one display, I have the total elapsed time in the big field. In the small fields of the same display I have the distance and the elevation. Since these races are not as fast (for me) as flat races, it is possible to follow even the small fields. In another display I have the heart rate in the big field. Speed and pace are not so relevant for me in uphill races, as they normally apply to flat running, whereas in these kind of races there is even quite a bit of walking every now and then.
Longer lasting uphill races, like Skåla Opp and Fjellmaraton: During these two races I had exactly the same displays as the uphill races above, but these two races took place before I started paying attention to the heart rate. During longer races (more than 1 hour) paying attention to heart rate becomes really important, so that one does not go above the lactate threshold too early. In the future I will try to more actively pay attention to the heart rate during longer runs.
Long distance races, like half marathons: In one display I have pace in the big field, and total time and total distance in the two small fields. In another display I have heart rate in the big field, and the average speed and average pace in the small fields. Normally, during such a race (or training for such a race) I have a goal time, which prescribes a goal pace, which I like to follow. At the last half marathon I participated, I also made a pace wrist band which showed what my total time should be after every km, and I could compare this to my watch.
Training: Normally "heart rate" and "pace" are the most important information during training, depending on what the goal is. Especially for restitution training, watching the heart rate is of utmost importance, to make sure that it goes slow enough. Also for harder training where the goal is to improve the form, watching the heart rate is important, this time to make sure that the heart rate is high enough. For longer runs where the goal is to keep a slow or moderate pace, watching the pace is a very good way to stay in control.
And of course every now and then I just go with the feeling without ever looking at the watch. But I always wear it and start it so everything is recorded. I upload every run to Garmin Connect so that I have everything gathered there, and I can share it with my connections who also have Garmin gear. Recently I also started to use Strava so that I can connect with friends who do not have Garmin gear.
My next watch will be one I can use during swimming, too!
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