Why Ugandan athletes like running watches

I noticed early on training here that the athletes really like their running/gps watches. It's a privilege owning one here as many of the unsponsored athletes struggle to afford them and they are also not readily sold in Uganda. Their use of the watches is not entirely similar to what I had observed with other athletes and runners. This made me more interested to find out why they found the watches so useful. I interviewed four athletes to get their opinions. I discovered that the basic functions of the gps watch has really enhanced their training and motivated them.
Timestamps
Intro 00:23
Interview 1 03:21
Interview 2 03:52
Interview 3 05:56
Interview 4 07:06
Outro 08:12
Assisted with filming by Jacob Mutela/Charis Media
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[@alvinkarangizi]

Do you use a running/gps watch for training and racing? What have you found to be the advantages and disadvantages? I’ll start. I use mine for both training and racing. It helps me track my weekly mileage, try to keep my easy runs easy, push on hard days and in races and track my heart rate over time to look to see if my fitness is improving. The downside is it makes me focus more on metrics than feel and I’ve become dependent on it, a run isn’t a run without it.

[@a47ali]

In most parts of the world running is a solitary sport. So apps like Strava help us share and build community. I love the insight that the Ugandan athletes run in groups and already have their community with them!

[@Eypateach]

Thank you Alvin!

[@oskarhostlund]

I enjoy these videos so much. Would be cool to hear perspectives on training and how their week looks like.

[@alvinkarangizi]

thanks! yes planning a video following an athlete to get their weekly mileage and elevation gain.

[@joegough2915]

Another great video Alvin! Loved the idea of gifting old watches😄

[@alvinkarangizi]

Thanks! They motivate them 😀

[@user-lv7fx7ff5e]

Great video Alvin! Our watch helps us to go further or not to push when it is needed. Stay healthy and avoid injuries - is that what watches do

[@alvinkarangizi]

Thanks!

[@Insertnombre]

I use the Garmin 965 as I run mainly based of HR, it has also been a great tool to better pace myself in races and recovery. I would highly recommend!

[@namaragodfrey1018]

😂💪

[@alvinkarangizi]

great, thanks for sharing. do you use a HR chest or arm strap?

[@jeff09_]

I’m a high school athlete from the U.S and I use a running watch to help track my workouts. Mostly I use it to see my paces total mileage and heart rate cause I like seeing the data from my runs

[@jjndz3782]

Same here.

[@alvinkarangizi]

Great, thanks for sharing

[@leesin2me555]

these guys easy pace 4:50 will kill me

[@conradbucholtz3573]

per km

[@Harry-uq9qd]

the last experience matches my own, but I did that also when I didn’t have a running watch. I’d be calculating things during my run with a normal watch and always want to go faster than the previous days haha.

[@alvinkarangizi]

Haha nice, we all have that bug of wanting big progress. Patience has got me better results

[@suuriya]

keep it up bro🙏🙏

[@zygmuntIIIwuzza]

who doesn't like running watches?

[@alvinkarangizi]

Haha true! Was interested in finding out why the athletes here like them so much 😀

[@RodRunerr]

I carry my phone to track with Strava during every run, now it's causing imbalance on my right arm, it doesn't feel normal to me when i run without my phone but i feel completely empty racing without my phone, It's a bitter sweet situation for me, I need a watch for sure

[@alvinkarangizi]

Thanks! Hope you get one soon 🙏🏿

[@sayhan3631]

Same boat brother ! A watch would be ideal, did you manage to find a good watch that is not pricey ?

[@RodRunerr]

@@sayhan3631 Finally I got a watch at 330k Amazfit bip 5, I've been using it for 3 days and it's working well, it's able to sync my activities to Strava and has accurate GPS

[@neptune7111]

I’m a HS runner and I’d like to think that the watches help especially with pacing in workouts or long runs however sometimes I find myself being too conscious of the watch and constantly looking at what pace I’m going but overall a watch really helps

[@alvinkarangizi]

Thanks! Yeah I had the same issue which I solved by removing pace on my default screen

[@clab06]

Hello from the Philippines! Wow interesting that they don't use heart rate. Maybe you can interview their coach on how they determine a runners easy run, threshold and others.

