Five Useful Tips Every Suunto Race 2 User Should Know.
The Suunto Race 2 is an impressive watch that offers many of the features of more expensive Garmin models at a lower price. It’s the big brother of the Suunto Run, but it has some features its predecessor lacks, such as access to the SuuntoPlus store. There, you can download apps and integrations to extend your watch’s functionality beyond the standard features.
The SuuntoPlus store has some real gems, and below I’ll share my favorite ways to use them. (Suunto Race 2 users should also check out the Suunto Run hacks, as most of them involve features common to both watches.)
Download offline maps without leaving your home.
The Suunto Race 2 can display maps directly on the screen, but you’ll need to download them before you start your adventure. It’s best to do this at home, connected to Wi-Fi. If you wait until the start of the route, it’ll take forever (if you even manage to download the maps at all).
To download maps, tap the clock icon in the upper left corner of the screen and scroll down to the “Offline Maps” section . Instead of downloading a map of a specific area, you’ll need to select one of the available options. In the US, the selection appears to be state-by-state; for example, I can download a map of Pennsylvania and a map of West Virginia separately, but I can’t download an area that includes parts of both.
Once the maps are downloaded to your watch, you can leave your phone at home and either select Map from the widget list (to see the map without starting a workout) or view the map while you run.
Learn how to use the SuuntoPlus Store.
While I knew SuuntoPlus was a big plus for a premium sports watch from Suunto, it took me a long time to realize how valuable it was. It’s not entirely clear how to use it or what it does, so here are the key points.
First, you need to find the SuuntoPlus apps you need. Tap your watch icon as you did above and scroll down to the “My SuuntoPlus Sports Apps” section . If you know the name of the app you need, search for it here; otherwise, just browse through the other apps.
To use a sports app, you need to select an activity, such as running. Before starting an activity, scroll down and you’ll see a menu called SuuntoPlus . Here, you can select up to three sports apps to use during your workout. Each app will have its own screen in the data screen carousel. (To switch between these screens during an activity, press the dial.)
The SuuntoPlus store also lets you sync workouts from TrainingPeaks or intervals.icu , as well as connect to other devices, such as the Core 2 temperature sensor. If you already use one of these services or devices, check out the instructions. Here, I’ll focus on some lesser-known ways to use the standard SuuntoPlus sports apps.
Set more precise zones with the threshold test.
If you’ve ever suspected that your heart rate zones might be incorrect (and they probably are ), the SuuntoPlus app can help. Find the app labeled “Anaerobic Threshold” and follow the instructions. But be warned: you’re in for an intense workout. After a warm-up, you’ll be asked to run as fast as you can for 30 minutes. At the end, the app will show you a heart rate that appears to be in line with your lactate threshold.
Now for the fun part: on your watch, go to Settings , then Training , then Intensity Zones . Select either ” Default HR zones for all sports” (I recommend this option if you’re unsure), or select a sport in the advanced settings. Here, you can set the boundaries between zones. The boundary at the bottom of zone 5 (and, correspondingly, the top of zone 4) should be set to the value obtained during the threshold test. If you want to set other zones, Suunto provides additional information on how to calculate the values for the other zone boundaries. Unfortunately, they aren’t set automatically.
Use a cadence trainer to work on your running technique.
Cadence is one of the easiest aspects of running technique to change. Cadence is the number of steps you take per minute (either on each leg or in total). The faster your steps, the shorter your stride, and the easier it is to keep your supporting leg under you rather than over-striding. I’ve heard from many running coaches that improving your cadence helps correct many technique issues.
The SuuntoPlus app, called Cadence Coach, is a convenient way to work on this, and it can be useful for your warm-up. Install the app and make sure it’s enabled for your run.
By default, the app sets a target of 80 to 90 steps per minute. (That’s 160 to 180 steps per minute in total.) It will beep if you run faster or slower than this target, so you can use this screen to practice your running technique.
What if this pace isn’t right for you, at least not right now? Press the bottom button, and the watch will track your pace for one minute. Whatever pace you reach during that minute will now become your goal. You can use this feature to set an easier goal if you’re having trouble following the recommended pace, or choose a pace that’s appropriate for your workout or the terrain you’re riding on today.
Use the Sprint app to automatically record your steps.
This is my favorite life hack. Stride workouts are a great way to add speed training to your program without having to measure anything, but there’s no easy way to analyze the results of a stride workout afterward. At least, most watches don’t have this feature! The Sprint app on SuuntoPlus provides a great tool for exactly this purpose.
The Sprint app starts with a 10-minute warm-up. Regardless of your running (or walking) pace during these 10 minutes, the app will consider it your non-sprinting pace. After that, simply run or walk as usual. Whenever you accelerate to a sprint (25% or more faster than your warm-up pace), the watch will recognize the change in speed and record a new lap. It will record a lap again when you slow down.
There’s a slight delay of five to ten seconds between each measurement, so you won’t get surgical precision, but you will get a record of the number of steps, the length of each, and the approximate speed during each step and in between. On other watches, I know of only one way to do this: either pre-program the steps or manually press the lap button each time. But this app lets you do it by ear, fartlek- style.