You’ll find below a list of short video tutorials on the functions and features of the Garmin Forerunner 35. This is a low cost GPS running watch which includes a wrist heart rate sensor. A nice upgrade for those who had the forerunner 10 or 20. This is a small basic device.
Garmin Forerunner 35 User Manual
Click here to download the Garmin Forerunner 35 user manual in PDF format
Tutorial Contents
- Getting Started / Unboxing / Initial Setup
- Run Mode
- Training Indoors (Turn off GPS)
- Run / Walk Interval Training
- Virtual Pacer
- Interval Workouts
- How to Soft Reset or Restore Default
- System Settings Overview
- How to Change Watch Face
- How to Change User Profile
- How to turn Off HR Sensor – Winter Running
- How to View Widget Screens
- How to Enable Auto Lap
- How to Enable Auto Pause
- How to Setup Recurring Alerts
Getting Started / UnBoxing / Initial Setup
Here’s a quick video how you can get started quickly as you unbox your new garmin forerunner 35 running watch. Out of the box, or during unboxing, you will have only the device and USB charging plug.
I recommend you fully charge the device first, use this time to install on your smartphone garmin connect mobile or garmin express for your desktop.
Once fully charged, turn on the device and from here we have the setup wizard. This is where we can specify language, units, clock and basic user profile. I usually skip the user profile since it will get replaced by my profile on garmin connect.
Note that you can skip pairing to your smartphone for later. We will cover this in a later video.
Once you have completed the wizard, go outside and hit the RUN/ENTER button so that the GPS can get a signal (if you selected a activity profile) and update your clock time. If you have the device on your wrist you will be able to monitor your heart rate.
After a few minutes, the watch will beep & vibrate and you will be ready to start your activity.
Run Mode
In this video we will look at the Run mode on your garmin forerunner 35. This is where you can switch from a free or open run activity to a run/walk or interval workout. This is where you can also setup virtual racer when you want to run at a certain pace.
1. Hit the RUN button, then select a activity profile, like run outdoors.
2. Press DOWN button to get into the options, then select RUN MODE
You have a number of modes to choose from
FREE
RUN/WALK
VIRTUAL RACER
INTERVAL
FREE mode is the default option. Whatever you select will remain active until you choose another mode.
Once you’ve selected the run mode, you can hit BACK and start your activity.
Training Indoors
You can turn off the GPS on your Garmin forerunner 35 by selecting one of the activity profiles and going into the run options.
RUN INDOORS, CARDIO and WALK are the profiles where you can turn off the GPS. The speed/distance will be based on the accelerometer which is self calibrating. However you need to do some outdoor activities to calibrate it.
I recommend doing outdoor run/walk for 20-40 min in order to get a good measure.
1. Start by clicking on RUN button, choose RUN INDOOR, CARDIO or WALK
2. Press DOWN for OPTIONS then choose USE INDOORS
You will get confirmation that the GPS will be turned off. and once you start the activity you will see the GPS status icon will be int he off position.
Run/Walk Interval
You can setup interval workouts on the garmin forerunner 35 like speedwork or other type of interval workout while running or biking.
1. Start an activity by selecting an ACTIVITY PROFILE.
2. select RUN MODE then select INTERVALS
3. You can do the workout that was previously created or you can EDIT your own workout.
You have a number of steps to pick from.
COOL DOWN
WARM UP
INTERVAL
REST
REPEAT
If you select INTERVAL, you wil be able to choose either DISTANCE, TIME or OPEN for this step.
Once you have added you workout steps, simply go back and you will be able to start the activity with the intervals specified.
Virtual Pacer
You can setup virtual pacer on your garmin forerunner 35 so that you can help you keep pace on your run activity.
1. Start an ACTIVTY and Choose a Profile.
2. Hit OPTIONS and seldct VIRTUAL PACER
3. Specify the pace
Once done you can hit BACK and start your activity. You should get an alert whenever you are not on pace, ahead or behind.
1. Click on RUN and select an ACTIVITY PROFILE like RUN OUTDOORS
2. OPTIONS then RUN MODE
3. Select VIRTUAL PACER and select the pace you want to set.
Hit BACK and start your activity. You will get alerts when you are not on pace.
Interval Workouts
You can setup interval workouts on the garmin forerunner 35 like speedwork or other type of interval workout while running or biking.
1. Start an activity by selecting an ACTIVITY PROFILE.
2. select RUN MODE then select INTERVALS
3. You can do the workout that was previously created or you can EDIT your own workout.
You have a number of steps to pick from.
COOL DOWN
WARM UP
INTERVAL
REST
REPEAT
If you select INTERVAL, you wil be able to choose either DISTANCE, TIME or OPEN for this step.
