Maybe its too long of a subject line but it says it all. Does anyone know of a way to use garmin watch (in my case its 955 solar) to pace the swim either in open water or pool but in a way that i dont have to stop to look at the pace? Currently doing monthly critical swim speed test and i have noticed at times my starting pace is way off… Other times i am taking it too easy… I know that the watch has the vibration feature that can tell me when my last lap is which is amazing when doing longer intervals like 400yds in a 25yd pool (do the math and its like 15 flip turns and 16 laps… while trying to keep form and breathing…). Is there something similar to the pacepro or even the workout future during running that will do a double vibrate when too fast and a different type of vibration when too slow… something like this might also be very helping when pacing an open water swim. Alternatively, i havent tried setting target HR zone for the swim but that is not always helpful as it lags significantly and in a pool setting you will be reading what you did 1.5 laps ago…
Well the best solution for what you are asking would be the FORM goggles (but it’s not free). I have them and they work great for pacing. With the 955 they also work and will show pace in open water. I also have the polar varity HR sensor on my goggle strap/temple and have live HR that is shown also.
Could you set the watch up to vibrate say every 1:30 if you’re a 1m30s 100 pace person? Or set the Time alert at whatever pace you want to go. I do this in open water, ie. set my Fenix 6 to vibrate every 8 min. for time and 500 meters for distance. That way, I know if I am slower or faster than pace. That can be difficult if I’m swimming for a long distance, but it provides me with a good indication.
Another solution is the Finis Tempo Trainer. That doodad can be clipped to your swim cap or goggle strap and provide exactly what you’re looking for in a pool setting. It’s significantly cheaper than the Form goggles.
I think the solution is a Finis Tempo Trainer under your hat. A shitload cheaper than Form goggles !!
( I use a tempo trainer. I’ve not found the pace function on a 955. Pity, as my previous much cheaper Polar Vantage M had that)
I think the solution is a Finis Tempo Trainer under your hat. A shitload cheaper than Form goggles !!
( I use a tempo trainer. I’ve not found the pace function on a 955. Pity, as my previous much cheaper Polar Vantage M had that)
FORM goggles plus last years model forerunner will be cheaper than 955 watch.
I got a new 735xt for 120, and FORM goggles on black friday deal for $160
Maybe its too long of a subject line but it says it all. Does anyone know of a way to use garmin watch (in my case its 955 solar) to pace the swim either in open water or pool but in a way that i dont have to stop to look at the pace? Currently doing monthly critical swim speed test and i have noticed at times my starting pace is way off… Other times i am taking it too easy… I know that the watch has the vibration feature that can tell me when my last lap is which is amazing when doing longer intervals like 400yds in a 25yd pool (do the math and its like 15 flip turns and 16 laps… while trying to keep form and breathing…). Is there something similar to the pacepro or even the workout future during running that will do a double vibrate when too fast and a different type of vibration when too slow… something like this might also be very helping when pacing an open water swim. Alternatively, i havent tried setting target HR zone for the swim but that is not always helpful as it lags significantly and in a pool setting you will be reading what you did 1.5 laps ago…
thanks for the help in advance
Can’t you just glance at the watch as you do your flip turns??? I’ve been doing this for years just using the old Timex Ironman watch on the chronograph function. Works fine for me but obv YMMV. Maybe it slows you down by 1/2 sec but IMO that is no big deal.
You shouldn’t need a Finis Tempo Trainer as many suggest. If the forerunner 955 is similar to my fenix 6 there is a pacing alert feature just as the Finis does. For the fenix 6 you can access it by starting an pool swim session, then holding the up button → „pool swim settings“ → „alerts“ → „add new“ → „pacing“. Then set your desired pace and the watch will vibrate every time you should do the turn. You can also silence the pace alert so you don’t have to remove it during easy intervals.
Could you set the watch up to vibrate say every 1:30 if you’re a 1m30s 100 pace person? Or set the Time alert at whatever pace you want to go.
I’ve been using this feature for a while now. Awesome for 400 TTs that we do regularly. I swim in a 50m pool and have the time alert set to say 21s. So that’s 1.24 pace and I’ll know every 25m whether I need to slow down/speed up or I’m good. The only slight issue with it is if you want to do fractions of a second say 21.5. Garmin watches won’t do that, whereas a Finish tempo trainer will. I’m not sure why this isn’t used more often.
And I don’t think the Form goggles will give you accurate pace in open water. It will probably be close, but there is a big difference between 1.25 and 1.35 pace. I’ve had 6 Garmins and all of them have been inaccurate in open water to some degree. My Fenix 6 is OK, but can still be out some days. And that’s what most others experience. Plus you have waves, chop, current - so pace in open water is almost a meaningless stat.
Maybe I’m an outlier, but I can read my watch during a flip turn with much penalty in speed and certainly w/o stopping. I have 2 screens set up for this. One has only the interval time, the other has interval distance and interval pace on it. A screen w/ 3 or 4 data fields makes it too small to see easily. If I’m doing hard stuff like a CSS test, I prefer the interval time only and just like running on the track you know your 100m split targets, I know what my 25/50/100 splits should be based on my target swim time.
That said, a vibrate feature would be nice.
EDIT: Looks like my Garmin 935 has the time based alert feature, but as mentioned earlier for other products, only for whole seconds. Useful for pacing every 100 and maybe 50, but probably not every 25s. Also useful for “beat the interval” type workouts so you you’re not “losing time” hitting the lap button at the wall.
Could you set the watch up to vibrate say every 1:30 if you’re a 1m30s 100 pace person? Or set the Time alert at whatever pace you want to go. I do this in open water, ie. set my Fenix 6 to vibrate every 8 min. for time and 500 meters for distance. That way, I know if I am slower or faster than pace. That can be difficult if I’m swimming for a long distance, but it provides me with a good indication.
Another solution is the Finis Tempo Trainer. That doodad can be clipped to your swim cap or goggle strap and provide exactly what you’re looking for in a pool setting. It’s significantly cheaper than the Form goggles.
This might be a great solution!!
And I don’t think the Form goggles will give you accurate pace in open water. It will probably be close, but there is a big difference between 1.25 and 1.35 pace. I’ve had 6 Garmins and all of them have been inaccurate in open water to some degree. My Fenix 6 is OK, but can still be out some days. And that’s what most others experience. Plus you have waves, chop, current - so pace in open water is almost a meaningless stat.
Yes, Form is pulling the data off the Garmin, they don’t have their own GPS built in. That said I have found my 955 is pretty close to what my race swim split end up being.
Looking at my watch this feature might be built in already… will update once I try it in the pool but under pool swim settings, alerts, add new, there you can do time, distance, calories and pace!! Seems that it will alert every 25 yd (every lap). Will update after testing…
You shouldn’t need a Finis Tempo Trainer as many suggest. If the forerunner 955 is similar to my fenix 6 there is a pacing alert feature just as the Finis does. For the fenix 6 you can access it by starting an pool swim session, then holding the up button → „pool swim settings“ → „alerts“ → „add new“ → „pacing“. Then set your desired pace and the watch will vibrate every time you should do the turn. You can also silence the pace alert so you don’t have to remove it during easy intervals.
Pretty good solution for me. I’ll try this tomorrow. Is the vibration different then the interval-is-finishing vibration (other than what should be a different location in the pool)?
I guess during an interval rest you can change the pace to the next interval pace.
Wish you would have answered early yesterday before my swim
I’m with you - maybe even more rudimentary. For continuous swims I start on the minute and then I’m casting my eyes on the wall clock seconds every 100. Keeps my mind busy too as I forecast target time or determine how behind / ahead I might be.
