There’s A Coach In Every Watch— Garmin Forerunner 620 and 220 With Color Display

Runners, rejoice! Today we announced the Forerunner 620 and Forerunner 220 GPS running watches – two of the
lightest, thinnest, most advanced offerings for runners from Garmin, and the next best thing to having a personal
running coach. The Forerunner 620 offers advanced features like recovery
advisor, race predictor and VO2 max estimate to help runners train smarter and
achieve new race goals. When used with the NEW HRM-Run monitor¹, the 620 also provides feedback on
running form. For indoor training, like on a treadmill, the 620 and 220’s
built-in accelerometer tracks distance and pace, so runners don’t need a
separate sensor. Both models boast Garmin’s unique one-inch Chroma color display to easily interpret data.

“Whether running indoors or out, Forerunner
620 and 220 will change the way runners look at training,” said Dan Bartel,
Garmin vice president of worldwide sales. “Advanced features in the 620 such as
recovery advisor, VO2 max estimate, race predictor and stats on running
economy, combined with connected features and training plan options found in
both the 620 and 220, make these watches must haves for runners of all levels. To
keep runners motivated the watches also notice if runners
hit any personal records on that run, like their fastest mile, 5k, 10k, half or
full marathon or their longest run to date.”

Regardless of a runner’s
experience, motivation, or how far or fast they go, they likely want to know
how they can improve and objectively measure their fitness. Forerunner 620 does
just that by estimating runners’ VO2 max, which is a good indicator of athletic
capability. Previously, the only way to accurately obtain VO2 max was by paying
for a lab test. When used with a heart rate monitor, the 620 incorporates
several pieces of data, like running speed, beats per minute and heart rate
variability, into an advanced algorithm to estimate runners’ VO2 max. The
number itself indicates the maximum volume of oxygen a runner can consume per
minute, per kilogram of body weight at their max performance. Theoretically,
the more oxygen runners can use during high-level exercise, the more energy they can produce. A color
gauge on the watch display shows how a runner’s VO2 max data compares to other individuals
of their gender and age range. Based on the VO2 max estimate, the 620 can
predict a runner’s race time for several distances. This can give runners a
time target for their next race, assuming they’ve completed proper training.

When wearing HRM-Run, Forerunner 620’s
NEW recovery advisor and recovery check take the guesswork out when it comes to
planning recovery time between hard workouts. Just like a coach, it learns the
runner and their physiology based on heart rate data, so it factors this
against their last workout and then shows how much time before they are fully
recovered and ready for their next hard running workout. Color-coding on the high-resolution
Chroma display gauge makes it easy to
interpret — green, of course, means they are good to go. When runners see red
on the display and a recovery time of more than 3 days, they might consider
taking a rest day or just doing a light recovery run. HRM-Run also has an accelerometer
in the module that measures torso movement in order to calculate 3 different
running metrics:

• Cadence — the number of steps per minute. It displays the total
  steps (right and left combined)
• Vertical oscillation — the bounce in runners’ running motion. It
  displays the vertical motion of a runners’ torso, measured in centimeters.
• Ground contact time — the amount of time in each step that you spend on
  the ground while running, measured in milliseconds.

“The
Forerunner 620 is a watch that runners have been waiting for”, said Dr. Jack
Daniels, famed running coach, author and exercise physiologist. “Being
able to monitor runners’ running dynamics and receive real-time feedback
in a watch is a huge step in running innovation.”

Thanks to their Bluetooth^® Smart wireless upload capabilities, Forerunner 620 and
220 can send runners’ run data to the Garmin online community, Garmin Connect, without being connected to a computer. It can transfer the
data through the Garmin Connect Mobile app on their
compatible smartphone. Additional connected features include live tracking,
which allows runners’ friends and fans to follow along and see their stats in
real-time. Runners must have their phone paired with their 620 or 220
throughout the run to use the LiveTrack feature. Victories, goals achieved and successes can be shared
on runners’ social media sites by posting updates through the Garmin Connect
Mobile app. And, for real-time coaching as they run, both the 620 and 220 are
compatible with free training plans at Garmin Connect. Runners
can also set up their Forerunner 620 to work with one or more Wi-Fi hot spots,
such as their home and office networks, to automatically sync with Garmin
Connect when in range. Syncing with Garmin Connect on a regular basis not only
ensures the upload of runners’ data, it also sends the next
seven days worth of satellite data, to Forerunner 620 and 220, to ensure the
fastest possible satellite acquisition— no more standing and waiting, and seeing
runners with their wrists to the sky while waiting for a signal.

With the growing popularity
of the run/walk training method in the distance running community (example: a
runner runs for five minutes, walks for one minute and repeats for the duration
of the course), Garmin has included a run/walk alert. This alert allows
Forerunner 620 and 220’s other features, such as, Auto Lap and Auto Pause, to
remain active during a run/walk session.

Both Forerunner 620 and 220 are
water-resistant to 50m and can stand up to much more than rain, sweat and
splashes. The Forerunner 620 has a touchscreen display responsive enough that it
can be operated with running gloves, while the 220 is operated with easy to
push buttons. Both models have rechargeable batteries lasting up to six weeks
in watch mode and up to 10 hours in training mode.

Forerunner 620 is available in blue/black and
white/orange, while Forerunner 220 is available in black/red and white/violet
and are expected to ship fall 2013 and have suggested retail prices of $399.99/$449.99
(HRM-Run Bundle) and $249.99/$299.99 (Heart Rate Bundle) respectively. Forerunner 620 and Forerunner 220
are the latest solutions from Garmin’s expanding fitness segment, which focuses
on developing technologies and innovations to enhance users’ lives and promotes
healthy and active lifestyles.  Whether it’s running, cycling, or other
athletic pursuits, Garmin fitness devices are becoming essential tools for
athletes both amateur and elite.  For more about features, pricing and
availability, as well as information about Garmin’s other fitness products and
services, go to https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/into-sports/cIntoSports-p1.html

¹Included with
some models, sold separately on others.

The post There’s A Coach In Every Watch— Garmin Forerunner 620 and 220 With Color Display appeared first on Garmin Blog.