Thoughts after first run (pt 1 & 2)

[Tallrandal]

My wife had the same problem with the apple watch not tracking calories. I was able to figure out that you need to give myfitnesspall full access through the health app. Once you give permission the syncing back and forth went flawless.

As for the Nike+ app, I didnt realize that you could sync to MFP. How do you have that syning?

 

[PatrickNSF]

Just to close the loop on my past posts –

Decided to unpair/repair my Watch and recalibrate using the Workout app. Ran with my phone in my hand (as opposed to my running belt). Also used my Garmin 620 (and its HRM). Broke up my 6-mile run into two shorter runs.

First run (with Workout app) –
Garmin
Distance: 3.01 miles
Time: 25:09 min
Calories: 280
Avg Herat rate: 142

Workout app
Distance: 2.96 miles
Time: 25:15 min
Calories (active): 261
Avg Herat rate: 146
– Seemed close enough, though I was disturbed not to see the GPS symbol marked as “active” on the phone’s top status bar (like it is whenever an app is using GPS). Makes me wonder how often the Watch is really using the GPS.

Second run (with Nike+ app) –
Garmin
Distance: 3.01 miles
Time: 24:20 min
Calories: 303
Avg Herat rate: 150

Nike+ app
Distance: 2.98 miles
Time: 24:31 min
Calories: 339
Avg Herat rate: N/A
(The Apple Watch showed Active Calorie burn of 264 during this run, even without the Workout app running.)
– Also seemed close enough, and the GPS symbol was active during the entire run (as it should be). Calories were a little higher for this run as I was moving a bit faster and heart rate was up.

After all this, decided to stick with the Garmin for running, but I’ll continue to use the Apple Watch for the rest of the day. I’ll likely wear the Apple Watch on my other arm just to keep the other activity metrics going, as the active calorie burn numbers are more in line with what I’d expect for this level of activity.

For me, the Workout app is probably close enough to use for casual runs, but having to manually enter the data into Garmin and/or Nike is too much effort. I also use these programs to track shoe mileage and usually keep two pairs of shoes active, so it’s helpful to be able to do that immediately on my phone after a run while I’m walking back to the house or car. If there was an easy way to quickly export the Workout data to Garmin or Nike+, I’d reconsider. But I’d also want to make sure that the Workout app is always using the phone’sGPS when the phone is present. I’m not sure that is the case, based on my experience last week and the GPS symbol not being marked as active during this morning's run.

The Nike+ app works a bit better for me than the Workout app, but the delay in screen refreshes is frustrating. Also, I find the 4-field layout of my Garmin easier to quickly scan while running than the Nike+ display. (For example, the time of day is near impossible to read on the Nike+ Apple Watch display while running.) Some of the other third party apps look interesting, but I'm planning to pass on them until they can run natively.

Good luck working through this everyone.

 

[Vortec 5.3]

Just to close the loop on my past posts ?

Decided to unpair/repair my Watch and recalibrate using the Workout app. Ran with my phone in my hand (as opposed to my running belt). Also used my Garmin 620 (and its HRM). Broke up my 6-mile run into two shorter runs.

First run (with Workout app) ?
Garmin
Distance: 3.01 miles
Time: 25:09 min
Calories: 280
Avg Herat rate: 142

Workout app
Distance: 2.96 miles
Time: 25:15 min
Calories (active): 261
Avg Herat rate: 146
? Seemed close enough, though I was disturbed not to see the GPS symbol marked as ?active? on the phone?s top status bar (like it is whenever an app is using GPS). Makes me wonder how often the Watch is really using the GPS.

Second run (with Nike+ app) ?
Garmin
Distance: 3.01 miles
Time: 24:20 min
Calories: 303
Avg Herat rate: 150

Nike+ app
Distance: 2.98 miles
Time: 24:31 min
Calories: 339
Avg Herat rate: N/A
(The Apple Watch showed Active Calorie burn of 264 during this run, even without the Workout app running.)
? Also seemed close enough, and the GPS symbol was active during the entire run (as it should be). Calories were a little higher for this run as I was moving a bit faster and heart rate was up.

After all this, decided to stick with the Garmin for running, but I?ll continue to use the Apple Watch for the rest of the day. I?ll likely wear the Apple Watch on my other arm just to keep the other activity metrics going, as the active calorie burn numbers are more in line with what I?d expect for this level of activity.

