Apple Watch Apps
When writing the book, there were only two Apple Watch apps that offered wrist-based power:
- The Apple Workout app
- The WorkOutDoors app
I tested both and recommend the WorkOutDoors app.
Why?
The Apple Workout app had a few issues that made it difficult to use for Running with Power:
- it only offers real-time or workout average power. There is no smoothed power (so you’ll have to put up with ‘spiky’ power numbers when running), and there is no lap power (which makes it just about impossible to run intervals to target).
- it doesn’t record datapoints every second. Instead it uses ‘smart recording’ which records two datapoints every 5 seconds. This resulted in some very strange averages when analysing completed run data.
- the Apple Health app stores completed workouts, but calculates averages using (end time – start time) rather than using the number of recorded datapoints. This led to inaccuracies if the run included pauses or stops.
Nevertheless, these pages cover the Apple Workout app and the WorkOutDoors app so that you can make your own choice.
The WorkOutDoors (Apple) app
WorkOutDoors is the most configurable workout app, with many screen layouts and 600+ metrics. It is the perfect app for any type of outdoor workout: running, hiking, cycling and more.
Setting up wrist-based power
Once installed, the only setup necessary is entering your height and weight.
Height & weight settings
As explained in the Settings for all Watches/Power Meters book chapter, it’s important to ‘set and forget’ your height and weight.
Height and Weight must be entered in the Apple Health app (not in the WorkOutDoors app), as described in Change settings in Workout on the Apple website
Auto-lap, Auto-pause, Auto-calibrate, Recording Frequency
These settings are explained in the Settings for all Watches/Power Meters book chapter. They are configured on your Apple Watch, or via the mobile app.
Auto-lap
Auto-laps are enabled/disabled in the WorkOutDoors mobile app.
To enable/disable Auto-laps:
- Open the WorkOutDoors mobile app
- Select Settings – a spanner at bottom right of the screen
- Select Alerts
- Scroll through the list of Notifications, then Select Distance
- Toggle Notification Enabled off to disable Auto-laps, or on to enable Auto-laps.
- If enabled, Select Frequency and enter the distance.
- Select <Alerts then <Settings to return to the Settings menu.
- Select Other Settings
- Toggle Auto-Laps on
- Select <Settings to exit the Other Settings page
Auto-pause
Auto-pause is enabled/disabled in the WorkOutDoors mobile app.
To enable/disable Auto-pause:
- Open the WorkOutDoors mobile app
- Select Settings – a spanner at bottom right of the screen
- Select Pausing
- Toggle Auto-Pause Enabled off to disable Auto-pause
Auto-calibrate
Apple watches auto-calibrate whenever you walk or run outside.
To disable Auto-calibration, use the WorkOutDoors mobile app to take pace and distance from GPS instead of using Apple’s calibrated distances.
To take pace and distance from GPS:
- Open the WorkOutDoors mobile app
- Select Settings – a spanner at bottom right of the screen
- Select Pace & Distance
- Set Source to GPS
Recording Frequency
WorkOutDoors uses ‘every second recording’.
Adjusting what's displayed on your watch
Use the WorkOutDoors mobile app to adjust what’s displayed on your watch:
- Open the WorkOutDoors mobile app
- Select Screens – a rectangular icon towards the left of the bottom of the screen.
- Select Running Screens
- You can add or delete screens, and adjust the content of each.
Power Averaging
Power averaging is explained in the Settings for all Watches/Power Meters book chapter.
The WorkOutDoors app offers real-time, lap, last lap and workout average power.
Displaying power, pace and heart rate
Some of the activities in the book ask you to display power, pace and HR on your watch so that you can keep track of changes in those metrics as you begin to experience running with power.
To do this, add (or adjust) one of the Running Screens to show real-time power, pace and heart rate.
Moving to the next lap
WorkOutDoors does not support manually moving to the next lap because laps (in WorkOutDoors) are always of a fixed length.
However if you are not using a workout schedule then you can split a workout into intervals by using the New Interval command:
- To start a new interval on the Ultra press the action button.
- On other Apple Watches, press the watch screen and tap Settings then Commands, then New Interval.
If you do this a lot then you can set up a shortcut to make it easier. For example go to the Commands menu, then tap Shortcuts. Choose a shortcut gesture (e.g. double tap or press both side buttons), then set that gesture to be New Interval.
Using structured workouts
You can create structured workouts (with multiple steps, often used for interval workouts) using the WorkOutDoors mobile app:
- Open the WorkOutDoors mobile app
- Select Settings – a spanner at bottom right of the screen
- Select Interval Schedules
You can add, copy and delete interval schedules, and within a schedule, add and delete interval steps, as described in the Interval Schedules page on the WorkOutDoors website.
Uploading completed workouts
Completed workouts are added to Apple Health.
If you want completed workouts uploaded to other apps (for reviewing), you should use a 3rd-party app like HealthFit to connect Apple Health to the other apps.
I'd like to give feedback ...
If you have feedback – perhaps something that’s missing/incorrect, or something that would improve the content of Part 3, please let me know in the from1runner2another Facebook group.
Updated: