Running Dynamics garmin 645

lulublue22 · 12-12-2020 5:02pm #1

Hi All

Having read a few threads I’ve just realised the garmin forerunner 645 music is on sale for €245. I’ve half convinced myself it will make a lovely xmas present for myself. Of course I will then need to up grade my hrm to the garmin run to avail of the running dynamics. Just wondering how useful are the running dynamics ?

SeeMoreBut · 12-12-2020 5:05pm

I don't have a 645 but when it comes to GPS watches what do you want out of the watch? Start there and work out the model for you

event · 12-12-2020 5:55pm

lulublue22 wrote: »

Hi All

Having read a few threads I’ve just realised the garmin forerunner 645 music is on sale for €245. I’ve half convinced myself it will make a lovely xmas present for myself. Of course I will then need to up grade my hrm to the garmin run to avail of the running dynamics. Just wondering how useful are the running dynamics ?

I have both and it gives you all this data but you need to be realistic and decide if you will look at them.

I rarely do, I look at heart rate and pace. Yeah, its nice to see the ground contact ratio and stride length but I rarely try to change them.

opus · 12-12-2020 7:50pm

I never looked at the running dynamics either tbh, think DCR mentioned they're fine but Garmin doesn't give you suggestions as to some action you might take to 'improve' things.

lulublue22 · 12-12-2020 8:04pm

Thanks all - I don’t really need a new watch the 235 is working fine a bit glitchy but I think most garmins can be - I would be getting the 645 for music as I find long runs boring enough. If I did get the 645 I’m the type of person that it would annoy me to have features on the watch that I couldn’t use so would have to get the hrm run also ðŸ˜

Slow_Runner · 12-12-2020 8:22pm

I have the 645 (without music) for over a year now and find it great. Use it day to day as a smart watch as well as a running watch. Like Event I only really look at pace and HR ( as well as being annoyed by being told I'm losing fitness ðŸ˜ !!). I use it with the HR strap from my last watch - do not rely on the wrist HR when running, fine for day to day but not exercise). If u need to get a strap may as well get the fancy one but as others have said you won't get much benefit from the dynamics part. Toyed with upgrading my own HR strap but didn't bother.

Trampas · 13-12-2020 10:26am

lulublue22 wrote: »

Thanks all - I don’t really need a new watch the 235 is working fine a bit glitchy but I think most garmins can be - I would be getting the 645 for music as I find long runs boring enough. If I did get the 645 I’m the type of person that it would annoy me to have features on the watch that I couldn’t use so would have to get the hrm run also ðŸ˜

Get 245 if you want music then. Might be cheaper. If only for checking distance, pace, hr and music then go what has that.

No use paying extra that you don’t use. Dynamics are fine but unless you know what to do with the info they pointless

robinph · 14-12-2020 2:27pm

Very happy with the 645 (non music) and with the HRM Run. I don't look at a lot of the running dynamics stuff much, but it's occasionally interesting and I do very occasionally look at the power when running (which I know is a bad approximation) in order to try and stop myself going off like a loon at the start of a long/ hilly race, or to try and get the numbers up higher by dropping down hills as fast as possible. At some point I'll invest in a Stryd to go with it.

lulublue22 · 14-12-2020 4:00pm

robinph wrote: »

Very happy with the 645 (non music) and with the HRM Run. I don't look at a lot of the running dynamics stuff much, but it's occasionally interesting and I do very occasionally look at the power when running (which I know is a bad approximation) in order to try and stop myself going off like a loon at the start of a long/ hilly race, or to try and get the numbers up higher by dropping down hills as fast as possible. At some point I'll invest in a Stryd to go with it.

Caved last night and bought the 645m as an xmas present ðŸ˜

lulublue22 · 20-12-2020 7:19pm

lulublue22 wrote: »

Caved last night and bought the 645m as an xmas present ðŸ˜

Just to update - absolutely love the 645 and that’s without adding any music so far. Took it for a test run prior to going under the tree just in case it was faulty ðŸ˜† delighted I caved now !

event · 20-12-2020 9:20pm

As an aside, I noticed I had an issue updating Spotify on mine.
Kept saying failed.

Found out via Google that if getting it, need to disable the 5ghz from your WiFi network if has one.

Might save ye some hassle down the line

lulublue22 · 20-12-2020 9:44pm

event wrote: »

As an aside, I noticed I had an issue updating Spotify on mine.
Kept saying failed.

Found out via Google that if getting it, need to disable the 5ghz from your WiFi network if has one.

