Garmin Forerunner 245 Music

The Garmin 245 was one of the top three devices used to track running activities on Strava in 2024 (I don't think they differentiate between the 245 and 245 Music). This watch is still a very capable tracking and training tool!

After using a Garmin Vivoactive 3 for about a year, I wanted something with more metrics and running support.

There have been two more generations of this watch (the Forerunner 255 and 265). This watch is amazing if you find a good price and don't need the altimeter and other features of the newer or premium watches.

This watch has been a great motivator and training tool when I decided to work on running to improve my orienteering performance. There are many more features that this watch has, I've limited this review to how I typically use it.

Dual Band GPS Tracking: It gives a choice of either GPS + GLONASS or GPS + Galileo. 

Garmin Coach: For running, it gives a choice of four distances (5K,10K, half-mararthon, and marathon); three completion types (run/walk, run, or run with time goal); and a choice of three coaches (Jeff Galloway, Greg McMillan, or Amy Parkerson-Mitchell).

The Garmin Coach section in the connect app shows you're progress in the current plan

I've followed several training plans prescribed by the Garmin Coach program and made significant improvement in running speed, plus lost 20 pounds. I've only used the the run with time goal for 5K and 10K. I tried all three coaches, Greg and Amy worked well for me,  but Jeff's drills were a bit too tedious for me. I made significant gains, starting out with about a 9-minute mile, and can now run a sub-7-minute mile. 

Workouts/Activity tracking: It doesn't have a "Hike" activity, presumably because it doesn't have an altimeter. I'll either record a "walk" or a "trail run" when going hiking, and change the activity type after I've finished. It does a good job of creating an accurate gpx track, which I'll later upload to route gadget or livelox to see how I did on an orienteering course. 

I've also used it for orienteering training with the o-range app, it registers "punching" a control when you reach the set proximity to the coordinates (options from 5-20m, I usually do 15). 

Sleep Tracking: It does a good job of tracking sleep, occasionally it won't catch my bedtime or will record some extra time after I've already woken up.

Body Battery: Looks at a combination of rest, stress, and activity to see how ready I am for activity or how tired I am. When I feel drained, the battery is typically very low, sometimes bottomed out at 5. When I'm well rested after a good night of sleep, it shows a full battery of 100.

VO2max: It gives a separate, estimated VO2 max score for running and cycling. It's supposedly pretty close to what one would get from a real VO2 max test. It has been a motivator and self-esteem builder to see it increase by 10 points since I started using it.

Training Status: It tells me whether I'm overreaching, peaking, productive, maintaining, recover, unproductive, or detraining. This is based on the type, duration, variety, intensity, and frequency of workouts

Heart Rate: It records heart rate throughout the day and more frequently during workouts. It also has the capability to broadcast my heart rate, which I now use in place of a chest monitor most of the time when cycling or virtual cycling (like zwift or rouvy). 

Steps: Does a good job of tracking steps. The default goal each day changes based on previous days steps. 

SpO2: It can measure SpO2, it does this automatically when sleeping or on demand at other times. I think (hope?) the measurement is on the low side, though.

You can get even more running metrics by pairing this watch with a Garmin running dynamics pod (the Jeff Galloway workouts with a focus on cadence drills encouraged me to get one when I found it for 50% off). It gives right/left balance, ground contact time, stride length, vertical ratio, vertical oscillation in cm.

Background

I run 4 times a week and this is the 4th fitness watch I've owned.