The Garmin Forerunner 970 is stacked with more sensors, metrics, and training tools than most runners will ever touch. It's an excellent watch, but it’s not immediately as user friendly as it really could be. Out of the box, this is the kind of watch set up to track virtually everything—which could lead to information overload for most people. When you’re drowning in data screens you don't need, you might be leaving real performance insights on the table.I've previously shared my favorite race-day features available on this watch, like Auto Laps and Garmin's PacePro. I've also shared my experience using the Forerunner 970's coveted Running Economy metric. While I love these features, they're pretty obvious selling points. Below are five underrated tips and tricks I wish I knew when I first unboxed my 970, turning this from a "watch that tracks my runs" into a "watch that actually helps me run better."
Reprogram your Garmin 970 buttons for the workouts you actually doLike with most Garmin watches, the 970's buttons are customizable, and it's worth messing around with the defaults. If you're a regular interval trainer, try assigning your lap button to also trigger auto-pause. It sounds small, but it eliminates the fumbling that happens during that exhausting last lap when you still have to manually stop and restart the clock.
