Race Yourself: Make Solo Runs Competitive Again
If running alone is getting boring, use Race Yourself to compete against one of your previous activities. Your Garmin shows whether you are ahead or behind your past self.
Day 68: Race Yourself
Running alone is simple, flexible and peaceful. It can also get boring.
If you miss the feeling of chasing someone, there is a Garmin feature that makes a solo run feel competitive again: Race Yourself.
What Race Yourself does
Instead of racing another person, you race one of your own previous activities. Pick an old run from your history, start the activity, and your Garmin compares your current effort against that past performance.
The watch can show whether you are ahead or behind, so your old run becomes the target. It is a simple idea, but it changes the psychology of the session.
Why it works
A normal easy run has no opponent. A workout has structure, but not always emotion. Racing a previous version of yourself gives the run a clear challenge.
You know the route. You know what you ran before. Now the question becomes: can you beat it?
That can be motivating, especially if you are the kind of person who hates losing, even to yourself.
How to start a Race Yourself run
- Open the Run activity on your Garmin
- Before starting, open the Training menu
- Scroll to Race Yourself
- Select a previous activity from your history
- Start the run and follow the comparison on your watch
The exact menu path can vary by model, but look for it inside the training options before you press start.
Pick the right activity
Do not pick your hardest race effort every time. If you race your personal best on a random Tuesday, you are probably turning a normal run into a maximal workout.
Better options:
- A familiar route you run often
- A previous steady run you want to improve slightly
- A segment where you want controlled motivation
- A route you want to pace more evenly than last time
Use it carefully
This feature is fun because it makes you push. That is also the risk. If you turn every run into a race, you will eventually pay for it.
Use Race Yourself when the goal is intensity, motivation or a controlled benchmark. Do not use it to sabotage recovery runs.
Your Garmin can make the run more competitive, but it cannot feel your hamstrings for you. If something starts to hurt, back off.
The best use case
I like this feature for routes I know well. It gives me a little game inside the run: stay smooth, stay controlled, and see if I can beat the old version without doing anything stupid.
That is the sweet spot. Make solo running fun again, but still listen to your body.
Join the Garmin School
Leave your email to get access to the Garmin School and receive updates on new videos and apps.
What to read next
Day 821Garmin Load Focus Explained: Blue, Orange, and Purple
Garmin Training Load Focus splits your recent workouts into low aerobic, high aerobic, and anaerobic work. Here's what the colors mean and why balanced training matters.
Day 8121The 5 Best Garmin Watch Band Types to Try
A Garmin watch band changes comfort more than most people expect. Here are five band styles worth trying, from breathable nylon to steel mesh and the default silicone strap.
