Keep the running stats simple with a Timex: The case for a non-GPS watch
For those easy runs, track workouts or indoor training sessions, one of these two Timex watch models may be an ideal option.
It seems that new technology and gadgets pop up in the running world almost on a daily basis, especially GPS watches, which provide the ability to track most statistics associated with a run. Sometimes though, it’s best to kick it old school with a non-GPS watch.
RELATED: Garmin Vivomove: The watch that barely resembles an activity tracker.
That’s where Timex watches, which have long been a go-to for runners for simple yet effective devices, come in.
Canadian Running had the chance to test out two models, the Timex Sleek 50 and the Timex Sleek 150, both of which retail for $100 or less. A Timex watch is particularly handy when running indoors, on the track, and on easy runs when it’s often best to go by feel rather than hitting a specific pace that would be more obvious with a GPS watch.
In case you do prefer a GPS watch over other styles, it’s wise to have a Timex in your running lineup for the times where your go-to watch is out of battery, has a weak signal, or when you just want to forget about live stats.
Timex Sleek 150 – $100
The Timex Sleek 150 has a runner-friendly display, larger than the Sleek 50 model, and features a particularly fun feature for interval and repetition training: Tap to lap. At the end of each interval, runners have the option to tap the screen, which will trigger a new lap.
If you’re not a fan of the tap, the watch also has the traditional “start/stop” button. Workouts can be saved, ideal for putting into the training log at a later time, and 150 laps can be stored at once.
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The watch is also water-resistant, good for cross-training in the pool without posing a problem on those extra-rainy runs when just about everything is waterlogged.
RELATED: Training tips: Track your past, map your future.
Timex Sleek 50 – $95
The Sleek 50 is true to its name as it fits well to a runner’s wrist and retails for under $100. You won’t have to worry about the watch’s battery life until years down the road too. The Sleek 50 is a smaller version of the Sleek 150 and does not have the tap feature but rather a “start/split” button on the front.
With four modes, the Timex 50 has about all the features you would want in a non-GPS watch. No instruction manual needed either as the interface is about as runner-friendly as it gets. Fifty laps can be stored at once to be saved for review.
RELATED: Must-see tips: Everything you need to know about long intervals.
We’re also big fans of the camouflage-coloured options.
Another reason for a Timex watch
Occasionally, GPS watches will track your run in a rather unusual way if you’re in a dense area such as a downtown core. One such example can be seen below as the GPS signal cut in and out while running on Wellington Street in downtown Toronto.
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