Last week I ran the D.C. half-marathon alongside nearly 8,000 other runners. While I generally love running with my Garmin Forerunner 165 (which I've previously reviewed), when I strapped the watch on the morning of the race, I had some reservations. This watch has earned a reputation as a barebones beginner device—and I was worried if it would hold up when it really mattered. Would the GPS remain accurate throughout the 13.1 mile run? Would the pacing features actually help me hit my goal time?
After crossing the finish line, I'm happy to report that this entry-level watch met my expectations in almost every way.
Garmin Forerunner 165 Music, Running Smartwatch, Colorful AMOLED Display, Training Metrics and Recovery Insights, Music on Your Wrist, Whitestone $299.99 at Amazon Shop Now Shop Now $299.99 at AmazonThe selling point for me is that Garmin's training plans adapt to your performance over time, adjusting target paces based on recent runs and fitness assessments. For my marathon training, the plan included everything from easy runs and tempo workouts, to speed intervals and long runs (which may not be long enough—but more on that in a moment).
That said, I'm not convinced Garmin's training philosophy is entirely reliable, particularly over long run distances. I have a sneaking suspicion the device might not suggest long enough peak mileage for some runners, but I'll dive deeper into that analysis after completing a full training cycle. In the meantime, I'm absolutely loving the pacing assistance and structured workouts.
Creating a custom race day workout
Workouts > Create a Workout. From there, I built a step-by-step plan for my race. I created a warm-up mile (at an easy pace), followed by the main event (an 11-mile step with ambitious target pace alerts), and an extra ambitious final mile push. The key was setting up pace alerts that would notify me if I was running too fast or too slow relative to my half-marathon pace goal.
Forerunner 165 GPS accuracy
Here's where the Forerunner 165 really impressed me. I was genuinely concerned about GPS accuracy going into the race. Anyone who has ever attended a concert knows how dense crowds disrupt GPS on your phone or watch, and this half-marathon had around 8,000 runners plus who knows how many spectators cheering for us. More advanced Garmin watches offer dual-band GPS for improved accuracy, which the Forerunner 165 lacks. I worried that in a crowded race environment, amid tall buildings and thousands of other runners, the single-band GPS might struggle to maintain precision.
You can see how close Garmin's tracking is to my official race results in a side-by-side here.
Garmin's summary on the left, my official race results on the right. Credit: Meredith DietzDuring the race itself, the Forerunner 165 delivered exactly what I needed without overwhelming me with unnecessary data. The screen remained easily readable in various lighting conditions, from the pre-dawn start through full daylight. Battery life was never a concern—after two-plus hours of GPS tracking, I still had plenty of juice remaining.
Advice for racing with the Garmin Forerunner 165
Based on my race day experience, here are my top recommendations for getting the most out of your Forerunner 165 during a race:
Set up your data screens in advance. Customize what information appears on your main screen. I recommend keeping it simple: current pace, average pace, and elapsed time. Too much data can be overwhelming when you're pooped.
Trust the GPS. My biggest surprise was how accurate the GPS remained throughout the race. Trust your watch's distance and pace readings rather than trying to calculate based on course markers or feel.
The Garmin Forerunner 165 might be positioned as an entry-level watch, but it did exactly what I needed it to do on race day, with accurate GPS, reliable pacing feedback, and an easy-to-read display. Sometimes, it seems, the most advanced features aren't necessary—sometimes you just need a watch that works when it counts.
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