6-sec Rolling Average

This data field is like a smoothing agent for the current pace display. It shows a 6-second rolling average, so you can see a more steady trend. In the settings, you can choose to average over current pace, heart rate, cadence, or power (the default is pace). The font size and contrast are big and clear, so you can easily read it at a glance. Just a quick heads up about power. The Forerunner 255 won’t provide the current running power through the connectIQ SDK API. So, I’ve been using an estimate based on some triathlete lab tests. It takes into account things like horizontal and vertical speeds, acceleration and deceleration, elevation, wind resistance, and cadence effort. It’s pretty close to the power shown by the watch’s default, but it might still differ by a few percent. With this power estimate, it is then possible to calculate a power efficiency factor as a ratio of the output power by the heart rate. To that end, I average the estimated current power (and heart rate) over a 30-sec time window before calculating the ratio. You can store this power efficiency factor as a FIT contribution chart in your Garmin Connect app. This might help you see how your running efficiency is improving over time through your training. Remember though that it strongly depends on your workout terrain, intensity and fatigue and is thus difficult to interprete across different workouts. The data field has two different layouts: - A single field layout: This will show heart rate, cadence, the 6-second rolling average of pace/power/etc., and lap time. This is all the info I need for my runs. - Within a multiple field layout: This will only show the 6-second rolling average value. The data field will have a color bar and a visual indicator to show where the current value lies within its corresponding zone. You can choose to have the coloring based on your current heart rate and heart rate zones (default), or based on the rolling average value chosen within predefined pace, cadence or power zones. Target pace, cadence or threshold power can be provided through the data field settings. There are also options in the settings to turn on more indicators, for example having an indicator for the training effect score, as well as for the current running power. And for racing, one can turn on a little PaceAhead indicator to show the number of seconds ahead or behind the desired target pace for the given elapsed distance (where the laps are assumed to happen in the order of warm-up/race/cool-down). For now, this data field uses a special font for better reading on Forerunner 255 and compatible watches, i.e., with round MIP displays of 260x260 pixel size. All other supported watches use their system fonts. I'm mostly using this data field for my personal training, so development, maintenance and support effort is very limited. Give it a try and enjoy your run :)

* version 2.2: - Adds support for more devices and additional bottom field types (calories, oxygen saturation); there is also a new setting to choose a preferred color scheme, which changes the (heart rate) zone coloring (see pictures for color palette examples). * version 2.1: - Adds a setting to show the running trail (past 5 minutes) with an orientation indicator. This requires permission to the positioning to be able to get the current location information during the activity. The view will automatically switch back and forth between the default and trail view. * version 2.0: - The bottom field can be switched in the settings to display lap time (default), lap distance, time of day or total distance. - There is a heart rate alarm to stay in zone 2. The alarm can be turned on/off during running by pressing the lap button twice (within 3 seconds). The alarm vibrates when your heart rates goes out of zone 2. - Similar, there is a 1-second metronome for running cadence that can be turned on/off by switching the data field display twice (within 3 seconds). For example, when running switch the display to the next data field and back again to this one and the metronome cycle will start by beeping once per second; giving you an up/down beat cycle for 30 seconds and some pausing until the next cycle. Running 3 steps per beat leads to a 180 cadence. Indicators below the heart & cadence icons will show if the feature is on.