Suunto Blog

Movement has the power to bring us closer — to ourselves, to each other, and to the world around us. For Hagia and her father, it’s not about racing or winning. It’s about sharing moments of freedom, connection, and understanding. This is their story. Meet Hagia, a 12-year-old autistic girl who finds peace in motion. Running and swimming are not about competition — they’re her way of feeling free. By her side is her father, Udey, who joins her in every step and stroke, using movement as a bridge into her world. A story of love, freedom, and connection. Watch the film now! 

We are ready - are you? The 18th edition of the Lavaredo Ultra Trail by UTMB features a particularly challenging course, with a total distance of 120 km and 5,800 meters of elevation gain. The maximum race time is 30 hours, starting from Cortina. Once again this year, all races are fully booked across the event. Each day is dedicated to a different distance, creating a full schedule of daily events — with the exception of 27 June, when both the longest race (120 km) and the intermediate race (50 km) will take place: 25 June 2025: Lavaredo 10K – 10 km – elevation gain 200 m⁺ 26 June 2025: Lavaredo 20K – 20 km – elevation gain 1,000 m⁺ 27 June 2025: Lavaredo 50K – 50 km – elevation gain 2,600 m⁺ 28 June 2025: Lavaredo 100K – 100 km – elevation gain 4,600 m⁺ 27 June 2025: Lavaredo 120K – 120 km – elevation gain 5,800 m⁺ Many of our Suunto athletes are ready to give it their all: Ugo Ferrari Nadir Maguet Florian Olivier Claudia Tremps Martina Valmassoi Courtney Dauwalter Alyssa Amos Clark Katarzyna Wilk Andreas Reiterer Tony McCann Suunto will be present in the village with a stand where our team will be happy to share the latest brand news and showcase our products. But that's not all — take part in the HOP HOP RUN in collaboration with Näak and Buff. Experience the thrill of running 8 km through the beautiful Dolomites and try one of our sports watches during the run! We look forward to seeing you on Friday, 27 June at 10:00 AM at the Suunto stand at the UTMB Expo / Ice Skating Stadium – Cortina. 👉 Register now and book your unique opportunity to test one of our sportwatches during the run! Register

Suunto teams up with Paris-based sports crew PWRUP for a bold new watch strap collaboration inspired by trail running, island adventures, and the power of community. Born in Paris in 2019, PWRUP (short for Power Up) is more than a sports crew – it’s a movement. A vibrant collective of runners, cyclists, climbers, and explorers, PWRUP has trail running at its heart but thrives in all forms of motion. They’re known for blending lifestyle with performance, constantly pushing limits while building community through shared energy and unforgettable adventures. Describing themselves as a family, PWRUP is as much about people as it is about sport. Whether they’re navigating the streets of Paris or volcanic trails on remote islands, they’re always seeking connection. “I started running in 2015 to stay in shape and quickly fell in love with the sport, discovering its deep impact on my creativity and mental clarity,” says Ruddy Trobrillants, one of the crew’s core members. “Whether navigating the streets of the city or the volcanoes of nearby islands, I’m always chasing connection, balance, and the next big adventure.” That spirit – of movement, discovery, and energy – is now woven into a new collab between Suunto and PWRUP. “The first time I ran with a Suunto watch was during Transvulcania, an intense Ultra marathon in La Palma, in 2022. This is definitely my favorite race, and it allowed me to discover this amazing island,” Ruddy says. “So, when I had the chance to work on a strap design with Suunto, I directly knew that I was going to mix PWRUP DNA and to pay homage to the Isla Bonita.” The SUUNTO x PWRUP watch strap reflects the volcanic earth and rugged rock formations leading up to El Roque de los Muchachos at 2,400 meters above sea level. Embedded with subtle particles to mirror the rocky trail and designed with layered PWRUP logos to symbolize the energy within you, the strap is more than gear – it’s a story. A reminder that the power is already inside you.   Photography by PWRUP – WORN WILD 

