Compare like with like. The clearest sign is running the same route faster at the same heart rate, or at the same pace with a lower heart rate. Runs that feel easier, a VO2 max that rises over months and a resting heart rate that drifts down back it up. A single run, or average pace across different routes, tells you very little.
What are the signs?
| Sign | Where to see it |
|---|---|
| The same route faster, or at a lower heart rate | Your time and heart rate on a route you repeat |
| Your usual easy pace feels easier | How you feel, and your heart rate at that pace |
| You bounce back faster between runs | How your legs feel the next day |
| New personal bests | Races, time trials, your fastest times over set distances |
| VO2 max rising | Health app, under Cardio Fitness |
| Resting heart rate drifting down | Health app |
| A bigger heart rate drop after similar workouts | Health app, under Cardio Recovery |
Why compare on the same route?
Average pace across different runs mixes you up with the hills, the surface, the wind and the GPS. On the same route those stay the same, so what changes is you. Compare the time rather than the pace, because GPS measures the same route a little differently every run. And compare similar days: an easy run with an easy run, a cool morning with a cool morning. Heat raises your heart rate at any pace.
How long does it take?
Weeks for the feel, months for the numbers. With regular running, runs often start to feel easier within a few weeks. VO2 max and resting heart rate move more slowly, in small steps, and single readings bounce around, so judge them over months.
What can I ignore?
- One run, good or bad. Sleep, heat and stress move a single run more than your fitness does.
- Average pace across different routes.
- A single VO2 max reading. The direction over months is what counts. See Why is my VO2 max not updating on Apple Watch?
- Day-to-day HRV. Look at the weekly average. See What is a good HRV on Apple Watch?
What if nothing is improving?
Then look at the training, not the watch. The usual causes are runs that all sit at the same medium effort, training that has not changed in months, or running tired. See Why am I not getting faster at running?
What does Kiiro show?
Route progress keeps runs on a route you repeat side by side, with pace, heart rate and effort, and shows the trend over weeks and months. Next to it you have your VO2 max trend beside your resting heart rate and HRV, and your personal bests as you set them.
One number to read carefully: your fitness level is your training base, how much you have trained over about six weeks. It rises when you train more, which is what makes you fitter, but it is the cause, not the proof. The proof is in Route progress and your VO2 max trend. See route comparison in Kiiro and VO2 max trends in Kiiro.
Related questions
- How do I compare runs on the same route with Apple Watch?: Apple Watch has Race Route, which lets you race your last or best time on a route you have run before. To look back at every run on a route, you need an app. Here is how both work.
- Why am I not getting faster at running?: Usually because your runs all sit at the same medium effort, your training has not grown in months, or you are running tired. Sometimes you are faster and the way you compare runs hides it. Here is how to tell which.
- Why is my VO2 max not updating on Apple Watch?: Apple Watch only estimates VO2 max during outdoor walks, runs and hikes on fairly flat ground, with good GPS and heart-rate signal and enough effort. Here is what to check.
