There’s no easy way around it. Running in the summer is tough. While we appreciate the extra hours of sunlight, the heat and humidity can make running feel a lot more difficult, even when you’re running your usual pace or mileage.
The good news? With the right summer running preparation and hydration plan, you can feel your best and get your training in, even as the temperatures rise.
And the even better news is that you don’t have to go at it without help. Garmin watches have a huge range of features that can help you through warm weather training and help you optimize your summer running.
Wondering how you can use your smartwatch to up your summer training game? In this guide, we’ll cover some top Garmin features you may not know about that can help you stay healthy and on track in warm weather conditions.
4 Garmin Features For Summer Training
Whether you’re shopping for a new smartwatch and don’t know what features to look for, or you already own a Garmin and are curious about some of the more underrated weather features, we’ve got you covered. Here are a few key Garmin features you may not know about that can improve your hot weather training and get you through the rising temperatures.
Heat & Altitude Acclimation
When you run in the heat, your body’s natural cooling system needs to work harder to balance out the heat and humidity in the air. As a result, the same performance, pace, distance, and effort will feel more challenging in high temperatures compared to ideal running conditions.
However, this impact on performance doesn’t last forever. Over time, your body acclimates to the heat. With careful, gradual progression in summer months, your body can more effectively and efficiently cool you down.
And as you acclimate to the heat, some Garmin watches will provide helpful insights to help you track your progress and acclimation level.
Smartphone and GPS data can track when altitudes are above 800 m and temperatures are above 72 degrees Farenheit. As you perform activities, your watch will track your acclimation status so you can adjust your training plan accordingly and manage performance and effort expectations.
Several of Garmin’s most popular GPS watches incorporate this heat acclimation feature to help you make the most of your training. Look for it in watches in the Fenix series, Epix series, and most watches in the Forerunner series.
Vo2 Max and Other Training Insights
With some watches, Vo2 max, heart rate, and other training insights can be misleading in hot weather. Heat causes your heart rate to increase and your Vo2 max and cardiovascular fitness to appear lower and more unproductive.
But many Garmin watches have training insights that work with the heat acclimation sensor to provide the best possible insight into your training progression and race day readiness. GPS data reports temperatures above 72 degrees, and health data automatically adjusts to reflect your heat acclimation and outside weather condition.
You can find these heat-dependent training insights in some of the more premium Garmin watches, such as the Fenix series, Epix series, and the Forerunner 970.
Body Battery
It can be challenging to know when it’s time to take a step back and recharge during summer training, as your usual mileage and pace can tire you out quicker than before.
This is where the Garmin Body Battery comes into play. This energy monitoring feature tracks your physical activity, sleep, stress, and other physiological factors to determine when you’re ready to tackle more workouts, and when you need to rest and recharge.
Working out in the heat drains your Body Battery faster than usual, as it tracks these workouts as more strenuous activity and your heart rate and vo2 max can take a hit. Use the Body Battery to ensure you’re getting enough rest and recovery, especially after tough workouts or long runs in warmer weather.
And while only more advanced Garmin models have some heat acclimation features, nearly every option in Garmin’s recent line-up has Body Battery monitoring. No matter which watch you go with, you can easily track your fitness and energy levels.
Hydration Tracking
In warmer climates, you lose more critical fluids and electrolytes as you sweat faster and more often. It’s crucial to replenish these fluids and minerals to avoid dehydration and other heat-related illnesses.
Garmin helps you stay on track with convenient hydration tracking tools. You can either use a default hydration goal based on gender or set your own individual goal. After that, it’s simple to add your fluid intake and make sure you’re staying on top of your hydration.
You can even enable dynamic daily goals that will adjust with the temperature, sweat loss, and daily activity to ensure you’re getting the water you need after workouts.
Essentially all modern Garmin watches have hydration tracking. Or, you can track your water and electrolyte intake on your phone through the Garmin Connect app.
Final Thoughts: Optimize Your Summer Training With Garmin
Garmin has earned a spot as one of the top GPS running watch brands around, and with so many features to help with your training and day-to-day life, it’s easy to understand how.
And when it comes to the warmer summer months, these features are even more important in improving your training and keeping you feeling your best.
If you’re looking for a Garmin watch with these features and more, or have any questions about how to best enhance your summer training, the Marathon Sports team is here to help. When you swing by your nearest store, we’ll help you find the perfect smartwatch and tools for all your summer training needs.
Don’t let the heat throw a wrench in your summer training plans. Our team is excited to keep you outside and running towards all your goals this summer.