For me, the Workout app is probably close enough to use for casual runs, but having to manually enter the data into Garmin and/or Nike is too much effort. I also use these programs to track shoe mileage and usually keep two pairs of shoes active, so it?s helpful to be able to do that immediately on my phone after a run while I?m walking back to the house or car. If there was an easy way to quickly export the Workout data to Garmin or Nike+, I?d reconsider. But I?d also want to make sure that the Workout app is always using the phone?sGPS when the phone is present. I?m not sure that is the case, based on my experience last week and the GPS symbol not being marked as active during this morning's run.

The Nike+ app works a bit better for me than the Workout app, but the delay in screen refreshes is frustrating. Also, I find the 4-field layout of my Garmin easier to quickly scan while running than the Nike+ display. (For example, the time of day is near impossible to read on the Nike+ Apple Watch display while running.) Some of the other third party apps look interesting, but I'm planning to pass on them until they can run natively.

Good luck working through this everyone.

I've ran every major marathon, was nationally ranked at 50k (#7) ran several ultras including a 50 mile trail run and a 100k. I workout app will suffice for me. Been there done that back then. However, if I were, like I was back then, I would want the most accurate stats.

 

[birdman325]

Very interesting thread. I typically run with my Garmin 305 on my wrist, my phone in a pouch running either MapMyRun or Runtastic and my fitbit on my other wrist (I too love stats!)

One of the issues I have with iPhone based apps is that even though both of MapMyRun and Runtastic have an "autopause" feature (which in my mind, means, any time I stop at a light or for traffic and stop moving, the timer should stop counting), I manually stop the clock on my Garmin and inevitably when I am done, the "time" on the phone app shows several minutes longer than the time on my Garmin, which means the autopause does not do a very good job of pausing when I am not moving / waiting for a red light to change.

Here is my question. Is there any way of using the Watch to control the MapMyRun / Runtastic app running on my phone? By that I mean, using the Watch to pause the app? I am less concerned about displaying the MapMyRun / Runtastic data on the Watch (although that would be good to see as well) but I am primarily interested in knowing if I can use the Watch as a simple "stop / start" button for the app.

Thx

 

[PatrickNSF]

Is there any way of using the Watch to control the MapMyRun / Runtastic app running on my phone?

I haven't used either of those programs, but I have used Nike+ for my past 6 runs. You can pause the iPhone app using the Watch app with force touch. It gets a little tricky when you're sweaty because the Watch screen is not as responsive then.

One thing to look for is whether the Watch app keeps its connection with the iPhone app. Of the 6 times I've used Nike+, it's only worked on the Watch app for one entire run. The iPhone app keeps going, but the Watch app stops, and there's no way to get it to reconnect. I've been communicating with Nike support about this the past couple of days, but it hasn't been resolved. I assume it will be much more reliable when native apps are released this fall.

 

[Bifurcated]

So we now know that Apple will reveal an SDK for native apps at WWDC (June 8-12.) This will almost certainly open up the HRM to apps like Endomondo. So most likely, many of the problems we're seeing reported in this thread will be significantly improved by the fall.

Native Apple Watch apps are coming this fall, with a developer preview at WWDC | iMore

 

[David Hroncheck]

Well, if the Watch sees the same support as most Apple products do (4S is rumoured to support iOS9), then we've a lot to look forward to. Especially considering this shipped with Watch OS 1,0 and Apple's concentrated focus on the success of a new category. You couldn't expect half as much from any other dedicated sports tracker. If you ponder who have the most potential between Apple, Garmin or Polar, only Apple have the resources and imagination to change the way we analyse our sports data, while loads of app improvements and other goodness are along for the ride. I'm happy with my purchase.

 

[PatrickNSF]

So most likely, many of the problems we're seeing reported in this thread will be significantly improved by the fall.

Agreed. All of Apple's native apps have worked great for me (with the exception of Weather, which seems to get stuck updating every now and then).

For those of you who continue to use a Garmin or some other dedicated running watch, is there any way to have that workout credited towards the Activity app without also wearing the Apple Watch during your run? I've tried entering the Garmin running workout manually in the Health app, but the Activity app doesn't seem to pick it up. I'd like to keep the ability to use the Activity app (and rings) for general fitness tracking, but don't want to wear the Watch if I'm choosing to run with my Garmin.

 

[David Hroncheck]

Do you use the Garmin Connect app? It optionally connects to the Health app with stats of Steps, Active Calories and Walking/Running Distance. If you use both the Watch and Garmin Connect, the Health app will prioritise the session so you won't get double stats. Setting in Health app allow you to change data input priorities. Just move Garmin Connect to the top level.

 

[PatrickNSF]

Thanks. I use Garmin Connect, but when you try to connect it to Apple Health you get a message that reads "A Garmin activity tracker (i.e., step counter) is required to sync with Health." Since the Garmin 620 doesn't feature activity tracking, it won't let me sync with Apple Health.

