Your Garmin watch can plan running routes for you — here’s how to use Garmin’s round-trip course feature

a photo of the Garmin Forerunner 970 — (Image credit: Future)

Whether you’re bored with your regular running routes or you find yourself poring over maps on holiday trying to find a route to run, the answer might be far simpler than you think. I’ve been writing about the best Garmin watches for the past decade, and in my opinion, the brand’s round-trip course is one of the best features on board.

Round-trip course is available on Garmin’s higher-end devices that support mapping, including the Garmin Epix 2, Garmin Fenix 7 and Garmin Fenix 8, and the Garmin Forerunner 970. Most other Garmin watches allow you to create the route on your Garmin Connect app and load it onto your watch, but it won’t be as detailed or re-route if you go off course.

Read on to find out more about Garmin’s auto-route generator and how to use it.

What is the Garmin round-trip course feature?

If you’re traveling, new to an area, or just want a new running route from your office, your Garmin can help build you a route based on how far you want to travel, that’ll finish back where you started.

Here’s how to set up the run on your watch:

Start by selecting your activity, then scroll down and select ‘Navigate.’
Next, click ‘Round-Trip Course.’
You’ll then need to input your distance in miles or kilometres, and if you have a preference in which direction you want to travel.
Your watch will generate up to three different routes, based on other runners' or riders’ data in the area.
Once you’ve selected your route, you can view more information, then to begin navigating from your watch, select the ‘Go’ option.
If your watch supports the feature, it’ll immediately recalculate the route if you run the wrong way, keeping the total run’s distance the same.

How to set up on the run on Garmin Connect:

If you have a watch that doesn’t have built-in navigation, you can still use this feature on your Garmin Connect app, and load the route onto your watch.

From your Garmin Connect home screen, click ‘More’, then ‘Training and Planning’.
Select ‘Courses’, then click ‘Create Courses’.
Select your activity, then ‘Automatic’.
Next, edit your distance and starting location.
The app will plan a route, which you can send to your watch and follow from there. The route won’t re-route if you go off course.

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Jane McGuire is Tom's Guide's Fitness editor, which means she looks after everything fitness related - from running gear to yoga mats. An avid runner, Jane has tested and reviewed fitness products for the past five years, so knows what to look for when finding a good running watch or a pair of shorts with pockets big enough for your smartphone. When she's not pounding the pavements, you'll find Jane striding round the Surrey Hills, taking far too many photos of her puppy.

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