Now you can receive Activity Alerts while following structured workouts and training plans. This is available in the following activity modes:
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Running: Regular activity alerts for distance, pace, cadence, heart rate, nutrition, and power are available during all sessions, including warm up, training, rest and cool down.
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Cycling: Regular activity alerts for distance, speed, cadence, heart rate, nutrition, and power are are available during all sessions, including warm up, training, rest and cool down.
When completing structured workouts and training plans, the Activity Alert will share the same settings with your regular Run or Bike mode. Go to Run mode > Settings > Activity Alerts to add or change your alerts for structured workouts.
*When the intensity goal of a structured workout is Pace or Effort Pace, then the regular Pace Alert will not affect the activity.
Effort Pace, which was previously based on grade and pace, has a new algorithm/data modeling. This update will now take into consideration the historical data of every user to create a personalized and actionable data point for runners to use during training. The primary goal of this update is to consider the efficiency that a runner has going up and downhill, rather than relying directly on pace.
For example, imagine two runners running at identical speeds on the same hill. We will assume that Runner 2 is a more efficient trail runner on uphill efforts, despite both runners having a marathon PR of 4 hours.
| Speed (miles per hour) | Runner 1 | Runner 2 | |
| 5% grade | 7 mph | 7'55 Effort Pace | 8'15" Effort Pace |
| 10% grade | 7 mph | 7'25" Effort Pace | 7'50" Effort Pace |
| 15% grade | 7 mph | 6'45" Effort Pace | 7'15" Effort Pace |
*Please note, the above is a hypothetical example for explanation and the data shown may not be 100% accurate to what you will see on runs
As seen above, the more efficient uphill runner (Runner 2) sees an Effort Pace data point which is slower than Runner 1. This is because Runner 2 has to exert relatively less effort to travel at the same speed, being that they are a well-adapted trail runner.
Effort Pace in structured workouts
Now you can also use Effort Pace as an intensity target for a structured workout. This way, when training by effort level or intensity, you are now able to maintain a consistent effort throughout your training -- no matter the terrain.
You can now view various connected accessories within the Activity Summary as shown here.
Once finished with an activity scroll to the bottom of the Activity Summary to find the connected accessories.
To connect your accessories to your watch go to Settings and scroll to Accessories.
You can then choose your device and/or heart rate monitor to connect.
The watch will indicate it is searching for these devices and should look like this.
Once the devices are connected, you will see the various devices connected to watch as shown below.
Indoor Climbing is now available as an activity mode on your COROS watch to track indoor lead climbing, top-roping and bouldering. This activity mode will track new data such as Route Count, Route Grade, Route Falls, Max Fall Height and more, along with providing you unique ways to record your results from the effort shown in the “Results” section below.
*Indoor Climb mode is available to the following watches: APEX Pro, APEX 2, APEX 2 Pro, VERTIX 1 and VERTIX 2
- For leading climbing and top-roping, the watch supports Yosemite Decimal System (YDS), and French systems. You will be able to choose the system and the level of route before starting the climb.
- For bouldering, the watch supports V-Scale and Font Scale. You may choose the system and the level of route before starting the climb.
Indoor Climbing Use Cases
Indoor Climbing Difficulty Systems
You can wear the watch on your wrist, or use a watch carabiner (VERTIX 2) to clip the watch to your harness. Please note wearing it on the harness will not record heart rate data unless paired with an external heart rate strap.
Similar to all other activity modes, the Indoor Climb mode is very easy to use.
- Start the mode.
- Choose your grade system (you can switch the grade system during your activity if you decide to jump from lead climbing to bouldering without exiting and starting a new activity).
- Choose the first grade and good to go.
From here, users may leave the watch as it is until the end of the activity. The watch will do the auto recording for the following information:
If lead climbing or top-roping:
- Total Height: The overall elevation gain throughout the activity
- Route Counts
- Route Time
- Route Elevation Gain: Elevation gain in current route
- Route Heart Rate
- Route Falls: How many times the user has fallen in the current route
- Total Falls: Overall times of fall throughout the activity
- Max Fall Height: Vertical distance of the highest fall experienced during the activity
The auto-detected fall information (Route Falls and Max Fall Height) is designed for lead climbing only. Users will still see the information when top-roping but it may not be accurate.
If bouldering, the following information will be available:
- Total Height: The overall elevation gain throughout the activity
- Route Counts
- Route Time
- Route Elevation Gain: Elevation gain in current route
- Route Heart Rate
You may record additional information manually after each route:
- Route Grade: The difficulty of current route
- Route Style: Redpoint, Onsight, Flash, Attempt. Or “Not a Climb” if it’s just walking upstairs and coming down
Auto fall and route count detection won’t be available during bouldering.
Explanations to climbing styles
You will have 5 choices for describing the results of your climb
- Redpoint: Fail on first attempt. After learning and planning, finish the route successfully
- Onsight: Success at the first attempt without any background information or studying
- Flash: Success at the first attempt, but possessed background information, coming from guidebook or watching a climber before you.
- Attempt: Failed attempt to finish a route/project
- Not a climb: Did not start
Switching Climbing Styles During an Activity
When climbing at a gym, it is common to see someone switch between bouldering, lead climbing, and top roping. To change your climbing style during an activity:
- Hold the Back Button to access your Toolbox -> Activity Settings -> Grading Systems
FAQ's
What do I do when my watch does not correctly auto-detect the end of my route?
