Garmin Forerunner 745 is the ideal heart-rate monitor for those serious about training and wanting excellent feedback on workouts. It's a GPS watch made for runners and triathletes. It's also the most affordable watch with the new additions "Track Run" and "Training Suggestions".
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
I've been fortunate to test 745 - the long-awaited successor to Garmin Forerunner 735XT. As expected, I'm very satisfied with what I've experienced. As always with Garmin, it works perfectly. It's user-friendly, beautifully designed, and has precise measurements on presented data. With this watch, launched two brand new features, "Track Run" and "Daily Training Suggestions". These two features will be my focus in this test.
Over the recent years, I've run with first Garmin Forerunner 245 and then Garmin Forerunner 945, which is also my current watch. So I was already familiar with many features in a Garmin Forerunner of this caliber. Thus, I was especially excited to test the two new features, particularly because I often run intervals on an athletics track.
The two new features have since been implemented in the latest update of Garmin Forerunner 945 and the watches in the Garmin Fenix 6 series.
Additionally, the fit of this watch is extremely comfortable. It's slightly smaller than Garmin Forerunner 945 and even lighter, making it a perfect watch for those with smaller wrists or who prefer a watch that's not too large but still has all the features you need. Garmin Forerunner 745 has it all.
Extra Additions Compared to 735XT
- Track Run Profile
- Daily Training Suggestions
- ClimbPro
- Built-in Music Option – e.g., from Spotify (requires Premium subscription)
- Contactless Payment – Garmin Pay
- Pulse Ox
- New Garmin Elevate Sensor
- Training Load Focus
- Deeper Training Effect Details
- Stress Tracking
- New and Improved Recovery Time Monitor
- Body Battery
- Heat Acclimatization
- Altitude Acclimatization
- Incident Detection
- New Livetrack Course Support
- Support for Garmin Running Power
- Safety and Tracking Assistance
- Better Battery Life
- Switches from GNSS to Sony GPS
- Barometric Altimeter
THE LIGHTEST TRIATHLON WATCH
745 is to date the lightest and smallest triathlon watch from Garmin. It does all the things expected from a heart-rate monitor used for triathlon. It's just made even lighter and smaller. Perfect for when you swim, change clothes, etc. Garmin Forerunner 745 has a Triathlon function that combines all three sports (Swim, cycle, and run) into one activity. It also tracks your transition times.
GENERAL ABOUT GARMIN FORERUNNER 745
- Physical size: 43.8 x 43.8 x 13.3 mm
- Display size: 30.4 mm diameter
- Display resolution: 240 x 240 pixels
- Weight: 47 g
- Battery life:
- Smartwatch mode: Up to 7 days
- GPS mode with music: up to 6 hours
- GPS mode without music: up to 16 hours
- UltraTrac™ mode: up to 21 hours
- Water resistance: 5 ATM
- Built-in memory: 200 hours of activity data.
SIZE COMPARISON BETWEEN GARMIN FORERUNNER 245/745/945
With the launch of Garmin Forerunner 745, there's now a fantastic GPS watch in a perfect size, sitting right between its two siblings, Garmin Forerunner 245 and Garmin Forerunner 945. Here, the Forerunner 945 is both the largest and heaviest, while the Forerunner 245 is the smallest and lightest.
From left: Garmin Forerunner 945, Garmin Forerunner 745, Garmin Forerunner 245
GARMIN FORERUNNER 745 VS. GARMIN FORERUNNER 945
There are naturally some differences between Garmin's two best triathlon watches, Garmin Forerunner 945 and Garmin Forerunner 745. This is seen in the price, physical size, and built-in features. Battery life is primarily longer on Garmin Forerunner 945, and the amount of data the watch can hold is greater. For example, there's space for 1000 songs on the 945 compared to 500 on the 745. Another difference is that you have the golf function (and a range of other activity profiles) on Garmin Forerunner 945, which is not available on Garmin Forerunner 745. So, if you plan to use the watch for golf, you need to look elsewhere. There are also built-in maps and true navigation in Garmin Forerunner 945, which are not in the slightly smaller Garmin Forerunner 745. These are some of the bigger differences. If you want more info, see the article here.
