My name is Philipp Pflieger and until April 2023 I was a professional runner. I had dreamed of the Olympic Games since childhood, and in 2016 I was able to fulfil that dream in Rio de Janeiro, having been inspired twenty years earlier by the Atlanta 1996 Games. In the end I didn’t run in a stadium as I had always envisioned, but over the magical 42.195 km – and it was precisely that switch to marathon running that has had a lasting impact on my life.

In the end, it wasn’t the 14 German championship titles, the appearances at European Championships and the Olympic Games, or my marathon personal best of 2:12:15h that had the greatest impact on me looking back – but above all the many people, cultures, and countries I got to know and came to appreciate on my running journey over all those years. To be able to perform at this high level for so long requires smart training above all else, and training analysis and documentation are crucial for exactly that. Especially during the many altitude training camps in Kenya, the Italian Alps (Sestriere), or the mountains of St. Moritz, proper training management is essential – and that requires the right tools, namely high-end sports watches.

When the HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2 landed on my desk for testing, my first thought was: beautiful watch. My second thought: What can it really do? I wore it for two weeks of training. And I have to say, it surprised me in several ways.

GPS is not created equal – many manufacturers I’ve used in the past frequently had weaknesses on square-cornered circuits or, for example, in city canyons with tall buildings.

These inaccuracies can throw the entire race plan off, because marathon running is a precision sport. Those who think this is an exaggeration have never experienced a bad GPS day. I have. Running in a tight city, the GPS jumping all over the place and suddenly showing 3:45 min/km when I’m clearly on 3:55 pace. You start to doubt yourself. Do you adjust your pace? Or trust your legs? In moments like these, the accuracy of your watch can make or break the result.

As a marathon runner, the right and above all consistent pace is the decisive factor for a successful race. The more even and energy-efficient, the higher the probability of being able to push harder towards the end of the race and run a “negative split”. I place great importance on precision regarding total distance, especially in training. In my view, even more important – particularly in race situations – is the accuracy of the current speed and a stable real-time pace display, and for that the best possible GPS is barely good enough.

How I use GPS data: After each longer tempo run, I review the recorded route in the HUAWEI Health App. I pay attention to route deviations, micro-variations in corners, and the pace curve in sections where I had the feeling the signal was wavering. Does the recorded distance match my own perception? With the HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2, the answer was consistently: yes.

A marathon doesn’t begin on race day. It begins 12 to 16 weeks earlier, at 6 in the morning on the track, especially on days when you’d rather stay in bed. A good training plan is the be-all and end-all for a successful race. Build-up, structure, and execution need to be kept in the best possible balance, and adjustments may be necessary. The HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2 gives me not only the right feedback on load and recovery, but also the right recommendations to bring me to the start line healthy, fit, and optimally prepared.

Training Plans That Are Truly Tailored to Me

The HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2 offers a personalised training plan that I configure directly in the HUAWEI Health App. Here’s how simple it is:

• Open HUAWEI Health App → Training → Running Programme → Marathon Mode

• The AI asks for the target race and date (here: London Marathon, 27 April)

• Enter your current performance level – the watch draws on your previous VO2max values and heart rate data

• Confirm the plan and the app calculates your sessions week by week through to race day

What’s special: the plan clearly differentiates between different aerobic and anaerobic sessions, takes training load into account, and adapts dynamically. If I manage less in a week due to exhaustion or travel, the plan doesn’t stubbornly continue – it adjusts.

This is for me THE absolute game-changer, something I have not seen anywhere else in comparable form. It is essentially a personal pacemaker, available to professionals and amateurs alike. The performance forecast is the most sophisticated feature I have seen in a sports watch/smartwatch, and features like the Refuel Reminder can be race-savers.

Analysis is what turns a runner into a thinking runner. The HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2 delivers an automatic post-run summary after every session, and I take it seriously. What interests me most: not the average pace – I already know that from running. I first look at my cadence and balance curves and my HRV progression during the session. Did my body process the load as planned? If the curves drop at the end of the run, that means: the tank was empty and I need to adjust my training plan accordingly.

Two weeks is a short time to truly get to know a running watch. But they are enough to form a clear picture. I have always been an advocate for modern performance sport: structured, reflective, and data-driven. It is the combination of experience, body awareness, and precise training analysis that brings athletes to the international level today. The HUAWEI WATCH GT Runner 2 is not a fair-weather watch, nor a dressed-up fitness tracker. It is a well-thought-out tool for runners who are serious about it.

In a marathon, an overly fast opening phase often decides between success and failure. A GPS watch helps maintain the planned pace consistently – even when adrenaline and competitive pressure are high. It is important to note that a modern GPS watch/smartwatch doesn’t run a single metre by itself. It replaces neither hard sessions nor mental strength. But it does make training smarter. This is what I want to pass on to runners at all levels: technology cannot replace years of training or a feel for your own body. But it can replace guesswork with knowledge. And the fewer uncertainties you carry into a race, the more mental capacity remains for what truly matters: the next kilometre.

Those who want to compete at the highest level must know what is happening inside their own body. And that is precisely why GPS watches/smartwatches are not a gadget for athletes like me – but a strategic tool on the path to peak performance.