While all of those features mentioned above do help in making the running watch more accurate and comfortable to use, the fact is that some of them can be considered as bonuses. When it comes to running watches there are some necessary characteristics that should be there in order for you to be able to train well.

We can divide these characteristics into two groups, the physical characteristics and the software features.

Physical:

-          Durable but comfortable Wriststrap or band

As many runners know by now, running can be an extremely physical activity. The vigorous movements by your arms as you run can damage or dislodge the wrist strap of the running watch. This risk is even amplified if you start running in not so desirable weather conditions.

That is why you would want your watch to have a durable but comfortable strap. You would want it to be able to remain firmly attached to your wrist without hindering your movements or making you uncomfortable.

-          Easy to use start and stop buttons

You would usually use a running watch to take your lap splits and other time related data. Having a watch that has difficult to reach or use start and stop buttons can make you take inaccurate data.

In a sport where the tenths of a second is highly regarded, you should be able to start and stop your timer as soon as possible. Having buttons that are hard to press may add or subtract a few seconds of your actual time.

Software Feature:

-          Memory function

A running watch should be able to keep track of your laps or miles during a span of training activities. This would help you recognize if your constant and continuous training is effectively improving your pace.

There are actually some watches that can track up to 500 training sessions but leisure runners may opt to go for those that can track a lesser number of sessions since those are usually cheaper.

-          Computer connectivity

Computer connectivity is a relatively new trend and feature in running watches that is slowly becoming more and more important. A watch that has computer connectivity is great for two things.

The first is that you would be able to record your data and use training analyzing software for them. This would help you learn more about which training you should be doing.

The second is that computer connectivity means you would be able to upload your training and send it to people all over the world. Again, this would help in analyzing and comparing your data with real life performance from other running enthusiasts.

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1. Personalizing Your GPS Running Watch
2. Running Watch Favorites
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Garmin Forerunner 205 GPS Receiver and Sports Watch

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $267.99

Amazon Price: $189.99

That is why having a good GPS enabled running watch is critical for training.

One of the more famous GPS running watches is the Garmin Forerunner 205. The Garmin Forerunner 205 is considered one of the entry level GPS running watches that come from the Garmin Forerunner line.

The watch is capable of measuring and timing your exercise routines such as walking, jogging, running or even biking if you have the accessories for it. The Garmin Forerunner 205 would give you time/distance alerts when you have hit a specified distance or time during your workout. It also has Speed Alerts for warning you if you are going above or below a certain speed.

Something that is quite admirable in the Garmin Forerunner 205 is that it has built in automatic features to ensure that you can keep your focus on your running instead of your watch. There is an auto pause function that stops your timer when you are stuck on a stoplight or in traffic. The Forerunner 205 even packs an auto lap function when you reach a certain distance or point in your route.

As seen in the features mentioned above, it seems that the Garmin Forerunner 205 really caters to making the training as easy as possible for beginners. In fact, even the display of the Forerunner is customizable to show only the data that you would need. If you are not into knowing your total distance, but want to know how fast you are going and the time, then you can set the screen to show only these data.

Of course, given that the Garmin Forerunner 205 is an entry level model. There are bound to be some areas where the higher ends Forerunners blow it away. One thing that is highly noticeable is that it can take an extra minute or so, for it to connect to a satellite. This is especially true if you train in high traffic areas. Another is that it is quite bulky, and the wrist strap does not allow too many adjustments for fitting your wrists.

However, since it is understood that the Garmin Forerunner 205 comes at a lower price than high end models, I think that people would be willing for these kinds of tradeoffs.

Again, here is a quick summary of what I think about the Garmin Forerunner 205:

Strengths:

• Accurate Data Reading
• Customizable data entry fields
• Downloadable Training plans
• Affordable price range

Weakness:

• Satellite uplink, while brief, is not as fast as higher end Garmin models
• Can be a bit bulky for people with smaller wrists

Given these strengths and weaknesses, The Garmin Forerunner 205 is a great fit for people who are just beginners or are entry level runners.

The combination of great features that are a step up from regular stop watches, an inexpensive price, and easy to use controls make the Forerunner 205 a great first step, for anyone who is just entering the world of running watches.

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Timex Women's T46031 Chrono Alarm Timer Watch

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $41.95

Amazon Price: View Sale Price

The Timex Expedition Digital watch includes the usual functionality that you crave for in a typical sports watch. It has a chronograph with lap/split time display, a large all-day white reflector display, and water resistance to 100 meters (330 feet). It also has a small bubble compass on the Velcro Fast Wrap strap for helping you in navigating your course while training.