SETTING UP A NEW WATCH
When you start your new Garmin Forerunner 745, you can connect it with Garmin Connect, and it will transfer all your old data to your new watch. If you don't already have a Garmin watch, download the "Garmin Connect" app or go to the Garmin Connect website to create a profile. Here, you enter all your personal information so that your Garmin Forerunner 745 can provide an accurate measurement of the statistics it gives you.
With the Garmin Connect app, you can see much more statistics than you can directly on the watch.
After turning it on and wanting to use the various functions and see your fitness level, the watch needs some time to learn about you. It takes about 7 days, including several workouts, to measure various data before it can provide estimates of your current form. The watch uses your fitness level as the basis for the specific training recommendations it provides. More on that later.
Now you're up and running, so get running, cycling, swimming, or walking so the watch can get to know you even better.
TRACK RUN
Something I was excited about with this watch was the new "Track Run" function. Therefore, it was one of the first things to test.
It's always been an issue for runners that GPS watches measure a much longer distance when running on a 400m track, leading one to believe they are running faster than they actually are. Hence, I was anxious to see if it's finally possible to get an accurate measurement with the new Track Run function. And it is. Very accurate indeed.
Here you see the difference between Garmin Forerunner 945 in regular run mode and Garmin Forerunner 745 in Track Run mode. Both were set up for an interval training of 5*1000m with 300m jog between each interval. The total distance should hit 6200m, and as you can see, the "track run function" (on Garmin Forerunner 745) was 10m off, while the GPS in the regular "run function" (on Garmin Forerunner 945) was 110m off in the end. Thus, a very accurate measurement on Garmin Forerunner 745 in track run mode.
There are several things you can do to make this measurement as accurate as possible.
1. Turn on the track profile when you arrive at the athletics track.
2. When entering the "track run" profile, hold the middle button on the left and choose settings, then select which lane you are running in.
3. Run 3-4 laps on the track so the watch gets an exact measurement of your location. You can also start immediately. In that case, there might be slight errors, but I've done this many times, and the margin is about plus/minus 4 meters, which is very acceptable.
4. Now you can start running.
The function is ideal for athletes running in competitions starting in different lanes, as it will still measure the distance you need to run and on which your official running time is based.
You can still log your lap times manually, but this new Track Run function has proven very reliable, so I will personally use this from now on.
TRAINING SUGGESTIONS – DAILY WORKOUT SUGGESTION
This feature is brand new and quite exciting, especially for the less-trained athlete who might not know what specific type of training should be done to get in better shape.
Garmin Forerunner 745 uses the first seven days to get to know you and assess your fitness level. After that, the watch begins offering suggestions for specific workouts that you can follow. These suggestions are available for both cycling and running.
You can always reject a suggestion and run as you wish.
Example of Suggestions:
When you press "run" and want to start, the watch will suggest a specific workout that you can perform that day. You can then press down to read more about why this workout is chosen for you and what training benefit it will provide.
You then press the start button and subsequently press "start training". It's important that you don't just start right away but wait for the watch to find GPS so the training is accurate. Your training now begins, and a speedometer will appear on the watch showing the colors Green and Red. The middle is green, and this is where you should keep your pace. Going outside these areas will cause the watch to vibrate, and if you have headphones connected to the watch, you will also receive audio feedback.message from a voice. This ensures you're always at the right pace or heart rate zone.
The watch will suggest workouts based on your recent training load. If you've had a hard session, it might suggest rest or a light run.
It also considers your last 4 weeks of training. The watch evaluates each run's benefits and categorizes all your sessions as Low Aerobic, High Aerobic, or Anaerobic. If your training is monotonous, it suggests sessions to balance your regimen. I find this feature impressive. If it were a bit more optimistic about timings, it'd be perfect, but the concept is genius and a great way to enhance your training.
