Your Apple Watch can help you track your running workouts. When you start a running workout in the Workout app, you can use several different workout views, with metrics like heart rate, average pace, running power and more. You can include prebuilt workout views that focus on Heart Rate Zones, elevation, power, Activity rings, and more.

When you’re ready to go for a run, you can set a running pace, race your last or best time on a route, or get accurate lap times on a track. You can also create a custom workout that suits your fitness needs, and afterward, training load in the Activity app shows how the intensity of your workouts may affect your body over time. And with the Action button on Apple Watch Ultra models, you can quickly start a running workout and mark segments.

Start a running workout

When you’re ready to start running, go to the Workout app on your Apple Watch, turn the Digital Crown to Outdoor Run or Indoor Run, then tap the Start button. After you complete your run, you can view completed workouts in the Activity app or in the Fitness app on iPhone.

Start a workout on Apple Watch

See your workout, meditation, and dive history

Customize workout views

You can choose the workout views you want to see during your run (like Segment, Elevation, and Split) and then reorder them based on your preferences. Turn the Digital Crown to Outdoor or Indoor Run, then tap the Views button. Scroll through the workout views, then tap Include next to the workout views you want to appear during the workout.

Workout views feature metrics like heart rate, average pace, vertical oscillation, ground contact time, stride length, running power, and more. To edit the metrics you want to see in the Metrics workout views, tap the Edit button.

Customize workout views

Run your way

You can set up the running workout that works best for you in the Workout app. Pacer helps you set a running pace and see if you’re ahead or behind, for example, while Race Route lets you race your last or best time on a route, and Track Detection gets you accurate lap times on a track.

If you want to customize your workout, turn the Digital Crown to Outdoor or Indoor Run, tap the Goals button, tap Custom, then tap the Add button. You can add warmup and cooldown times, set alerts, add work and recovery intervals, and more.

Start an outdoor run workout

Create a Custom Workout

Track your training load

Use training load on your Apple Watch to see how the intensity of your workouts may impact your body over time. Go to the Activity app, tap the Workload button, then turn the Digital Crown to view your training load over the last 7 days. You can also see your overnight vitals for additional insights.

Track your training load

Run with Apple Watch Ultra

The Action button on Apple Watch Ultra models can start a running workout and mark a segment.

You can also use Precision Start to start a workout without a countdown. After selecting a running workout, swipe left and tap Start (or press the Action button if you’ve set it to Workout).

Customize the Action button

Turn Precision Start on or off

And more…

• Use a third-party app

  When you complete a running workout with a third-party app, you can view a summary in the Fitness app on iPhone. You can also view workouts you complete in the Workout app in a compatible third-party app.

• Play audio

  During your workout, you can listen to music, podcasts, and audiobooks, and control playback on your Apple Watch.

  Play audio during a workout

• Start a Check In

  You can use Check In to automatically notify a friend when a workout session is completed, after a specific period of time has passed, or when you arrive at your destination.

  Use Check In

• Send messages

  Send and respond to messages while you’re out on a run.

  Read and respond to messages

• Make phone calls

  Use the Phone app to make and answer phone calls while you’re running.

  Make phone calls

• Purchase items

  You can use your Apple Watch to buy items like bottled water.

  Make purchases with Apple Pay

See also

• Get started with health features on Apple Watch
• Stay active with Apple Watch
• Track daily activity with Apple Watch
• Workout views and running metrics on Apple Watch

Apple Watch can track your activity and workouts, and encourage you to lead a more active life through gentle reminders and friendly competitions.

It’s how your watch keeps track of how much you move, how often you stand, and how long you exercise, and you can pause your rings if you need a break.

Close each ring

Each day, your Apple Watch tracks how much you move, how long you exercise, and how often you stand up. You set goals in the Activity app and check your progress throughout the day, scrolling down for more details like your total steps and distance. When you’ve completed a goal, Apple Watch lets you know.

Track daily activity

Start a workout

In the Workout app, turn the Digital Crown to the workout you want, whether it’s a daily workout like a run or swim or a multisport workout for your next triathlon. You can customize your workout view to keep the metrics you want to track a glance away. And if you forget to start your workout on Apple Watch for some common types of workouts, you’ll get a reminder to record one and get credit for the exercise you’ve already done.

Start a workout

View metrics during a workout

To help you monitor your progress during a workout, Apple Watch displays metrics like active calories, heart rate, and distance. Raise your wrist to see how you’re doing.

Check your progress during a workout

Pause your rings

If you need to take a break, you can pause your Activity rings for a day, week, month, or more—without breaking your award streak. You can pause your rings for up to 90 days and resume at any time. Tap the Weekly Summary button, turn the Digital Crown to scroll to the bottom of the screen, then tap Pause Rings.

Pause your rings

Choose a target pace for a running workout, and your watch shows if you’re ahead or behind that pace. You can also race against your last or best time on a route you do often. And for a track workout, your Apple Watch helps detect when you arrive at a track.

Start a running workout

1. Go to the Workout app on your Apple Watch.
2. Turn the Digital Crown to Outdoor Run.
3. When you’re ready to go, tap the Start button.