Might save ye some hassle down the line

Perfect tks- will be a couple of days before I try and add music but will keep it in mind.

Reg'stoy · 21-12-2020 8:12pm

I wear a Garmin 645 myself after having a Garmin 30, reasons I upgraded were the inability to send training plans to the 30 (currently doing a 10k program, find it tough but it's so handy to just press run on the watch and the activity is ready to go), the option to run without my phone and still have music and the clincher was Garmin Pay (works with revolut) twice now I've used my watch to pay for shopping after leaving home without my wallet. I picked it up thanks to a boards bargain alert and couldn't be happier with it.

I was lucky enough to get a secondhand Garmin chest strap in CEX and even luckier to find out it was a HRM model with all of the running dynamics. Now I don't consider myself a runner who needs them, but I have found myself looking at them and as a consequence I've tried to improve my cadence speed and therefore my running form. You can really see the difference running faster makes with your running form.

This is what the dynamics look like on your Garmin connect activity page.

So keep an eye out for second hand chest straps, I got mine for €20

now it's a 1st generation one, so fairly old but it works perfectly, it has a little running man on the front of the module. The different colours correspond to what is considered the better results and how you compare to the rest of the population.

lulublue22 · 21-12-2020 8:18pm

Reg'stoy wrote: »

I wear a Garmin 645 myself after having a Garmin 30, reasons I upgraded were the inability to send training plans to the 30 (currently doing a 10k program, find it tough but it's so handy to just press run on the watch and the activity is ready to go), the option to run without my phone and still have music and the clincher was Garmin Pay (works with revolut) twice now I've used my watch to pay for shopping after leaving home without my wallet. I picked it up thanks to a boards bargain alert and couldn't be happier with it.

I was lucky enough to get a secondhand Garmin chest strap in CEX and even luckier to find out it was a HRM model with all of the running dynamics. Now I don't consider myself a runner who needs them, but I have found myself looking at them and as a consequence I've tried to improve my cadence speed and therefore my running form. You can really see the difference running faster makes with your running form.

This is what the dynamics look like on your Garmin connect activity page.

So keep an eye out for second hand chest straps, I got mine for €20 now it's a 1st generation one, so fairly old but it works perfectly, it has a little running man on the front of the module. The different colours correspond to what is considered the better results and how you compare to the rest of the population.

Tks for that - will keep an eye out for second hand as I only bought a chest strap a few months ago - one without the running dynamics unfortunately .

Supercell · 22-12-2020 11:25am

Congrats on your new watch!
How did you get running power showing in Garmin?, I have the 945 and a running dynamics pod but Garmin isn't showing me that. I have used running power on the watch before so it is capable of doing it. I'm mainly interested to see effort in terms of consistency when reviewing a run, most of the other dynamics stuff is beyond me to be honest.

lulublue22 · 22-12-2020 11:30am

Supercell wrote: »

Congrats on your new watch!
How did you get running power showing in Garmin?, I have the 945 and a running dynamics pod but Garmin isn't showing me that. I have used running power on the watch before so it is capable of doing it. I'm mainly interested to see effort in terms of consistency when reviewing a run, most of the other dynamics stuff is beyond me to be honest.

I don’t have the running dynamics yet as I don’t have a compatible hrm strap.

Hopefully someone more clued in than myself can give you an answer.

Reg'stoy · 22-12-2020 1:45pm

Supercell wrote: »

Congrats on your new watch!
How did you get running power showing in Garmin?, I have the 945 and a running dynamics pod but Garmin isn't showing me that. I have used running power on the watch before so it is capable of doing it. I'm mainly interested to see effort in terms of consistency when reviewing a run, most of the other dynamics stuff is beyond me to be honest.

Go into the garmin IQ store and download the running power apps to your watch and then follow the instructions to enable them via the connect app on your phone.
The charts are interesting and DC Rainmaker (I think that's his name) did a youtube video on them. I do find myself been more aware of my foot speed (cadence) but again I'm not a runner when you see the other folks on here and I just want to get the health benefits of keeping fitter now that I'm (cough) older.

Supercell · 22-12-2020 2:23pm

Reg'stoy wrote: »

Go into the garmin IQ store and download the running power apps to your watch and then follow the instructions to enable them via the connect app on your phone.
The charts are interesting and DC Rainmaker (I think that's his name) did a youtube video on them. I do find myself been more aware of my foot speed (cadence) but again I'm not a runner when you see the other folks on here and I just want to get the health benefits of keeping fitter now that I'm (cough) older.

Thanks, that's very helpful, must track down that video.

Running Dynamics garmin 645

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