{"id":2439,"date":"2021-11-16T16:07:36","date_gmt":"2021-11-16T21:07:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/joyfultriathlete.com\/?p=2439"},"modified":"2023-09-07T16:31:22","modified_gmt":"2023-09-07T20:31:22","slug":"apple-watch-for-triathlon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/joyfultriathlete.com\/apple-watch-for-triathlon\/","title":{"rendered":"How to use an Apple Watch for triathlon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you own an Apple Watch, you probably wonder if you can use it during your next triathlon event, or even for triathlon training. This is a very interesting question: most people tend to use specific sports watches for a triathlon (such as Garmin, Polar, Suunto, etc) but why not use an Apple Watch?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can use an Apple Watch during a triathlon event. You will need to manually change sport during the race, or use a paid app with a triathlon mode. Compared to a fitness watch, the battery life is very limited. It is best for short-distance triathlon.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apple watches have evolved a lot in the last few years to become more and more accurate in terms of recording sports data. So let’s see if you can use it for a triathlon! In this article, I will first look at racing with an apple watch and then focus on training with an Apple watch. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Is it allowed to race with an Apple watch?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Racing with an Apple Watch is allowed as per USAT and World Triathlon rules. For Ironman events, you can also race with an Apple watch as long as you only use it as a sports watch to record your data. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, Ironman events ban the use of smartwatches. But you are okay with your Apple watch if you only record data and don’t use it to phone, text, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“Athletes may not use communication devices of any type, including but not limited to cell phones, smart watches, and two-way radios, in any distractive manner during the Race. A \u201cdistractive manner\u201d includes but is not limited to making and receiving phone calls, sending and receiving text messages, playing music, using social media, and taking photographs. Using a communication device in a distractive manner during the Race will result in disqualification”<\/p>\nIronman rules 2021<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n

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Using an Apple watch for a triathlon race<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Accuracy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Since the Apple Watch Series 6, the accuracy of the GPS data is equivalent to the ones of most famous sports watches (like Garmin triathlon watches<\/a>). And the accuracy of the heart rate monitor is also excellent. You can check this detailed comparison<\/a> done by DC Rainmaker which assesses the accuracy of the Apple watch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Battery life<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The battery life of Apple watches during a GPS workout lasts between 5 and 7 hours depending on the model. To race a triathlon with an Apple Watch this limitation can be an issue. For short distance triathlons, using the Apple watch series 6 for instance which has 7 hours of battery life in workout mode, is more than enough. But for long-distance events, such as ironman events, you can be racing for up to 16 hours. Your watch won’t last long enough. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One solution is to charge your watch during the cycling leg by putting the watch on the handlebars and connecting it to a power bank. But this is really tricky and you will need to have an external heart rate sensor connected to your watch to keep recording this metric while riding. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Apple Watch battery life can only handle triathlon up to the Olympic distance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Limitations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Recording the race<\/strong> data<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is no triathlon mode directly embedded within an Apple watch. You can ‘Swim’, then ‘Bike’, then ‘Run’ but you cannot have one triathlon activity where you just need to press one button to start the following sport, unlike triathlon-specific fitness watches. But an Apple watch comes with the apple store: this means there is a number of apps you can download to add functionality to your watch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I will explain after the best ways to race with an Apple watch. But remember that by default you will need to record individually each sport during the race. This means you need to switch manually between sport during your transition phases and this is not ideal, especially with wet hands after the swim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connecting sensors<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apple watches, as of today, do not allow to connect ANT+ sensors. You can connect sensors via Bluetooth but you will be limited in the number of sensors you can connect at the same time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sensors can be very useful for the bike leg to record power, cadence, and a more accurate speed. Most bike sensors<\/a> connect via ANT+ though but most recent ones generally offer Bluetooth as an alternative. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Data visualization<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While racing, depending on the way chosen to record your race event, you will not see much data on the app screen in comparison with a fitness watch. You will see the basic metrics (speed, distance, time, heart rate). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to record your race with an Apple watch?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n