# Goodbye Apple Watch ![Coros pace 2 outside shot](https://duarteocarmo.com/images/44/cover_small_optim.png) 1768 days. That's how long I've used the Apple Watch. Just a little under 5 years, in case you're wondering. I really love it. I don't know about "future of computing" and all that, but it's definitely a device I've fallen in love with. Last week, for the first time, I ditched it. Let me explain why. My last marathon didn't go that well. A story for another day. In the aftermath, I've been thinking about my training process. What went well, what went wrong, you know, introspection and all that. So I did what I do best. I got too deep into the topic. I research how other people train. I explore the vast sea of resources about running. You come across some [pretty cool](https://fellrnr.com/wiki/Main_Page) resources. And some [scary](http://www.electricblues.com/html/runpro.html) ones. I was watching Kipchoge, and how he just [broke the WR in Berlin](https://worldathletics.org/news/report/eliud-kipchoge-world-record-berlin-marathon-2022). What a guy. You know what watch he uses for running? It's called [Coros Pace 2](https://www.coros.com/pace2). I'm far from a Kipchoge, but for 200 EUR, I had to know more. After some weeks of *e-window* shopping and a lot of YouTube reviews, I ordered it. The good -------- 20 days. That's how much this watch can last in a single charge. Yes, you read it right. *20 days*. For someone who is used to charging an Apple Watch every single day, that's a pretty nice upgrade. I don't have to worry about charging it every night, I don't have to carry an extra cable every single time I travel. I just go, and it will last the whole trip. Obviously, I bought this watch for the fitness capabilities. Compared to the Apple Watch, it delivers. Setting up the Apple Watch for interval training, or any type of specific workout can be a pain. It doesn't even come *close* to the Coros. The workout views are much more informative and the after-workout analyses are much more insightful. That' s expected. What I didn't expect, is a full web-based training portal where I can track all my workout metrics. Now that's a nice surprise. ![Coros training hub](https://duarteocarmo.com/images/44/traininghub.png) The training hub and the Coros app (which is not *that* bad) give me much better control of my training plan. I can plan 3 months in advance and design all my workouts exactly like I want. For every workout, Coros gives me the Aerobic and Anaerobic training effect, my effort, my performance, so I know exactly what went down. Sleep tracking. You know that thing you *sometimes* do with your Apple Watch, but not *too* often since you don't know if you'll have time to charge in the morning? Yup. Since I don't have to charge the Coros overnight, I get access to all my Sleep stats. I know exactly how much and how well I've slept over time. You know, 'cause sleep [matters](https://www.nature.com/articles/4371207a). The bad ------- It's not an Apple Watch. Yes, I could write about the fact that some parts of the Coros app are kinda rough, or the fact that the watch interface is a bit clunky. Or even the fact that it uses some sort of weird proprietary charger. But the bottom line is, I keep comparing it to the Apple Watch. One side of me now understands why Apple has never given us custom watch faces. Coros has *at least* 100 watch faces to chose from, and they all look… well, not great. This watch is clearly missing the aesthetic appeal that the Apple Watch has. I have a love/hate relationship with Apple's beautiful walled garden of an ecosystem. How can I miss paying with my wrist so much? How can I miss controlling music playback on my wrist so much? Seeing those circles close in every widget I own. Getting all the notifications in your watch. The next event in your calendar at wrist glance. The "Do not disturb until I leave this location", two taps away. Even the haptic motor. I miss the cozy ecosystem. It's a bit like a withdrawal - it will fade. I think. ![Coros pace 2 outside shot at home](https://duarteocarmo.com/images/44/home.png) The end ------- I don't think there's a winner. They're *different* devices - with different goals, and different target audiences. One, focuses on design, ecosystem, wellness, and lifestyle. The other is a powerful fitness tracker, and does it very well. I *could* just use both. But I don't want to add that stress to my life. For now, a good run brings me more joy than paying with my wrist. A good night of sleep is more important than seeing all my calendar events in my wrist. *Focus*, is more important than constant notifications. So I'll stick to the Coros for now.