Can Tech Help Me Run Faster Than An Olympian? - The Running Channel

Aug 13, 2025

Quick summary of Can Tech Help Me Run Faster Than An Olympian? from The Running Channel

This is a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the navigation‑focused workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key points

Tech vs. traditional navigation: A Garmin Epix (or similar GPS watch) can auto‑guide you to pre‑set way‑points, while a map + compass requires manual bearing checks.
8 km trail race with 8 checkpoints: The challenge is to hit each control point as fast as possible; the watch can beep when you pass a point, the map‑runner must spot the checkpoint visually.
Practical tips:
- Plot your route in Garmin Connect (or any GPS platform) and enable breadcrumb navigation so the watch shows a line of where you’ve run.
- Use the watch’s “alert on waypoint” feature to hear a beep when you’re within a few metres of a checkpoint.
- When navigating without tech, use the sun for a rough bearing and keep a simple compass handy for direction changes.
- Keep your head up and scan for landmarks (gates, lakes, rock piles) to avoid missing checkpoints.

Example workout you can try

Choose a familiar trail (≈ 8 km) with at least 5–8 obvious landmarks or set your own way‑points on a GPS app.
Set up the watch: Load the route, turn on waypoint alerts, and start a “GPS run” activity.
Run the loop: Aim to hit each waypoint as quickly as possible. The watch will beep when you’re within the alert radius—use this as a mini‑sprint cue.
If you’re going old‑school: Grab a paper map, a compass, and a sun‑bearing reference. Mark the same landmarks on the map and practice finding them without the watch.
Cool‑down: After the last waypoint, jog easy for 5 min and note how many seconds you saved with the watch versus the map.

Closing note

Give this tech‑enhanced trail run a go and see how much faster you can navigate! You can even customise the paces and waypoint alerts in the Pacing app to match your own speed and terrain. Have fun, stay safe, and keep exploring!