What It’s Like to Race With the Garmin Forerunner 165

Last week, I ran the DC half-marathon alongside nearly 8,000 other runners. Although I generally like to run with my Garmin Forerunner 165 (which I previously examined), when I attached the watch on the morning of the race, I had some reservations. This watch acquired a reputation as a Barebons beginner device – and I was worried if it was holding when it really had. Would GPS remain precise throughout the 13.1 miles race? Would the rhythm features really help me reach my objective time?

After crossing the finish line, I am happy to announce that this entry -level watch met my expectations in almost all directions.

Training with the integrated plans of Garmin

At the head of the day of the race, I tested Garmin’s training plans. It is a simple process: once you have selected a plan in Garmin Connect, your watch automatically receives training every day, with target steps, intervals and recovery periods.

The point of sale for me is that Garmin’s training plans adapt to your performance over time, by adjusting target rhythms according to recent series and fitness assessments. For my training in the marathon, the plan included everything, easy races and tempo training, to accelerate intervals and long races (which may not be long enough – but more on this subject in a moment).

As I mentioned before, I particularly like stimulation advice during tempo races – the beep watch and displays alerts when I derived outside my target rhythm zone, helping me to nail these difficult sustained efforts which are so crucial for the preparation of the breed.

That said, I am not convinced that Garmin’s training philosophy is entirely reliable, especially over long -term distances. I suspect that the device might not suggest high enough mileage for certain runners, but I will dive more deep into this analysis after finishing a full training cycle. In the meantime, I absolutely like stimulation assistance and structured training sessions.

Creation of personalized racing day training

Before the day of the race, I took advantage of one of Garmin’s best features: create personalized training. To do this, I opened the Garmin Connect application and sailed to Training> Training> Create training. From there, I built a step -by -step plan for my race. I created a warm -up mile (at an easy pace), followed by the main event (a 11 -mile stage with ambitious target rhythm alerts), and an additional Mile Mile push. The key was to set up rhythm alerts that had informed me that if I was running too fast or too slow compared to my half-marathon pace.

Once recorded, training is automatically synchronized with my precursor 165, and I could start like any other training on the morning of the race. The fact that this structure eliminates conjectures and helped me stay disciplined during these first kilometers, when adrenaline and the energy of the crowd make it so tempting to start too quickly.

Forerunner 165 GPS accuracy

Here is where the precursor 165 really impressed me. I was really concerned about the precision of GPS in the race. Anyone who has already attended a concert knows how dense crowds disturb the GPs on your phone or watch, and this half-marathon had about 8,000 runners and who knows how many spectators encouraging us. More advanced garmin watches offer a double -band GPS for improved precision, which is lacking in forecast 165. I feared that in a crowded race environment, in the middle of large buildings and thousands of other runners, the single band GPS could have trouble maintaining precision.

My fears were not founded. Throughout the race, my Garmin’s distance measurements almost perfectly correspond to the official Mile markers set up by the organizers of the race. Mile after Mile, when I reached each marker, my watch was less than 0.1 mile of the expected distance. This consistency gave me confidence in my rhythm and eliminated the stress of asking me if my watch made me get lost.

You can see how close the follow -up of Garmin is close to my official racing results in one side side by side here.

Garmin’s summary on the left, my official racing results on the right.
Credit: Meredith Dietz

I should note that I am an extremely relatable runner, in the sense that I am really right in the 50th centile of marathon runners: not faster, no slower. This means that my experience is probably representative of what most recreational runners can expect from this watch.

How the precursor 165 occurred on the day of the race

During the race itself, the precursor 165 delivered exactly what I needed without overwhelming with unnecessary data. The screen remained easily readable in various lighting conditions, from the start before dawn in daylight. The battery life has never been a concern – after monitoring two hours and more GPS follow -up, I still stayed a lot of juices.

The vibration alerts for rhythm differences were perfectly calibrated: sufficiently visible to attract my attention without being shocking or entertaining. Automatic functionality has clearly marked each mile, giving me regular checkpoints to assess my progress compared to my race plan.

Tips for the race with the Garmin Forerunner 165

Based on my racing day experience, here are my best recommendations to make the most of your precursor 165 during a race:

• Load completely the day before. Even if the battery life is excellent, there is no reason to risk it. A full load will easily manage any race distance.

• Configure your data screens in advance. Personalize what information appears on your main screen. I recommend keeping things simple: the current rhythm, the average rhythm and the elapsed time. Too much data can be overwhelming when you are poop.

• Train with your personalized training. Do not let the racing day be the first time you have used personalized training. Test it during a long training race to make sure that the rhythm alerts and the structure work for your preferences.

• Trust GPS. My greatest surprise was the precision of the GPS throughout the race. Trust the distance and rhythm readings of your watch rather than trying to calculate according to the course markers or the sensation.

• Use the LAP button strategically. Although the automatic LAP is excellent, press the tower button manually at key points (such as halfway or when you start your finishing kick) can provide useful psychological markers.

The Garmin Foreunner 165 could be positioned as an entry -level watch, but it did exactly what I needed to do on the day of the race, with a precise GPS, reliable rhythm comments and an easy -to -read screen. Sometimes, it seems, the most advanced features are not necessary-sometimes you just need a watch that works when it counts.