Garmin Forerunner 255: Elevate Your Running

With the Garmin Forerunner 255, take your workout to the next level with advanced training and recovery insights. It provides a complete picture of your nightly rest and daily activities.

This enhances your running training, as the smartwatch knows exactly when your body is at its best and ready to perform at its peak.

Garmin Forerunner 255 Specifications

	Garmin Forerunner 255
Size	41mm or 46mm
Screen Size	33mm
Screen Resolution	260 x 260
Display Type	Readable in sunlight, memory-in-pixel (MIP)
Weight	49g
Battery Life	Smartwatch mode: Up to 14 days GPS mode only: Up to 30 hours All systems GPS mode: Up to 25 hours All systems GPS plus multi-band: Up to 16 hours
Memory	4 GB
Water Resistance Rating	5 ATM
Colours	Black, blue, pink, and grey
Other Models	Forerunner 255S Forerunner 255 Music Forerunner 255S Music
Price	From £349.99

Running Features

Check out the running features available on the Garmin Forerunner 255.

Available Running Profiles	Outdoor track running, treadmill running, indoor track running, trail running, virtual running, ultrarunning
Distance, Duration, and Speed Based on GPS	✔️
Running Dynamics	Yes (with compatible accessory)
Vertical Oscillation and Ratio	Yes (with compatible accessory)
Ground Contact Time and Balance	Yes (with compatible accessory)
Stride Length (real-time)	Yes (with compatible accessory)
Cadence (real-time steps per minute)	✔️
Running Power	Yes (with compatible accessory)
Grade-Adjusted Pace	✔️
Performance Condition	✔️
Running Sessions	✔️
Auto Climb During Trail Run	✔️
Race Widget	✔️
Course- and Weather-Specific Race Predictor	✔️
Run/Walk/Stand Detection	✔️
PacePro Pacing Strategies	✔️

Race Widget

The race widget is one of the running features that makes creating a personalised race workout schedule easier than ever.

When planning a race, such as a 5km run, you can input this into the race widget. Based on your performance data, it generates a schedule to help you complete your 5km.

Not everyone has a ready-made workout plan for a 5km race. The race widget prepares you for any race, anytime, anywhere.

First, add your event to the Garmin Race Widget. Using the Garmin Connect app, find or add your race. To locate it, select the calendar and click the event date. If it’s not listed, you can add it manually.

Next, set specific goals for your race. Want to finish within a certain time? Add this to the race details. This shows how far you are from your goal and how to achieve it.

After setting your goal(s), sync your Forerunner 255 to load the race onto your smartwatch—this takes just a few seconds. Your watch will display how far your race is in the future, the expected temperature based on location and time, and a predicted finish time.

Once these steps are complete, you can start training. With your event loaded in Garmin Connect, you’re ready to begin your workouts officially.

Sensors

GPS	✔️
Gyroscope	✔️
Thermometer	✔️
Accelerometer	✔️
Barometric Altimeter	✔️
Compass	✔️
Wrist Heart Rate Monitor	✔️
Acclimation Pulse Oximeter	✔️
Accelerometer	✔️

HRV Status

Heart Rate Variability (HRV), or heart rate fluctuations, can be recorded and analysed. This analysis helps you understand how your body responds to various situations in daily life.

The more data collected, the more accurate the conclusions. You need three weeks of measurements for a full overview, so it’s a feature that requires patience.

With HRV, you can see how ready your body is for a running session. A high heart rate variability indicates your body is prepared for exertion, while a low variability suggests you should take it easy and rest.

Multi-Band GPS

When using your smartwatch to track running routes and speeds, you want the routes to be as accurate as possible to capture every second of your workout.

To achieve this, new navigation methods are being developed, and multi-band GPS is one of them.

GPS originally operated on two frequencies: L1 for public use and L2 for military purposes. Recent advancements have introduced the L5 frequency, offering greater accuracy.

Multi-band GPS uses the L1 and L5 frequencies, improving positioning accuracy even further. It remains precise in environments surrounded by buildings or trees that might block signals.

There are three GPS settings options:

• Select Normal (GPS only) to enable the standard GPS satellite system.
• Select GPS + GLONASS (Russian satellite system) for more accurate positioning in poor visibility conditions.
• Select GPS + GALILEO (European Union satellite system) for more accurate positioning in poor visibility conditions.

PacePro

PacePro offers dynamic pacing guidance adjustable to difficulty levels based on your personal speed preferences. This helps you determine the ideal pace to maximise your performance for a running goal or race.

Once you set a target pace, you can monitor your current pace on the Forerunner 255 in real-time, tracking your progress and proximity to your goal.

Battery

The Forerunner 255’s battery is well-suited for runners. Compared to its predecessor, the battery life has doubled, lasting 14 days with normal use. With GPS active, it lasts up to 30 hours.

You can fully charge the Forerunner 255 in approximately 2/3 of an hour.

Smartwatch Features

Since you get the most out of the Forerunner 255 by wearing it all day, Garmin has included smart features to make it an extension of your smartphone.

Garmin Pay

You can make contactless payments with Garmin Pay. Note! Not all banks support Garmin Pay, so check compatibility with your bank first.

Notifications

You can receive notifications from your smartphone on the Forerunner 255. However, replying to notifications isn’t possible.

Forerunner 255 Music

The Forerunner 255 Music is available in both sizes and includes an extra feature. As the name suggests, you can stream music with the Forerunner 255 Music. Connect it to your wireless headphones and enjoy playlists from Amazon Music, Deezer, or Spotify (premium subscription required).

Conclusion

Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or expert, the Garmin Forerunner 255 is a fantastic running watch/tracker for runners of all levels. It’s lightweight, provides specific performance data, and helps you maximise your potential. The ideal running watch/tracker!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you connect the Forerunner 255 with Strava?

Yes, it’s possible to sync your Strava sports activities with your Garmin smartwatch.

How do you link Strava to Garmin Connect?

Open the Garmin Connect app and follow these steps:

1. Select ‘Settings’.
2. Select ‘Connected Devices’.
3. Select ‘Strava’.
4. Select ‘Agree’.
5. Select ‘Authorise’.

Is the Forerunner 255 waterproof?

The Forerunner 255 has a 5 ATM rating, meaning it’s water-resistant up to 50 metres.

You can swim at the surface or shower with this watch. However, it can’t handle high water pressure, so avoid wearing it while diving or snorkelling.