These features are backed up with the Indiglo night light system. The iconic blue light is there to ensure that you would be able to see the display even in the darkest of situations.

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User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Nice Watch
I am really enjoying this watch. After not having one for many years, it is nice to simply look down and see the time. It is easy to use, quick to navigate, and light. The velcro/cloth band makes it water-durable, and easy to remove or put on.

The small compass on the band has some trouble finding North if it is not totally level and will come in handy in the woods and fields while hiking or hunting.

5 Stars great “mommy” watch
This is the 2nd watch I’ve had like this. I wore my other for over 4 years before the battery ran out (I just replaced the band a couple times because it just kept right on working). I love the fact that it has 3 alarms (you can set to go off daily, weekdays, or weekends) because as a mommy sometimes I get so busy that I need a reminder. I didn’t like the little compass on this model, but I just cut the little band off (it’s not functional to keeping the watch band on).

5 Stars I love this watch!
I love this watch and am searching high and low for the male version for my husband. Unfortunately I have had no luck. This watch has a comfy velcro band that you can adjust to any size or course. It’s also cute with the subtle shade of pink on the face. I love it.

4 Stars worth it for an ‘outside’ watch
Works well for being used as an ‘everyday’ watch. Biggest downside is the velcro will catch on clothes. So don’t wear it with anything ‘nice.’ Handles being dirty and sweaty and wet well.

5 Stars Great watch!
I bought this watch because i exercise a lot and i tend to ding and dirty all my watches. Delivery was very swift (within 4 days)! I bought it because of the great reviews from other owners. When I got, it looked better quality than its price suggested. Cant believe I got a good watch for ~21$! Yay!

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Timex Women's T5J131 1440 Sports Digital Watch

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $19.95

Amazon Price: $13.00

The Timex Womens 1440 Sports Digital Watch proves that active and feminine need not be separate from each other.

This elegant timepiece utilizes digital-quarts movement to accurately tell time. It uses this technology to power features such as its 24 hour chronograph, daily alarm, and calendars. The Timex Womens 1440 then shows them to the user through its easy to read digital gray dial face.

All of these wonderful features are comes in an amazing package of a gray face plate, a blue resin band and a buckle clasp.

Despite the beautiful design, the Timex Womens 1440 Sports digital watch is as durable as they come. It is made from an acrylic dial window, stationary resin bezel, and 35-millimeter resin case. The Timex 1440 is even water resistant up to 165 feet.

Women with the Timex Womens 1440 Sports Digital Watch, will get the best timepiece to match their active lifestyles.

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User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Great kids/teen watch
Good quality & functions for all the things my 7, 12, & 13 year olds wanted it for. Fun colors too!

1 Star Nice look, bad watch
I bought this watch cause i really liked the look of it and the color and the reviews for it were mostly good. I also needed a watch that was waterproof so that I didn’t need to take it off every time i went near water. One small thing that i found annoying was that when setting the time or alarm or anything, you couldn’t go down so if you go one minute too high you have to go ALL the way back around. One more thing is that on the timer, you have to reset it every time that you use it. For example, if I set 5 minutes on it, and then pressed start, once it gets down to 0, and I want to use it again I have to reset the whole thing. There was one giant problem with the watch for me. On here it said that it was waterproof. The very first time that it got wet for me it fogged up inside, and I couldn’t read the numbers as easily. About a week later, water droplets started getting in my watch. Then all of the numbers disappeared and now its blank. If you ask me, you can find a watch a LOT better than this. It may not look as cool, but this one didn’t work at all for me. I had it for less than a month.

3 Stars Functional but…
Nice looks, but very unintuitive menus to change date and alarm etc. buttons very hard to press..leaves painful dents in your skin that feel sore for 10 minutes after..you get only what you pay for.

3 Stars Good basic sports watch; difficult-to-push buttons
Pro’s for this watch: good basic sports watch, price is right

Con for this watch: the control buttons are very difficult to push (and I don’t have arthritis!) when you want to set time and date, use the timer, set the alarm, etc.

5 Stars Exactly what I wanted
Easy to use, ideal features, and exactly what I had come looking for (and then some). I needed a new sports watch, mainly for use with exercising, but also for everyday wear. So far, so great!

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Timex Midsize T46041 Expedition Classic Digital Multi-Function Watch

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $41.95

Amazon Price: View Sale Price

Running Training can take you to many places. It could even lead you to mountains, forests and all kinds of terrains. Timex, with its Timex Midsize Expedition Classic Digital Multi Function Watch has created a timepiece that can keep up with you wherever you go.