Every runner runs with a different goal: a faster time, a longer distance, a first marathon, or simply the habit of showing up every day. Suunto Run is built to support them all, with the essentials you need on your wrist. Light, precise, and focused on running, Suunto Run brings the key tools for training, racing, and everyday progress into one watch. Here is how to use Suunto Run, plus 10 features that help make every run more purposeful. What Is Suunto Run? Key Specs and Features Suunto Run is a GPS sports watch developed by SUUNTO for runners. It is made for the moments that matter on the road, track, and trail: holding pace, staying light, reading data quickly, and trusting your watch from start to finish. Key specs of Suunto Run: Weight: Just 36 g, among the lightest watches in SUUNTO history Battery: Up to 12 days in daily use and up to 20 hours in training mode Display: Bright, high-resolution AMOLED screen with crown operation support GPS: High-precision pace and distance tracking with dual-band GNSS Sport modes: 34 sport modes, centered on running Connectivity: Syncs with the Suunto app, Strava, Adidas Running, ASICS Runkeeper, and many other partner apps At 36 g, the watch stays light through long runs and marathon efforts, close to the feeling of not wearing a watch at all. The textile strap fits securely and helps reduce shifting and discomfort as the kilometers add up. View Suunto Run product details How to Use Suunto Run: 10 Key Features These 10 Suunto Run features are built for runners who want practical tools without extra complexity. Whether this is your first GPS watch or your next race-day companion, they are ready to use from the start. 1. Interval Run: Watch-Guided Structured Training Interval training builds speed and endurance through focused bursts of effort and recovery. Create your interval session in the Suunto app before the run, and Suunto Run guides the full workout from warmup to final repeat. No need to count seconds in your head or keep checking a separate timer. The watch handles the structure, so you stay with the effort, the rhythm, and the purpose of the session. 2. Ghost Runner: Pace Control with a Virtual Pacer Ghost Runner gives you a virtual pacer set to your target pace. On the watch, you see your real-time gap to that target, whether you are pulling ahead or slipping behind. On race day, that feedback helps you hold back when the first kilometers feel too easy. During long runs, it keeps easy days controlled and steady. The result is clearer pacing, better discipline, and more confidence when it is time to push. 3. Marathon Time Prediction: See Your Finish Time as You Run In a marathon, pace can feel different at 30 km than it did at 10 km. Marathon time prediction shows your estimated finish time based on your current pace, so you understand what the numbers mean while you are still moving. When fatigue kicks in or the pace starts to fade, you see how much you need to adjust to stay close to your goal. It is a practical tool for first-time marathoners and runners chasing targets such as sub-4 or sub-3.5. 4. Voice Feedback and Lap Function: Hear Your Lap Data in Real Time Turn on Auto Lap, choose your distance, and Suunto Run records each split automatically. Pace, heart rate, and time appear on the watch for every section, whether you prefer checking every 1 km or every 5 km. Pair the watch with Suunto Spark, SUUNTO's open-ear headphones, and those lap updates become real-time voice feedback. Your eyes stay forward. Your hands stay relaxed. Manual laps are also available for marking turnarounds, aid stations, or any point that matters in your run. 5. Metronome: Hold Your Target Cadence Cadence, or steps per minute, is one of the clearest signals of running efficiency. A cadence around 180 spm is often used as a reference point, and Suunto Run's metronome helps you stay close to your target. The watch vibrates at a steady rhythm, giving your stride a simple cue to follow. In the later kilometers, when form starts to loosen, that rhythm helps bring your turnover back into focus. 6. Hydration Reminder: Stay Ahead of Dehydration and Energy Drops On hot days and long-distance efforts, hydration and fueling often fall behind before you notice. Set reminders in advance on Suunto Run, and the watch prompts you at regular intervals. Use it to keep your race-day aid station plan on track or to manage nutrition during long training runs. Small reminders at the right time can help protect performance in the final stretch. 7. Track Run Mode: Precision on the Track Running on an athletics track can challenge standard GPS accuracy, especially when tight turns repeat lap after lap. Track Run mode uses an algorithm optimized for track environments to record accurate pace and distance data. For speed sessions, time trials, indoor tracks, and official athletics tracks, it gives each repeat the precision it deserves. 