Advice for shortsighted running

[LyndaM]

Hi I would like to buy a watch to record distance etc but I don't want to carry my reading glasses when I run. Any advice on suitable purchase would be appreciated.

[dagshar Graduate]

I usually wear varifocals, but prefer to leave them at home when running. I recently bought a Garmin Forerunner 210 which I think is a bit bigger and chunkier than some of the others I have seen, and the display is big enough for me to read while I am running. That wsn't the reason why I chose it (it was on offer on Amazon prime day and has a heart rate monitor function). Current price £106.

[LyndaM Graduate in reply to dagshar]

Thanks for the suggestion. Maybe I can put it on my Christmas list!

[Hidden]

Hi, I'm short sighted and run with my glasses on. The first time I ran with them on quite by accident, just forgot to take them off. Much prefer the non blurry option now!

[LyndaM Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for the suggestion.

[gary_bart]

I have multifocals (local term, here)/ varifocals (more descriptive name), and they might work fine for that. If I didn't hate them so much. I don't like not being able to glance at things, or noticing that they distort the edges of my little world. With varifocals, you have to point your head at whatever you're looking at. No glancing to the sides. Seeing as I would only wear them if I got desperate, I can't recommend them.

There's another thing to consider. While you have reading glasses on, the ground nearest to you is not in the long range focus area. One day that's going to make you trip over something or fall down some stairs. Sometimes the varifocals do that to me, when I forget to put them in my pocket.

Maybe you should get a smartphone and a timer app with a huge display? Or even one of the smaller tablets? If you want to go lo-tech, maybe carry a wind-up buzzer? (Egg timer for instance). It can at least give you some timing info, and distances you could learn by just getting to know enough waypoints on your route.

[LyndaM Graduate]

Great advice thanks. I don't need glasses for normal vision. I will manage without glasses for running somehow!

[andrewleeone]

I used to have an Up24 - you can buy them on eBay and from Argos - its a fitness tracker with a timing function - start the timer, do activity, stop timer, upload to smartphone and it records the data for you. You might even find one of the map my run apps Strava? Runtastic work better for you - you do need a smartphone though!

You could also just get a n old fashioned stopwatch two buttons & a big display!

Strange how we start to take it all so seriously!

[LyndaM Graduate]

Thanks for the suggestions. My daughter suggested strava so will look into that. I may need a better mobile - yet another Christmas present idea!

[misswobble Graduate]

I park my specs on my head and just pull them on when I need to look at my watch which is just usually at the start and end. They stay put, usually!

[Curlygurly2 Graduate]

Apps like Runkeeper will talk to you and tell you pace and distance etc...I got a Garmin 10 and was pleasantly surprised to find I can read it easily outside in day light, I think it even has a light for night running. I'm long sighted....