Best Running Watch: What Pro Runners Wear and What to Buy

Featured image: Garmin

The best running watch for most runners in late 2026 is the Garmin Forerunner 570, with the Coros Pace 4 as the value pick and the Garmin Forerunner 970 for runners who also race triathlon or want maps. Elite marathoners do not all wear the same thing: Eliud Kipchoge’s partner brand is Coros, and plenty of other pros wear whatever their sponsor makes.

Best Running Watches at a Glance

• Best overall: Garmin Forerunner 570, about $550.
• Best value: Coros Pace 4, about $249 (Wirecutter’s 2026 overall running-watch pick, per Coros).
• Best for triathlon and serious racers: Garmin Forerunner 970, about $750.
• Best cheaper Garmin: Garmin Forerunner 170, about $300.
• Best for iPhone users: Apple Watch Series 12, from about $399.
• Also worth a look: Polar Vantage M3 (about $399) and Suunto Race S (about $299).

What Elite Runners Actually Wear

The search term “best running watch” often comes with a second question: what do the fastest people in the world strap on? The honest answer is that most elite athletes wear a watch from a brand that sponsors them, so a pro’s wrist is a clue about reliability, not a neutral review. Still, the pattern is useful.

Eliud Kipchoge and Coros

Coros named Kipchoge a Pro Athlete Ambassador on 24 November 2020 and became the official GPS watch partner of his NN Running Team. At the time the athletes were using the 29-gram Coros Pace 2 Premium. Coros later released a Kipchoge edition of the Pace 2 (2021) and, in 2023, a limited Kipchoge edition of the Pace 3.

The most recent sighting we found is from the 2025 New York City Marathon on 2 November 2025, where a French trail site, citing Runner’s World, reported that Kipchoge wore a Coros Pace 4 before it went on sale (Coros launched it on 10 November). That is a secondhand report, not a Coros confirmation, and we found no later statement about his deal as of today. Earlier in his career, in 2017, Canadian Running reported he was still wearing an older Garmin Forerunner 920XT in training.

Other elite marathoners and endurance stars

• NN Running Team: the squad Kipchoge ran with was equipped with Coros watches under the 2020 partnership.
• Phil Sesemann: Coros announced in March 2023 that the UK elite road runner would use the Pace 2 for the London Marathon, citing weight as the reason.
• Molly Seidel: the Olympic marathon bronze medallist is profiled in Coros’s athlete stories, dated June 2026.
• Kilian Jornet: Coros says its Pace Strategy feature was inspired by the mountain-running legend; he joined the brand in 2022.
• Kelvin Kiptum: Amazfit named the then marathon world-record holder an ambassador in February 2024, with the Cheetah Pro as his watch.

We deliberately left out watch identifications made only from race photos. Those are guesses, not confirmations, and race-day pros often wear sponsor-supplied units that are not the same as the ones you can buy.

The Picks, One by One

Garmin Forerunner 570: Best Overall

The Forerunner 570 is the watch to buy if you run several times a week and want training tools without paying flagship money. It brings a bright AMOLED screen, training readiness, race predictions, running dynamics and structured workouts into a light case, and it comes in 42 mm and 47 mm sizes.

The trade-offs are the usual Garmin ones. There is no ECG and no offline maps, and the roughly 18 hours of GPS battery is shorter than on cheaper Coros models. For a runner doing marathons in four to five hours, that is still comfortably enough.

Spec	Garmin Forerunner 570
Case size and weight	42 mm (about 42 g) or 47 mm (about 50 g); 12.9 mm thick
Display	AMOLED, 1.2 in (42 mm) or 1.4 in (47 mm)
Battery	Up to 10 days (42 mm) or 11 days (47 mm) smartwatch; about 18 hours GPS
Water resistance	5 ATM
Extras	8 GB storage, NFC payments, built-in mic and speaker; no ECG, no offline maps
Approx. price	About $550 (US list)

Coros Pace 4: Best Value

At about $249, the Pace 4 is the strongest argument that you do not need to spend Garmin money. It weighs about 32 grams, has a 1.2-inch AMOLED screen, dual-frequency GPS and a battery rated for up to 19 days of daily wear. Coros says it was named Best Overall Running Watch for 2026 by the New York Times Wirecutter in February 2026.

Coros quotes up to 41 hours of continuous GPS, while Tom’s Guide cites about 31 hours with multi-band GPS switched on. The compromises are no offline maps and limited smart features, and the Coros app and ecosystem are narrower than Garmin Connect. If your priorities are weight, battery and accuracy, it is hard to beat for the money.

Garmin Forerunner 970: Best for Triathlon and Serious Racers

The Forerunner 970 is Garmin’s top running and triathlon watch below the Fenix line. It has a 1.4-inch sapphire AMOLED screen, a titanium bezel, maps, music, contactless payments and deeper triathlon and multisport modes. TechRadar’s long-term review gives its battery as up to 15 days in smartwatch mode and 26 hours in GPS mode, at 56 grams and 10 ATM.

It is also chunky and expensive, with a launch price of $749.99. If you only run, the 570 does most of the same job for about $200 less.

Garmin Forerunner 170: Best Cheaper Garmin

Garmin announced the Forerunner 70 and 170 families in 2026, with sales starting on 15 May 2026. Tom’s Guide lists the 170 at $299.99 (the Music version at $349.99), with 20 hours of GPS battery, 41 grams and a 1.2-inch AMOLED screen. The downsides are no dual-band GPS and no triathlon mode.