The Timex Midsize Expedition Classic Digital Multi Function Watch has all the features that you would expect from a good time piece. It has the necessary day date, and month displays, 99 lap counter, and even Indiglo feature.

What sets the Timex Expedition apart is that it has additional functions made for the adventurer types. It has a small bubble compass on the wrist strap to ensure that you know where you are going. Even the wrist strap is made for adventure as it’s Velcro and polyurethane fast wrap strap is built to ensure that the watch stays attached, no matter the environment.

For simple running training or elaborate full scale expeditions, the Timex Midsize Expedition Classic Digital Multi Function Watch is a great partner to take with you for all your trips!

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User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Tough little number
Purchased as a gift for my 11-year old son, it has been a really tough watch that my son has been unable to destroy. The only prolem is the band velcro gets worn out on the end.

3 Stars Great watch, bad band
Pros:

-option for 2 time zones (I work in aviation – about half of my work requires local time, the other half GMT, so it’s handy to display one or the other with a quick push of a button)

-compass

-timer

-multiple alarms

-velcro band allows quick/easy on/off

-I’ve given this watch a pretty good beating (especially all the times it’s fallen on the ground…), and it’s held up great

Cons:

-the band! The velcro wore out after just a few months & the watch CONSTANTLY comes undone & falls off (I’ve almost lost it several times). The slightest catch/pull on the band opens it up – usually my shirt sleeve is enough to undo it

-the compass fell out after about 3 months & I did lose that (it probably would have popped right back in had I been able to find it, but I didn’t realize it was gone until it was too late)

I’m actually browsing the site to try & find a replacement band so I can keep the same watch. Had I known about the problem with the velcro band, I probably wouldn’t have gotten it in the first place, but it’s a nice enough watch that I’d prefer to just replace the band rather than find a whole new watch.

3 Stars Good functionality, but a little too feminine for a men’s watch.
The color of the outside is not black and silver, its black and pastel green contrary to what the picture looks like. Also the watch face is a lot smaller than it looks in the picture making it look, as mentioned in the title, like a female watch more so than a mens. Not a big enough of a deal to return it, just something to think about. Also the compass part on the band looks as though you could fit something under it, it doesnt fit snuggly against the bang so it sticks up a little, also there is just a plastic link holding the band together I feel as though this could get broken easily.

OVERALL, worth the money but I dont think Ill be wearing this to work anytime soon (blue collar), better for excercising.

5 Stars good purchase
This watch is everything it is supposed to be. It is a bit clumsy for a small wrist like mine, but since it has a velcro attachment, I can adjust it easily. I like the ease in using the alarm and other functions and I am really happy to have the multiple time zone setting since I travel a great deal.

5 Stars My new Timex EXPEDITION watch..
Wasn’t sure I was going to like the strap, but I do. Velcro is a wonderful thing. Not to big and not small, just right size for me. Numbers are clear. I love that it has time,date,day and seconds counting on the face. A small compass on the strap above the clock face, that’s cool. Leaving the best for last, the little light. I wear glasses and in the middle of the night just touch the button and the face is fully lit up. I have always liked the INDIGLO. I just wish it was BLUE and Black instead of Green and Black.

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Timex T5G811 Marathon Stopwatch

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $29.95

Amazon Price: View Sale Price

For sports training, a stopwatch is an invaluable tool that can help runners improve their times. It can help provide accurate data when timing just how good their run is. That is why the Timex T5G811 Marathon Stopwatch is a great tool for runners and their coaches to have.

The Timex T5G811 Marathon Stopwatch provides runners with a simple device that could measure how fast your runs are and how fast you are able to complete a lap. It is also able to provide you with the fundamental timing features that you would need for most sporting events. You could use it while you run, swim, cycle or whatever activity that you need accurate time measures.

The Timex T5G811 Marathon Stopwatch has a simple button-driven interface. Getting accurate readings of your times is as easy as pushing the control buttons. This means that there are no more messing around with difficult to use menus!

Another good thing about this Timex Marathon is that since it is a Timex, it is durably built to last. No matter how heavy your use for this device is, you are ensured that it would endure all the tasks that you need it to do!

