Garmin

I Used Garmin's Heart Rate Monitor to Measure My 'Running Economy,' and Here's What I Learned

Wed, 27 May 2026 · Reported by Lifehacker

If you've been eyeing the Garmin Forerunner 970 , you may be drawn to two of its buzz-worthy features: running economy and step speed loss. But there's a catch: You can't access either metric without purchasing a compatible Garmin accessory like the HRM-600 heart rate monitor , which will run you $170. Is this extra training insight worth the additional investment? To find out, I've been wearing one on my runs for the past several weeks, including a half-marathon race in early May. Here's what I've learned about myself, and what you need to know before buying an accessory to get the most out of your running data.