First off, the TomTom Runner 2 (aka Spark) doesn’t have navigation so I got us lost not the watch on this Rugby World Cup related detour.
We crossed fields and forests and rivers to try to find the River Thames. As you can see, we failed miserably. And yes, it’s quite a big river.
Had we found the Thames there were planned a few speed tests, as it was we were up to our knees in longish grass on the outer reaches of Kempton Park Racecourse…where we shouldn’t have been. Sorry Mr Kempton, nothing damaged.
The GPS on the watch seemed to perform well (not looked closely yet) and the pace was there or thereabouts as right/wrong as the Garmin. Autolap 1KM Distances were usually in agreement with sometimes the TomTom beeping first.
There were probably some vagaries with the Optical Heart Rate track on the TomTom. I’ll have to look closely at that. Although my Garmin had recently crashed and I had to effectively rebuild and configure it. I put the cadence field where I normally have the HR field and couldn’t help but think my HR was about 180 all the time (my running cadence)…oh dear !!!
There’s a quick one minute review already posted in advance of the detailed one. Here’s a close-up of the multiple sensors on the rear. Look really closely…LOTS of sensors.
Last Updated on 3 September 2022 by the5krunner
My favourite kit and nutrition
- Injinji – Runners protect your toes. Avoid discomfort and minor injury. Run more. Run faster. I use them.
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter — The small adapter that keeps your charging cables tidy. Essential for race day. I use one.
- Garmin charging puck — the fastest and most reliable way to top up your Garmin before a session. I use one.
- Ravemen FR300 — Front light that mounts directly under your Garmin or Wahoo head unit. Keeps your bars clean and your beam pointed where it matters. I use one.
- Body Glide – The blue anti-chafe stick that all swimmers and many runners use. I use it.
- Maurten — The race nutrition trusted by elite athletes. Gels and drink mixes engineered to be easy on the stomach. I use them.
- Garmin Varia RTL515 — A radar rear light that alerts you to vehicles approaching from behind. Pairs with your Edge or Garmin watch. I use this model.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2 — The power-meter pedals most serious cyclists choose. Accurate, easy to move between bikes. I use this model.
- Garmin Forerunner 970 — A serious choice for a pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Polar H10 — My daily driver for accurate, waking HRV readings.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3 — The bike computer that has the feature Garmin lacks: usability. I use mine on most rides.
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. ID