For a first serious running watch from Garmin, it is a sensible step down. If you are weighing it against the Coros, the Pace 4 is lighter and has better battery, while the Garmin has the larger app and accessory ecosystem. For more on the brand’s range, see our best Garmin watch guide.

Apple Watch Series 12: Best for iPhone Users

The Apple Watch Series 12 went on sale on 18 September 2026 from about $399. It tracks heart rate every five seconds during workouts, has a barometric altimeter and a compass, and is rated for roughly 24 hours of normal use and 38 hours in Low Power Mode. Apple rates an outdoor workout at about 10 hours.

That is fine for a half marathon, and workable for most marathons in Low Power Mode, but it is not a multi-day training tool. It also has no ANT+, so ANT+-only sensors will not pair directly. We compare the two ecosystems in Garmin vs Apple Watch.

Polar Vantage M3 and Suunto Race S: Alternatives

The Polar Vantage M3 (about $399) has a 45 mm AMOLED display, dual-frequency GPS and Polar’s training-load and recovery tools. The Suunto Race S (about $299) offers an AMOLED touchscreen, reliable GPS and simpler menus than Garmin’s. Both are reasonable if you already prefer the brand, but neither has Garmin’s accessory ecosystem or Coros’s price-to-battery ratio.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Here is how the four watches most runners should shortlist stack up, using manufacturer and review figures. Battery numbers are best-case and shrink with always-on screens and music.

Spec	Forerunner 570	Coros Pace 4	Forerunner 970	Forerunner 170
Approx. price (US)	$550	$249	$750	$300
Weight	42-50 g	About 32 g	56 g	41 g
Display	1.2 or 1.4 in AMOLED	1.2 in AMOLED	1.4 in AMOLED, sapphire	1.2 in AMOLED
Smartwatch battery	10-11 days	Up to 19 days	Up to 15 days	Up to 10 days
GPS battery	About 18 h	About 31-41 h	About 26 h	About 20 h
Dual-band GPS	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Offline maps	No	No	Yes	No
Best for	Most runners	Value, light weight	Triathletes, racers	Budget Garmin

How to Choose a Running Watch

Start with your longest race

Work out how long your longest event takes and pick a battery that clears it with room to spare. A 3:30 marathoner has plenty of margin with any of the Garmins above. If you run ultras or want to leave the watch on for weeks of training, a Coros or a higher-end Garmin makes more sense than an Apple Watch.

Pick the ecosystem you will actually use

Garmin has the biggest app, training-plan and accessory ecosystem, plus the widest support from third-party sensors. Coros is leaner but gives you excellent battery and weight for the price. Apple wins on phone integration and daily smartwatch features.

Decide whether you need maps, music or triathlon

Maps, music storage and multisport modes are what push prices from about $250 to about $750. If your running is mostly road and track, you can skip them. If you run unfamiliar trails, travel often or race triathlon, the extra cost of the 970 or a Fenix is easier to justify. For rugged, outdoor-first options, see our Garmin Instinct 3 guide.

Do not overthink what the pros wear

Kipchoge wearing Coros says Coros is a credible race-day watch, not that it beats a Garmin for your training. Sponsors supply the watch. Choose by weight, battery, accuracy on your usual routes and how comfortable it is to wear for a long run. Browse more models on our Coros hub.

FAQ

What is the best running watch overall in 2026?

For most runners it is the Garmin Forerunner 570, thanks to its balance of training tools, screen quality and price at about $550. The Coros Pace 4 is the better choice if you want the lowest price and longest battery, and was Wirecutter’s 2026 overall pick according to Coros.

What watch does Eliud Kipchoge wear?

Kipchoge is a Coros ambassador, and Coros has made Kipchoge editions of the Pace 2 and Pace 3. A secondhand report said he wore a pre-release Coros Pace 4 at the New York City Marathon in November 2025. Earlier in his career, in 2017, he was reported to wear a Garmin Forerunner 920XT.

Is the Coros Pace 4 better than the Garmin Forerunner 570?

It depends on what you value. The Pace 4 is about $300 cheaper, lighter and has longer battery life, while the Forerunner 570 has a larger app ecosystem, Garmin’s training-readiness and coaching tools and NFC payments.

Is the Apple Watch good enough for running?

Yes for short to medium distances and for iPhone users who want one device. Apple rates an outdoor workout at about 10 hours, so very long races and multi-day training weeks are better served by a Garmin or Coros.

Do I need dual-frequency GPS?

Not strictly, but it helps in cities with tall buildings and on tree-covered trails, where single-band GPS can wander. The Forerunner 170 skips it to save money, while the 570, 970 and Pace 4 include it.

How much should I spend on a running watch?

Most runners are well served by a watch in the $250 to $550 range. Spend more only if you will use maps, triathlon features or a tougher build, and spend less if you only need pace, distance and heart rate.

Sources

• the5krunner: Best Running Watch (updated October 2026)
• Tom’s Guide: Coros Pace 4 review
• Tom’s Guide: Garmin Forerunner 170 review
• Garmin: Forerunner 570 and 970 announcement
• TechRadar: Garmin Forerunner 970 review
• LetsRun: Coros announces partnership with Eliud Kipchoge and the NN Running Team