June 9, 2025

From race time predictions to Garmin Coach running training plans, your Garmin running smartwatch can help you get ahead.

Maybe a friend talked you into signing up for your first 5K. Or maybe you’re ready for a new challenge and want to train for a marathon. No matter where you want to go in your running journey, Garmin race day features can help.

Here’s how you can maximize the benefits on your smartwatch for race day.

First, set up your race in the Garmin Connect™app

OK, you’ve signed up for your race. Now it’s time to set up your race — for free — in Garmin Connect. With these five steps, you can make sure what you need for race day is in one place.

1. Build your course in Garmin Connect: When you need to run a certain route, courses allow your watch to direct you along a specific path. You can create your own, choose from one already in the system or upload other third-party course files with your compatible smartwatch.

2. Add your race: In the “Training & Planning” section of the Garmin Connect app, you’ll select “Races & Events” to add your race. You can either select an existing race by searching for the name or location, or you can create your own event. You’ll also set a goal for your event, whether that’s a time, pace or just to finish. That event will appear on your Garmin Connect calendar. Then, you’ll add the course you already built to your event.

3. Check the primary race glance: Want a quick look at your upcoming race? Consider using the primary race glance on your compatible smartwatch to see details about your upcoming race. If you’ve added a course for your race, this glance can display your optional PacePro™ race feature (more on that later) or your time/pace goal, as well as elevation data. The primary race glance also shows a countdown until your race, the date and time of your event, weather and personalized daily suggested workouts. With an event added to your calendar, the daily suggested workouts will become race-specific to prepare you for your race.

4. View your race time prediction: Next, you’ll want to check your race time prediction to see how close you are to your time goal. If you were to run your race today, this provides an estimate of your pace and race time. Race predictor on compatible Garmin smartwatches uses your VO2 max¹ and training history to predict a finish time for your race. Plus, if a course has been added to the event, predicted race-day weather and the course elevation profile will further refine your race time prediction.

5. Consider your projected race time: If you keep training well all the way through your race date, this predicts what your race time and pace could be by then — with your compatible smartwatch.

With these features set up in one place and linked to your race, you’re ready to start training.

Next, sign up for a Garmin Coach training plan

Whether you want to hit a PR or want to build your fitness so you can finish the race, a free Garmin Coach running training plan on a compatible Garmin smartwatch can help. Garmin smartwatches interpret your performance and recovery data to understand the intensity and impact of your efforts.

You’ve got two options here: a performance-adaptive plan with a running coach or a personalized plan based on your individual health, performance and recovery metrics.

1. Dynamic training plans from experts: Simply select your race goal and running level —these workouts adjust as you progress. Garmin Coach offers three experienced coaches to serve as your on-demand personal guide: Olympian and best-selling author Jeff Galloway, physiologist and online running coach Greg McMillan, or physical therapist and running expert Amy Parkerson-Mitchell. Learn more about choosing the right Garmin Coach for you here.

2. Garmin Run Coach: With a compatible smartwatch, you can access Garmin Run Coach. Once you select a goal and training days, Garmin Run Coach will build a training plan that provides personalized daily workouts that adapt to your performance, recovery and health metrics. Plus, you can add in supplemental strength workouts. Wear your smartwatch as much as possible so it can factor in metrics such as your VO2 max, lactate threshold, training history, sleep, recovery and more.

Now you’re ready to race with Garmin

You’ve spent the last few weeks tapering your training, packed gels into the pockets of your race day shorts and picked up your bib. Race day has arrived. These features can help you get across the finish line.

1. Execute a race day pacing strategy with PacePro™: The PacePro feature, which analyzes elevation contours in a course, offers dynamic pace guidance based on elevation and your own pacing preferences — all to help maximize your performance (just make sure you’ve attached a course to your event). Want…