Best Fitness Trackers for Marathon Runners in 2020

Garmin Forerunner 245 Press Hero
Garmin Forerunner 245 Press Hero (Image credit: Garmin)

Whether you're training for your very first marathon or you've been around the block a few times, having a reliable fitness tracker can make a huge difference in your experience. Fortunately, there are many great products to choose from these days. We've gathered some of the best ones you can buy as a marathon runner.

Get your run on

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These are just a few of the fitness trackers that will get the job done for marathon runners. We think most people will be happy with what the Garmin Forerunner 45 (opens in new tab) has to offer, and the fact that its price tag isn't too steep. It may not be the cheapest one out there, but it has a lot to offer that running enthusiasts will appreciate. You'll enjoy heart-rate monitoring, 5 ATM water resistance, sports apps for running, cycling, treadmill, cardio, and more. The battery will last for up to 7 days in smartwatch mode and 13 hours in GPS mode. This is an ideal choice for those who are new to fitness tracking and want to get their feet wet with a more detailed device.

If you were already thinking about buying the Apple Watch Series 5 (opens in new tab), fitness tracking may be another selling point that will seal the deal for you. In addition to tracking your heart rate, distance, time, pace, and cadence, it will also allow you to enjoy your runs without having to keep your phone on you. With the LTE version, you can enjoy both phone-free GPS and music when you're exercising. While this isn't exactly a revolutionary device when it comes to tracking runs, it'll get the job done and doubles as an everyday smartwatch for Apple users.

Whether you're new to marathon running or you consider yourself a certified pro, there's a fitness tracker out there for everyone. As long as you make sure you're getting the features you need, you'll be on your way to an excellent tracking experience.

Courtney Lynch