User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars Good value for a stopwatch
This Timex is one of only a few stopwatches commonly available, as best I can tell. It has proven quite durable, despite my subjecting it to extremely heavy use. I do voiceover professionally, much of my work is for TV promos, and they must all be timed accurately. This means that my stopwatch is in heavy use all day, five or more days per week. The currently unavailable Casio’s that I previously used were easier to use and ergonomically superior, in that the reset function was instant, as opposed to this Timex, which requires that the reset button be depresed and held for about five seconds to actually reset the watch. Another peculiarity is that hitting the reset button a second time after holding it down to reset the timer, puts the stopwatch into “automatic” mode, which I do not understand, need or use, but which causes the device to behave in a bizarre fashion until you figure out what’s happening, once again stop, then reset, the tap the reset button again to take it out of automatic mode. These two things make it annoying to use with some regularity, but it is a robust device and not terribly expensive. It also has the virtue of being one of the few stopwatches that are available at the moment. If you intend to use it in connection with audio recording, note that the device beeps upon pushing the buttons, so you will need to do as I have and get a watch shop to silence the beeps, otherwise it will interfere with recording. It would be wonderful if Timex were to modify the firmware so as to allow turning off the sounds and making the reset instantaneous. With either of those changes I’d give it 4 stars and with both, I’d give it 5.

5 Stars Love the fnctions and the backlight
I bought it because of the backlight (which works great for late night jogs). The other features are also great and easy to use. I love this stop watch.

1 Star Poorly designed interface for reset
This stopwatch isn’t optimized for a simple start/stop/reset operation. So if you want to simply record duration of an event like a rest period for sets at the gym, this is horrid. In order to reset you hold the middle button(which is difficult to hold) for about 3-4 seconds. I usually accomplish this by smashing the stopwatch against a hard object rather than punish my finger with the extremely hard to press center button. This should really be a SINGLE touch.

I’m very disappointed with this product, for that reason. It’s also kinda huge.

1 Star Poor in many ways
As a cross country and track&field coach, I live and die by my stopwatch.

1) Very confusing with poorly written directions (I build my own PCs, so I consider myself fairly savvy with technology).

2) Watch says WR 50M, but obviously not rain resistant. Ever since I got caught in the rain at a track meet, the watch has intermittently stopped working.

2 Stars doesn’t reset fast enough.
Nice font, big stopwatch, comfotable hold in hand, but the reset button for the basic stopwatch function needs to be held for a couple of seconds in order to reset…I needed that to be instant so I had to send it back.

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PUMA Women's PU910022001 Active Collection Agitation Chronograph Watch

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $90.00

Amazon Price: View Sale Price

The Puma Womens Active Collection Agitation Chronograph Watch is the ideal watch for women who are looking for a sleek and easy to use watch to complement their active lifestyles.

The Puma Womens Active Collection Agitation Chronograph is durable and fashionable. The watch comes in a 34-millimeter case that has a silver-toned face dial and a large, highly legible digital display. It has the famous Puma logo at the bottom of the dial, and a colorful circle that acts as a timer. All of these are water-resistant up to 330 feet.

The Puma Agitation not only has a beautiful and tough design but also has great time keeping functions.

It features a seconds display, chronograph timing, and an alarm, giving you that perfect combination of beauty and functionality.

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PUMA Women's PU910022002 Active Collection Agitation Chronograph Watch

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $90.00

Amazon Price: View Sale Price

The Puma Womens Active Collection Agitation Chronograph Watch is the ideal watch for women who are looking for a fashionable chronometer that can stand toe to toe with the demands of their active lifestyles.

As you can expect with a brand name watch, the Puma Agitation possesses great time keeping functions. It features a seconds display, chronograph timing, and an alarm to help you manage your time and training.

To separate itself from other watches, the Puma Agitation takes pride in being both tough and stylish.

The watch comes in a 34-millimeter case that has a light pink face dial and a large, highly legible digital display. It has a white Puma logo at the bottom of the dial, and a colorful circle that acts as a timer. All of these are water-resistant up to 330 feet to ensure durability.

These features in the Puma Womens Active Collection Agitation Chronograph give you that perfect combination of good looks and utility.

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PUMA Women's PU910022003 Active Collection Agitation Chronograph Watch

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: $90.00

Amazon Price: $85.99

The Puma Womens Active Collection Agitation Chronograph Watch is the ideal watch for women who are looking for an elegant timepiece that can stand up to their active lifestyles.

First off, the Puma Agitation has great time keeping functions. It features a seconds display, chronograph timing, and an alarm

To separate itself from other watches, the takes pride in being both tough and stylish.

The watch comes in a 34-millimeter case that has a silver-toned face dial and a large, highly legible digital display. It has the famous Puma logo at the bottom of the dial, and a colorful circle that acts as a timer. All of these are water-resistant up to 330 feet to ensure durability.

These features in the Puma Womens Active Collection Agitation Chronograph give you that perfect combination of good looks and utility.

Buy/More Info

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