When the Apple Watch Ultra debuted last yearmany comparisons have been made between him and Garmin sports watches, Coros, Polar and Suunto. But it turns out that this first-generation Watch Ultra wasn’t quite ready to take over from dedicated wrist-based GPS sports watches. Still, the potential was certainly there.
A year later, when the Watch Ultra2 with WatchOS 10 arrived, it became clear that Apple was continuing to develop its smartwatch platform into one suitable for athletes. One feature revealed at WWDC was the introduction of APIs designed so workout developers can send custom workouts directly to the Apple Watch Workout app. Watch users could already create custom workouts on the watch and use them with the Workout app; Now the ability to sync these workouts from another source or provider streamlines the experience and also provides more detailed workout analysis outside of the Workout app experience.
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A few developers have deployed this support; for a week, I have been testing this integration for Training peaks, one of the most popular coaching platforms available for athletes. I received test accounts on TrainingPeaks and was given several running and cycling workouts to try out for myself, as well as a few trainers who provided me with advice during the testing period. Let’s take a closer look at my experiences on the trail and cycle path.
Running
I spend most of my exercise time running or using the Hydrow rower, so it was easy for me to find a local track and get out to test out the running workout feature. I wouldn’t say winter in the Pacific Northwest is the best time to get out and run, but I don’t run indoors, so I was up for the challenge in cold, dark, and damp.
After logging into the test TrainingPeaks account and selecting the appropriate options to connect TrainingPeaks to the Apple Watch, the workouts synced to the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Once I got to the track, I selected the workout I wanted to complete – the workout appeared in the Workout app with the TrainingPeaks logo to make the workout clearly stand out from Apple’s default workout options.
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I selected the workout, chose the outdoor running option, and designated the lane I planned to run in around the track. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 provided audio instructions for intended distance and target heart rate. As I ran, the watch informed me whether I was above or below my desired heart rate zone and it was honestly one of the most helpful aspects of the experience for keeping me on track. pathway for planned training based on heart rate.
Another extremely useful indicator on the watch was a quick visual showing me the status of my progress, in blue segments around a circle. I could quickly look down and see how far I had left in a particular segment to manage my reported heart rate.
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After the run, the workout appeared in Apple Workout and also synced with the TrainingPeaks app on my iPhone. Various details appeared in both applications as TrainingPeaks data was integrated with TrainingPeaks data and metrics. I was able to achieve 96-97% compliance with the intended training plan and it is clear that this success is due to the guidance provided through the Apple Watch.
Bike
Although I cycle often, it is mainly for transportation and often on a electric bike. I dusted off my trusty 1994 Bridgestone XO-4 bike and checked my Garmin speed and cadence sensors. Turns out I have the original sensors that connect via ANT+, so I haven’t been able to connect them to my Apple Watch Ultra 2. If I continue to cycle for exercise, I may need to upgrade to the newer Bluetooth sensor model.
WatchOS 10 brought impressive features to the cycling experience, helping turn a connected iPhone into a powerful cycling computer. In addition to supporting Bluetooth connections to cycling accessories, when you start a cycling workout on your Apple Watch, the workout appears as a live activity on your iPhone with various metrics and tips provided on the full display screen. ‘iPhone.
With personalized training plans synced from TrainingPeaks to the Apple Watch Ultra 2, this TrainingPeaks experience also appeared on the live activity screens. This meant that guidance on my predicted heart rate appeared on the iPhone’s screen, along with information about the next upcoming segment of the training plan. You can easily swipe left and right on these iPhone screens to view a large amount of metrics and data about your ride.
I would never use a watch to guide me through a cycling training plan because I need to stay focused on the path or road ahead of me. Having the watch power the iPhone screen has been a great experience and the iPhone can now easily serve as your primary cycling computer.
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Garmin has released some amazing GPS sports watches over the past few years and I usually wear a Garmin on one wrist and a smartwatch on the other wrist. Apple’s continued development of WatchOS and support from third-party developers seriously calls into question my need for a dedicated GPS sports watch for workout plans, activity tracking, and wellness assessments.
I plan to continue exploring Apple’s support for personalized workouts; It’s an exciting time to be using wearable technology that is improving so rapidly.