GARMIN PAY
Garmin Forerunner 745 includes Garmin Pay. With Garmin Pay, you can pay using your watch, avoiding the need to carry cards or a wallet every time you go out. Set up your card on the watch and choose a code to enter when you make a purchase. It's simple, convenient, and ensures you always have funds handy.
GARMIN MUSIC
With Garmin Music, you can store up to 500 songs directly on the Garmin Forerunner 745. This means you don't need your phone on your run. If you have a premium subscription to Deezer or Spotify, you can transfer songs and playlists directly to the watch. Just connect your watch with your headphones and you're ready for your run or bike ride.
SLEEP TRACKING
It's not just your workouts that the Garmin Forerunner 745 uses to assess your physical condition. It also includes data from your . A good night's sleep is recorded, indicating good recovery. Conversely, poor sleep or a night out will affect your Body Battery. The Body Battery combines your heart rate, stress, and activities, scoring from 1-100, with 100 being fully charged. If low, rest or light exercise to recharge. Garmin offers tips to improve your Body Battery level.
TRAINING EFFECT
After each workout, see its impact on your fitness. Intense sessions yield a high Anaerobic score, showing positive cardiovascular effects. Relaxed runs boost Aerobic efforts, enhancing endurance. Check your training status to see what you need or follow Daily Suggested Workouts, tailored to your history.
RECOVERY TIME
Upon completing a workout, the watch provides a , indicating how long before you can tackle another intense session. Note: it's not the wait time before any activity, just a guide to ease intensity until fully recovered.
BATTERY LIFE
The Garmin Forerunner 745 has a robust battery. It lasts up to 7 days in Smartwatch mode. With GPS on, it lasts 16 hours without music, and 6 hours with music, enough for most runs or even a marathon. UltraTrac mode reduces GPS data collection, extending battery to 21 hours, though slightly reducing accuracy.
GARMIN COACH
Access a variety of training plans with Garmin Forerunner 745, designed by professional coaches. Find plans for your desired distance in Garmin Connect. Your plan is tailored to your fitness level. When you start, the session begins based on the program. You can also create and upload your own plan to the watch.
ACTIVITY PROFILE OVERVIEW
RUNNING PROFILES:
Running, Indoor Running, Treadmill, Trail Running, Virtual Running, Cross Country, Track Running
CYCLING PROFILES
Cycling, Indoor Cycling, Mountain Biking
SWIMMING PROFILES
Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming, SwimRun
OUTDOOR PROFILES
Hiking, Skiing, Snowboarding, Classic Skiing, Backcountry Skiing, Standup Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking, Skating.
FITNESS PROFILES
Strength Training, Cardio Training, Elliptical, Stair Climbing, Yoga, Pilates, Indoor Rowing, Step Training.
WRIST-BASED HEART RATE
Heart rate on the Garmin Forerunner 745 is measured at the wrist, like other Garmin models. It provides an accurate picture of your pulse at rest and during training, but may struggle with rapid fluctuations during short, intense intervals. For more precision, use a chest strap.
Read about wrist heart rate monitor vs. chest strap in our inspiration universe.
Garmin Forerunner 745 is compatible with the following .
- Garmin running dynamics pod
- Garmin HRM-Pro Strap
- Garmin HRM-Run Strap
- Garmin HRM-Tri Strap
- Garmin HRM-Dual Strap
- Garmin HRM-Swim Strap
CONCLUSION
My conclusion on the Garmin Forerunner 745 test is that you get a sharp GPS watch for both running and triathlon (and other sports activities). It's the lightest and cheapest Tri watch from Garmin, with a stunning design. It has worked perfectly for my training sessions, and it's definitely a watch I'd consider if I needed a new heart rate monitor. It does everything a runner and triathlete needs.
Happy training and good luck with your new .
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