8. Heart Rate, Recovery, and Sleep Tracking: Readiness Beyond the Run Training does not end when the run is saved. Suunto Run tracks optical heart rate from the wrist and monitors sleep around the clock, building a clearer picture of how your body is responding. Use the accumulated data to understand the balance between training load and recovery. Some days are made for hard efforts. Others are better spent recovering well. Suunto Run helps make that decision more informed and helps reduce the risk of overtraining. 9. Music Playback: Run with Music, Leave the Phone Suunto Run stores MP3 files directly on the watch, so music can come with you even when your phone stays behind. It keeps race-day gear simple and training days focused. With Suunto Spark, SUUNTO's open-ear headphones, you can listen while staying aware of traffic, surroundings, and other runners. More freedom, without closing off the world around you. 10. Running App Connectivity: Go Deeper with Strava and the Suunto App After each run, your data syncs automatically to the Suunto app. Routes, pace graphs, heart rate trends, and long-term training volume are all ready for review when the effort is done. Suunto Run also connects with hundreds of partner apps, including Strava, Adidas Running, MapMyRun, and ASICS Runkeeper. If you already have a favorite platform, your data moves with you and your existing routine stays intact. Comfortable Fit: 36 g Lightness and an AMOLED Screen Features matter. Fit matters just as much. One reason many runners choose Suunto Run is its exceptionally light construction. At just 36 g, it sits among the lightest watches in SUUNTO's lineup. The textile strap feels soft against the skin and is designed to reduce pressure over long runs. Even through a five-hour marathon, the watch stays low-profile and easy to wear. The high-resolution AMOLED screen keeps data clear at a glance, even in direct sunlight. Crown operation makes screen changes feel natural while you run, without breaking rhythm. Run with Suunto Spark: A More Complete Running Experience with Suunto Run and Spark Pair Suunto Run with Suunto Spark, SUUNTO's open-ear headphones, and the running experience becomes even more connected. Voice feedback: Spark announces lap pace, heart rate, distance, and time, keeping your eyes forward instead of on the watch Real-time running metrics: Spark records cadence, ground contact time, and vertical movement in real time to support more efficient running form Open-ear music: Hear approaching cars, bicycles, and running partners while enjoying music without blocking your ears IP55 dust and water resistance: Built for confidence in rainy conditions and sweaty training sessions Up to 36 hours of battery life: With the charging case included, Spark has enough battery for marathons and long-distance training Suunto Run and Suunto Spark are designed to work together as part of the SUUNTO ecosystem. The watch tracks the data, the headphones deliver feedback, and the whole run stays easier to manage from start to finish. View Suunto Spark details Suunto Run and the Suunto App: Analyze Your Running with Data The value of Suunto Run continues after the run. Post-run data shows what changed, what worked, and where the next step may be. In the Suunto app, you can check and manage: Route maps: Review your running route on a map and look back at course details Pace and heart rate graphs: See how intensity changed across each section Training load and recovery: Check scores that show the balance between accumulated fatigue and recovery Long-term trends: Track running distance and activity volume by week or month Sleep data: Understand how sleep quality and quantity affect your training condition Over time, the data reveals your patterns: how you respond to hard sessions, where your strongest pace ranges sit, and when recovery needs more attention. Suunto Run becomes more than a timer. It becomes a training partner for better decisions. Summary Suunto Run is a GPS sports watch for runners of every level, from people starting their running journey with SUUNTO to dedicated marathoners chasing their next goal. To recap the 10 Suunto Run features introduced here: Interval Run, Ghost Runner, marathon time prediction, voice feedback and lap functions, metronome, hydration reminders, Track Run mode, heart rate, recovery and sleep tracking, music playback, and running app connectivity are all built into a lightweight 36 g body. Pair it with Suunto Spark, and the SUUNTO ecosystem supports voice feedback, cadence insights, and safer music running in one connected experience. Whatever your reason for running, Suunto Run is built to move with you. View the Suunto Run product page Upgrade your run with Suunto Spark Suunto Run features and specifications are subject to change without notice. Please check the official product page for the latest information.

