The New York City Marathon podium featured running watches from multiple brands beyond the traditional market leader. Men's winner Andreas Almgren wore a Coros Pace 4, runner-up Yemaneberhan Crippa wore an Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro, women's runner-up Jessica McClain wore a Garmin Forerunner 570, women's third place Hellen Obiri wore a Coros Pace 4, and nonbinary winner Ryan Montgomery wore a Suunto Race 3S. All of these athletes had sponsorship deals with their watch manufacturers.
Garmin has long dominated the running watch market through reliable GPS, strong software, and broad ecosystem features. The Forerunner 570 starts above $500. The presence of two Coros Pace 4s and an Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro among top finishers suggests competitors are narrowing the gap. Coros, Amazfit, and Suunto are investing in elite runners and proving that competitive watches do not require the high price points Garmin increasingly charges.
For recreational runners, the key is choosing a watch that handles the basics correctly. GPS accuracy, pace tracking, and reliability matter most. Training load scores, recovery metrics, maps, music, and smart notifications are extras. Focus spending on fundamentals rather than paying for unused features. If elite runners trust these watches from multiple brands during their most important races, ordinary runners can rely on them for regular training.