Create a Pacer workout

If you choose a target pace for a running or outdoor cycle workout, your Apple Watch shows if you’re ahead or behind that pace.

1. Start the Workout app on your Apple Watch.
2. Turn the Digital Crown to Outdoor Run, Indoor Run, or Outdoor Cycle and then tap the Goals button.
3. Tap Pacer and then tap the Add button.
4. Adjust the distance—5 miles, for example—then tap Next.
5. Adjust the target time for running or cycling that distance. Tap Done.

   During your workout, your Apple Watch shows your average pace and your current pace, and a graph shows whether you are ahead or behind your chosen pace.

Your Apple Watch remembers your target pace across workouts. To change it, swipe to Outdoor Run, tap the Goals button, tap Pacer, tap the Edit button in the Pacer tile, tap Distance • Time, then edit the distance and time.

Use Race Route to race your last or best time

On a route you run or cycle often, you can race against your last or best time. Routes generate automatically and become available after you’ve done the same route at least two or more times with little to no deviation.

1. Start the Workout app on your Apple Watch.
2. Tap the Goals button next to an Outdoor Run or Outdoor Cycle workout.
3. Tap Race Route, then select Last or Personal Best.

   During the workout, your Apple Watch shows how far ahead or behind you are compared with the route you’re racing as well as the remaining distance. If you deviate from the route, Proceed To Route appears on the screen until you return to the original route.

Available Race Routes appear as a suggested workout when you’re close to the starting point of a route you’ve previously run. You can view all available routes by tapping Suggested, then selecting Route.

Run on a track

Your Apple Watch automatically helps detect when you’ve arrived at a track. Start an Outdoor Run workout there, and your watch offers to start a Track workout.

1. Start the Workout app on your Apple Watch.
2. Swipe to Outdoor Run.

   If your Apple Watch detects that you’re at a track, you’re prompted to choose a lane.

3. Tap Choose Lane, use the plus or minus button to choose a lane and then tap Confirm.

   Note: If you change lanes while you’re working out, swipe right on the watch face, tap Lane, then enter your new lane.

4. If this is the first time you’ve performed a Track workout, choose a measurement unit (Miles or Meters) and tap Confirm.

   To change the measurement unit later, go to the Settings app, go to Workout > Units of Measure, then choose a unit below Automatic Track Detection.

Note: Your Apple Watch alerts you if you leave a track during your workout.

To receive an alert that shows your distance, time, and pace when completing a lap around the track, swipe to Outdoor Run, tap the Alerts button, scroll down, tap Track Lap, then turn on Lap Alert.

See also

• Start a workout on Apple Watch
• Change settings in Workout on Apple Watch

The Workout app includes workout views and metrics designed specifically for outdoor runners. It’s a lot of data. The Outdoor Run workout views include metrics like current heart rate, rolling mile, average pace, and distance, plus running cadence, stride length, ground contact time, and vertical oscillation. You can learn about running form and running power, too.

Workout views and running metrics for Outdoor Run workouts

These metrics appear in the Outdoor Run workout views:

• Metrics: Current heart rate, rolling mile, average pace, distance
• Metrics 2: Running cadence, stride length, ground contact time, vertical oscillation
• Heart Rate Zones: Current heart rate, time in zone, heart rate average
• Segment: Segment number, segment pace, segment distance, current heart rate
• Split: Split number, split pace, split distance, current heart rate
• Elevation: Elevation profile over the last 30 minutes, elevation gained, current elevation
• Power: Power profile over the last 30 minutes, current power, running cadence
• Activity Rings: Move, exercise, stand

About running form and running power

Apple Watch can help measure elements of your running form and display them, including the following:

• Vertical oscillation: The amount your torso moves vertically with each step while running, measured in centimeters (cm).
• Ground contact time: The length of time your foot is in contact with the ground when running, measured in milliseconds (ms).
• Stride length: The distance covered per running step, measured in meters (m).

During an Outdoor Run workout, Apple Watch can also help measure your running power. This is a measure, in watts, of the output of the work you’re doing when you run.

See also

• Start a workout on Apple Watch
• Change settings in Workout on Apple Watch

Your Apple Watch can pair and sync data with compatible cardio equipment such as treadmills, ellipticals, indoor bikes, and more, providing you with more accurate information about your workout. Look for “Connects to Apple Watch” on the equipment, and you’re set.

1. Check if the equipment is compatible—you’ll see Connects to Apple Watch or Connect to Apple Watch on the equipment.
2. Make sure your watch is set to detect gym equipment—open the Settings app on your Apple Watch and tap Workout. Turn on Detect Gym Equipment.
3. Hold your Apple Watch within a few centimeters of the contactless reader on the gym equipment, with the display facing the reader.

   A gentle tap and beep confirm that your Apple Watch is paired.

4. Press Start on the gym equipment to begin. Press Stop on the equipment to end the workout.

If Detect Gym Equipment is off in Settings on your Apple Watch, go to the Workout app, then hold your Apple Watch near the contactless reader on the gym equipment, with the display facing the reader.

See also

• Start a workout on Apple Watch
• Workout views and running metrics on Apple Watch