 

[CrucialTK]

Do you use the Garmin Connect app? It optionally connects to the Health app with stats of Steps, Active Calories and Walking/Running Distance. If you use both the Watch and Garmin Connect, the Health app will prioritise the session so you won't get double stats. Setting in Health app allow you to change data input priorities. Just move Garmin Connect to the top level.

Where in the health app can you adjust those settings? Would you be able to provide a screenshot?

 

[Suggs68]

Well, after more than a month of running 5 or 6 days a week with the Watch, I'm going back to using my Microsoft Band as my primary running companion. Still wearing my Watch during the runs to keep the activity stats current, but the combination of the Band's GPS accuracy with the Microsoft Health app's detailed tracking & analysis and integration with Runkeeper is just too much of a difference especially while marathon training.
Hopefully once Apple provides the
SDK support to 3rd party devs, apps like Runkeeper or Endomondo will get better, or maybe if Apple's running app starts using the GPS full-time and keeping better records, I'll go back to just using the Watch. This is really the only area where the Watch is lacking for me.

 

[PatrickNSF]

Well, after more than a month of running 5 or 6 days a week with the Watch, I'm going back to using my Microsoft Band as my primary running companion.

You may want to give iSmoothRun a look. I'd gone back to my Garmin, but decided to give a few more apps tries while doing so. I hadn't used the iSmoothRun iPhone app since 2011 (I think), but it's really quite good. The Watch app is the best I tried, though they need to improve font readability (i.e., size and color) for better outdoor use.

What's nice about iSmoothRun is that it writes to virtually every major running site, and gives detailed split info. Once I got all the options figured out, it's worked flawlessly for me. I've run without my Garmin the past 4 days and it's worked fine.

The only downsides are outdoor readability (which could be improved before native app integration) and the short data refresh delay. But GPS accuracy has been perfect. And you can have it show you three fields (plus time of day in the upper right), so customization is great.

I still think the Garmin is a better running watch (for me), but I just don't want to run with both watches. So I've been making do with the Watch just to keep the Activity data complete.

 

[Suggs68]

Well color me impressed. Tried iSmoothrun today and it's great. Very customizable and better than Runkeeper and Endomondo on the watch, and totally reasonably priced compared to those two also. Think this will be my new run app. Thanks for the tip

 

[dianahk]

Thank you! I am so giving iSmoothrun a try!

 

[anon(9343851)]

After almost a month now, I've found that walking estimates have been extremely accurate. Even going on a 17-mile hike, the Watch was only off by .06 miles compared to RunKeeper. On shorter walks, it's usually been spot on. Running has gotten worse and worse though, with a 6.33-mile run being recorded as 6.03 miles last week.

 

[Suggs68]

Yeah, the running with the stock app is wildly inaccurate. Walking is fine because the slower speed makes it easier for the periodic GPS checks. Running has been crap though. I'm really amazed they don't enable full-time GPS during a run.
ISmoothrun has been very solid. Accurate to within 1/100 every time. And the dev should be updating soon with better fonts for daytime visibility.

 

[Vortec 5.3]

If you use map my run or endomondo, does the workout app still record you're activity?? I have both on my watch. Not to happy with the stock workout app with accuracy.

 

[Suggs68]

Got my wife a Watch Sport and we went for a run together this morning. She runs slower than me (9:20 or so pace) and the stock workout app was totally accurate for distance and pace for our run. Then I went for a solo faster run (7:15 pace) and it was off by over 1/10th of a mile. Is it possible its more accurate on slower runs than faster?
Also, I've been using iSmoothRun for a while now and it's been great up until recently. It's been freezing on runs pretty frequently, requiring restarting the app on the phone then watch. Anyone else seeing this? Wonder if it's an 8.4 issue. Have to go back to Endo for now I guess.

 

[anon(9343851)]

Got my wife a Watch Sport and we went for a run together this morning. She runs slower than me (9:20 or so pace) and the stock workout app was totally accurate for distance and pace for our run. Then I went for a solo faster run (7:15 pace) and it was off by over 1/10th of a mile. Is it possible its more accurate on slower runs than faster?

It's been my impression, but it's just so hard to get reproducible results with this thing, I can't be sure.

I've also seen it mentioned that 8.4 might have improved the accuracy of motion calibration, but I haven't been able to run a lot since, due to injury. Worth keeping an eye out on in any case. Prior to 8.3 I've had variances of up to .35 miles on a 6.5-mile run, but my most recent run gave me less than .2 variance on a 9.5-mile run.