What drives someone to run at 6AM through frosty streets, while another takes on a 50K mountain ultra? Why do we run? As Dr. Neil Baxter shows, the answers are far from simple. Dr. Neil Baxter is a social scientist with a passion for running – not just as a sport, but as a cultural phenomenon. After a five-year research project into British running culture at the University of Warwick, his insights were published in a book on the subject. In a recent talk, he unraveled the complex web of motivations that drive people to run – and how those reasons have changed dramatically over the past century. From the track to the trail: How running has changed If you were to picture a runner in the 1950s, chances are you’d imagine a young, white male – perhaps a university athlete, chasing track records with serious intent. Running, back then, was largely the domain of the competitive few. Recreational joggers, when they began appearing in suburban America in the 1960s, were so unfamiliar that some were stopped by police. Society didn’t quite know what to make of people running slowly down the street without the clear goal of a finish line. Today, that narrow image of the runner has exploded into a kaleidoscope of diversity. We now associate running with people of all backgrounds and body types. We run on city streets, park trails, forest paths. Some chase personal bests, some run for mental clarity, others to raise funds for charity – or simply to feel alive in nature. Health crises, spiritual highs, and social status: The motivations over time The initial running boom in 1960s America was largely a response to rising health concerns, especially heart disease linked to sedentary lifestyles. When jogging entered the public consciousness – thanks in part to Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman’s efforts – it promised a way to take back control of one’s well-being. But running didn't just become a solution for physical health; it soon acquired a deeper meaning. By the 1970s, running had woven itself into the counterculture, with books like The Zen of Running casting it as a spiritual practice. The “runner’s high” was seen not only as a chemical rush but as a transcendent experience – “a flowering of new colours in the soul,” as one writer put it. At the same time, running was adopted by the rising class of ambitious professionals. It became a symbol of individual discipline, self-reliance, and success –  ideals that aligned with emerging neoliberal values. For some, running marked them as part of a new physical elite. The marathon emerged as the ultimate badge of achievement during the 1980s, with participation skyrocketing – especially among male executives seeking a controlled but intense test of toughness. Women, meanwhile, were still being excluded from many of these spaces: the Olympic women’s marathon wasn’t held until 1984. That changed in the early 2000s. A new wave of participation – this time led by women – reshaped running yet again. More inclusive events and broader motivations came into play: fun runs, charity races, color dashes, and community events attracted people who were less driven by competition and more by social connection, physical health, and joy. As marathons became more accessible, some competitive runners shifted toward more extreme formats – like ultramarathons and mountain races. These forms of running, according to Neil’s research, are still disproportionately populated by the same higher-income, male demographic that dominated marathons in earlier decades. Running, even in its most rugged forms, remained a stage for expressing identity, values, and even social class. So why do you run? Neil Baxter’s data underscores what many of us feel instinctively: there’s no single reason people run – there are many, often overlapping ones. Most runners, according to his survey, cited general fitness and emotional well-being as key motivators. Fewer than a quarter said competition was a very important driver. Gender and age also played a role: men were more likely to cite competition and speed, while women prioritized physical and mental health. Interestingly, older runners – especially those over 70 – saw an uptick in social motivations and community connection. Motivations also shift based on the type of running. Track athletes skew competitive and social, while hill and trail runners are drawn to nature. Joggers (non-competitive runners) emphasize physical appearance, and obstacle course racers often cite charitable fundraising. The many faces – and reasons – of running From elite track athletes to casual joggers, from urban commuters to ultrarunners in remote wilderness, running has become a multifaceted activity with room for everyone. Its meaning is no longer confined to podiums or personal records. As Neil Baxter puts it, “Many ideas, meanings, or forms of significance have been attached to the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other.” Running is now as diverse as the people who do it – and as complex as the lives they lead. Whether you run to compete, to clear your mind, to feel strong, or to be part of something bigger, your reason is valid. And just like the sport itself, your reason can change – evolve – over time. Because in the end, we all have our own pace, path, and purpose. Simply put: run your own story. 

The trail running season has started and we are happy to attend the Trail Alsace Grand Est by UTMB, May 15 to 18. We are ready, and you? Last year's edition brought together 6,000 runners from 60 nationalities, who uncovered a landscape rich in historical and cultural Alsatian heritage. Competitors experienced a spectacular start with medieval flair, accompanied by the gallop of knights in armor. This dramatic beginning set the stage for an unforgettable journey, including stops at many fortified castles such as the Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg, the picturesque towns of Turckheim and Kaysersberg, and the scenic beauty of the famous Alsatian vineyards. Each step revealed a new layer of the region's remarkable history and breathtaking scenery.  Suunto will be present at the race village with a booth, where our team will be happy to share the latest brand news, showcase our products, and support you before your race. But that's not all—take part in the COMMUNITY RUN, in collaboration with PWRUP. Experience the thrill of running 6 km through the stunning hills of Obernai and relax afterward with a snack to refuel. Community Run – Friday, May 16🕑 14:00 – Departure from the Suunto booth🏃 6 km route through the hills of Obernai🕒 ~15:00 – Return to Suunto booth🍫 Post-run snack with Näak products and soft drinks Register now and book a unique opportunity to test one of our sports watches during the run! 👉 REGISTER! Can’t join the community run but still want to try a watch? No problem—just stop by our booth and ask to borrow one for 1 hour, 2 hours, or more. Our team will find a solution for you!