Fitness trackers for serious runners — Garmin, Apple, or something cheaper
The fitness tracker market has gotten brutal. There are now legitimate options at $100, $300, and $700, and they all claim to be "for serious runners." After spending most of last year switching between three of them, I have opinions.
The $700 question: Garmin Forerunner
The Garmin Forerunner 965 (or 955 if you want to save $200) is what I currently wear. It's the runner's watch. Battery lasts 10+ days in normal use, GPS is best-in-class, and the training metrics (training load, recovery time, performance condition) are calibrated by people who actually run. The downside: the smart watch features are mediocre and the screen is showing its age.
The $400 hybrid: Apple Watch Ultra
The Apple Watch Ultra is genuinely good for running now (it wasn't 3 years ago). Battery is 36 hours of normal use, 12 hours of GPS recording. It does notifications, music, contactless pay, all the smart watch stuff. If you're not training for a marathon, this might actually be the better pick.
The $200 budget pick: Garmin Forerunner 165
The 165 dropped early 2026 and it's the new budget runner's watch. AMOLED screen, real GPS, music storage. You give up some training metrics versus the 965, but for a casual runner doing 20-30 miles a week, you won't notice.
The $100 entry: Coros Pace 3
Genuinely impressive. Coros Pace 3 gives you 95% of what most runners need at a third of the Garmin price. Battery life is shockingly long. The training app is less polished but functional. If money matters, start here.
What I actually use it for
Honestly, the metric I look at most isn't pace or VO2 max — it's heart rate variability (HRV), which signals when I'm overtrained. Both Garmin and Apple Watch do this; budget watches usually don't. If you take training seriously, you want HRV.
The accessories
A real running watch isn't enough — you also want a decent running belt for your phone, a foam roller for recovery, and good compression socks for long runs. None of these are about the watch but they're the gear you'll actually use weekly.
Honest pick
If you train for races: Garmin Forerunner 965. If you want one watch for everything: Apple Watch Ultra. If you're getting started and don't know if you'll stick with running: Coros Pace 3 at $200 is the lowest-risk way in.