- If you have finished a route but your watch did not auto-detect correctly, use the back button to manually finish this route.
What do I do if my watch auto-detects a route starting but I have not yet started my climb?
- You can also use the back button in this scenario and choose "Not a climb". There are air flows in a climbing gym that may trigger inaccurate auto-detection.
Firmware Update Instructions
To download the beta firmware on iOS
- First, download the app "TestFlight" from the iOS App Store
- Next, select one of the links below on your mobile phone
VERTIX/VERTIX 2/APEX Pro/ APEX 2/APEX 2 Pro:
https://api.coros.com/coros/join-beta/1/7gcg2GsJnw/en
PACE 2:
https://api.coros.com/coros/join-beta/1/7gZ5ZLrVe2/en
APEX 42mm/46mm
https://api.coros.com/coros/join-beta/1/7gZ38R5fSa/en
Public Beta firmware starts releasing: Dec 1st
For any questions during the test, please submit your feedback to support@coroswearables.com
Personalized Effort Pace will be available on the APEX Pro/VERTIX/VERTIX 2/APEX 2/APEX 2 Pro/PACE 2.
Indoor Climbing will be available on the APEX Pro/VERTIX/VERTIX 2/APEX 2/APEX 2 Pro
To download the beta firmware on Android
- First, use this link to download the APK (Android APK download link: https://faq.coros.com/release/app?type=undefined®ion_id=1&locale=en-US
- Next, select one of the links below on your mobile phone
VERTIX/VERTIX 2/APEX Pro/ APEX 2/APEX 2 Pro:
https://api.coros.com/coros/join-beta/1/7gcg2GsJnw/en
PACE 2:
https://api.coros.com/coros/join-beta/1/7gZ5ZLrVe2/en
APEX 42mm/46mm
https://api.coros.com/coros/join-beta/1/7gZ38R5fSa/en
- Public Beta firmware starts releasing: Dec 1st
For any questions during the test, please submit your feedback to support@coroswearables.com
Personalized Effort Pace will be available on the APEX Pro/VERTIX/VERTIX 2/APEX 2/APEX 2 Pro/PACE 2.
Indoor Climbing will be available on the APEX Pro/VERTIX/VERTIX 2/APEX 2/APEX 2 Pro
Effort Pace Becomes Customized to YOU!
As we embark on the journey of evolving Effort Pace, it is important for athletes to understand how this metric will best help them. Currently, in the training world, there are metrics to monitor your absolute output, but nothing that takes into account outside factors and how they relate to you. Running Power can be limited due to several factors. Heart rate can lag or drift upwards dependent on training. However, with Effort Pace, we have now advanced training to analyze your historical workout data and how it impacts your real-time effort!
What Effort Pace Calculates
Effort Pace incorporates your historical data while monitoring your effort on any changes in gradient. What this means for the athlete is that the Effort Pace you see on your watch, is a combination of your past training along with biometric information showing how fast you would be running on flat terrain. In comparison, Adjusted Pace would only show you a standard formula of uphill pace vs flat road pace. Effort Pace takes into account your efficiency as a runner on different terrains.
Effort Pace learns how you have historically handled uphill and downhill sections, and customizes the pace on your watch to your internal effort. The more time you spend running hills, the better your data will be. Similar to the COROS race predictor, better data in equals better data out!
Effort Pace takes into account your own strengths and weaknesses as a runner.
Effort Pace Real World Scenario
Imagine two runners running at identical speeds on the same hill. We will assume that in the example Runner 2 is a more efficient runner on uphill efforts, despite both runners having a marathon PR of 4 hours.
This concept is important for athletes to understand. With Effort Pace now being personalized, athletes can better train to their own abilities.
Effort Pace in Structured Workouts
Now you can use Effort Pace as an intensity target for structured workouts. This way, when training by effort level or intensity, you are now able to maintain a consistent effort throughout your training - no matter the terrain.
Coaching Overview
With Effort Pace being available within structured workouts, both athletes and their coaches can ensure training is designed at the appropriate effort for their abilities and goals. Further, for an athlete looking to run a hilly or mountainous event, they could input Effort Pace into a workout to help alert them if they are running to fast or slow. Ultimately, race performances are limited by the athlete's ability to sustain effort. If an athlete knows their threshold for any given duration, they can better pace with this new feature.
COROS Continued Development
This is the first step at COROS to creating the most comprehensive metric to guide athletes in specific training. As the sports science team continues to research outside factors, we will provide updates to further customize this metric. At COROS, we are passionate about pushing the boundaries of training and researching athletic performance. Stay tuned as we continue to evolve and explore perfection.
How do I leave Public Beta?
Go into the COROS app, click on the Profile Page (shield logo) then go to Settings > App Version > Leave Public Beta
What historical data is taken into account when calculating "personalized" effort pace?
We use heart rate, pace, and grade/slope to calculate personalized effort pace
Why am I not receiving pace alerts in my structured workout?
If the intensity is Pace or Effort Pace, then even if you have the pace activity alert enabled, this will be automatically disabled for those intensity types.