[@alvinkarangizi]

Greetings! They generally go by feel and pace their speed workouts based on target race pace. As always pros and cons either way

[@GTE_Channel]

Alvin, thanks for these great videos. Are you professional active in the running world?would love to hear more about you.

[@alvinkarangizi]

Thanks! Sorry don’t quite understand your question. Are you asking if I compete professionally as an athlete or work professionally with them? Answer to both is no, just a hobby runner trying to get better and sharing my journey on here. I’ll post more on my training and training camp project in future 😀

[@mountainstridefitness3907]

Thanks for this video. From a North American perspective it seems like the watch can be detrimental to runners because they get so focused on paces and numbers that they loose their ability to go off of effort and that can stop them from having breakthroughs. But when talented and experienced runners like in this video get the watches it seems to be a tool to help them since they have already learned how to train and race off effort. Good reminder that the watch is a tool that can be good and bad. Keep up the good work!

[@alvinkarangizi]

Thanks. Great insight. I think it has some implications on the runners here too as they become very focused on the metrics. an example being that most of them leave the default km lap alerts on for all their runs.

[@mountainstridefitness3907]

@@alvinkarangizi I only use auto lap function when I’m racing and have km target splits to hit. But for workouts I just used the data screen of lap distance and lap time. That way I don’t think about pace I just go by the effort prescribed by my coach.

[@alvinkarangizi]

Great, I have my auto lap function on 🙈, but my main screen just shows time, have to scroll to see other metrics

[@run-watch]

I still only have my old Garmin Forerunner 10. Unfortunately it's never been very good at getting GPS signal so now I just use it as a timer. The reason I haven't replaced it is I can't seem to find a very basic watch that only measures distance, time and pace. I don't want a complex watch that tells me what to do. So I just run with an app on my phone, but I wish I could find a basic watch equivalent in 2024.

[@alvinkarangizi]

Thanks for sharing ! The forerunner 30 is also quite basic and I think you can deactivate the functions you don’t like. Have a look

[@namaragodfrey1018]

This watch,if it can measure the pace, distance, time n calories burnt,i recommend it to everyone 🏃, it's really 😂 good 💪

[@alvinkarangizi]

thanks Godfrey, hope you're well. GPS watches do all these functions. Do you use one?

[@namaragodfrey1018]

@@alvinkarangizi so fine , man i don't have this watch,my runs,I use a smart phone , tracking app

[@namaragodfrey1018]

@@alvinkarangizi I delayed to meet you in Kapchorwa,i planning this trip, bambii thanks 👍 for hard working 💪,🙏💙

[@alvinkarangizi]

Ok, see you when you come

[@namaragodfrey1018]

@@alvinkarangizi thanks 👍 dia,may God bless you,🙏 stay strong and health.

[@ZanicL3]

Do they really never look or take HR data into evaluation? Do some of them use a HR strap?

[@alvinkarangizi]

The top athletes in elite camps might be using the data but I’ve never seen them wearing straps. All the athletes I frequently interact with don’t, they see the readings on the watch but don’t know how to interpret it. I’ve been thinking about doing a video where I give them HR straps and look at their data. Curious to know.

[@ZanicL3]

@@alvinkarangizi Yeah very cool idea!

[@GTE_Channel]

​@@alvinkarangiziI would happily donate my heartrate strap if it would be of any use for you guys. My wrist meaurents seem to be really accurate so dont really use it anymore.

[@LolwerunnersReservoir]

How much is a Garmin watch ug price?

[@alvinkarangizi]

The athletes tend to get them from managers or second hand from elites at around 300 to 400k ($78 to $104). I’m sure you can find them new in Kampala but I’ve not searched

[@RodRunerr]

People are asking for 900k, ​@@alvinkarangizi

[@jdjdjdjd7575]

Hey Alvin! Any chance you could send over your email. I'd love to mail you my garmin I just replaced to distribute to an athlete. Thanks!

[@alvinkarangizi]

Great of you. We can discuss over email - [e-mail]