Once you have added you workout steps, simply go back and you will be able to start the activity with the intervals specified.
How to Soft Reset or Restore Defaults
In this video we will look at how you can do a soft reset or restart on your garmin forerunner 35. We do this when the device is frozen or behaves badly. Note that doing this might or might not delete your history. So it’s a good idea to sync regularly.
HOW TO SOFT RESET WHEN FROZEN
1. simply press & hold the POWER/BACKLIGHT button for at least 15 seconds until the device restarts.
Pressing & holding the button for 1 second should bring up the shut down prompt.
HOW TO RESTORE DEFAULT SETTINGS
You might want to wipe the device, when selling or letting someone else use your forerunner. This method should put your device back to “out of the box” mode.
1. Press MENU |SETTINGS | SYSTEM | RESTORE DEFAULT SETTINGS
2. Select YES
System Settings Overview
In this video, we will look at the System Setting options available on the garmin forerunner 35.
To access the system settings, do the following:
1. PRESS and HOLD BACK button to get to the menu
Navigate to SETTINGS | SYSTEM
From here you can find the options to adjust the following items:
Language
time – adjust the time of day
sounds – adjust the beeps and vibration
backlight during activity – sets the backlight settings during an activity
Units – switch between metric & imperial
Software update – if you are paired with your smartphone, every time you sync it will check and download any software updates, otherwise you can use this to check if there are any available.
restore defaults – this will allow you to wipe your device and give it that out of the box feel.
about – gives you information about firmware and other information
How to Change Watch Face
You can change the watch face on the garmin forerunner 35 from the default digital display to an analog watch face. You are not able to download or install any from the connect IQ store.
To switch between watch faces, simply do the following:
1. PRESS and HOLD the BACK button to access the MENU
2. SETTINGS | WATCH FACE
from here you can choose between digital or analog.
How to Change User Profile
You can enter basic user profile information including your maximum heart rate (max hr) manually on the garmin forerunner 35 or transfer it from your garmin connect profile., including hear rate profile.
You can setup date of birth, gender, age, weight, height and max hr by navigating the following way on your garmin forerunner 35
1. PRESS and HOLD the BACK button to access the menu
2. SETTINGS | USER PROFILES
from here you can scroll and select the item you want to change or confirm after a sync with garmin connect.
How to Turn off HR Sensor
Part of the heart rate features on the garmin forerunner 35 is the ability to turn the HR sensor on/off and even to broadcast to another garmin device like Virb or Edge.
How to view last 4 hours of HR data
1. Click DOWN button to the HR screen to view the current and resting HR values.
2. PRESS the RUN button to view the heart rate graph from the last 4 hours.
How to turn off the hr sensor
1. From the last screen above, press RUN button again to get to the options
2. Select TURN off. This will turn off the wrist hr sensor. you can still pair with a garmin ant+ HR strap for winter running for example.
How to broadcast your HR to a Virb or Edge
1. From the same screen as above, Select BROADCAST HR to send your HR data to the virb or edge garmin computer.
2. To stop, press RUN button and Select YES at the EXIT BROADCAST prompt.
How to View Widget Screens
When your are not doing a running activity with the garmin forerunner 35, you can scroll throught the various data screens to view information related to activity tracking, and information that is available when you are paired with your smartphone.
The default screen is the watch face, displaying the current time.
Simply press the DOWN button to scroll through the other screens.
Heartrate – view current & resting HR
Activity Tracking Step Count
Calories burned
Intensity exercise minutes
Last Activity summary
and if you were paired with your smartphone you would see these additional screens.
Weather – it will display the same weather info as with your default weather app
Notifications – any notifications that would come up on your smartphone, you would also see it.
How to Enable Auto Lap
You can setup either Auto lap or manual lap key on your garmin forerunner 35.
Laps are very useful for you to analyze your activity based on segments you determine like distance or manually.
To enable Auto lap
1. start an activity profile
2. go to OPTIONS, select LAPS
3. Select AUTO LAP – it will select 1km auto lap. I assume thisis based on units selection. If you want mile laps, you might need to use imperial / statute units.
How to use lap button key
you can use the BACK button as a LAP key.
From the same screen as above, select LAP KEY and TURN ON.
From here this will allow you to manually hit laps. great when you are going hill or speed training.
How to Enable Auto Pause
You can adjust the timer on your garmin forerunner 35 so that it will stop when you are at a red light or other stops along your run.
This is a good feature to have when you run in urban areas and want to figure out your run pace and time before a race. While not perfect, it does help to keep your run pace more accurate than standing at a light waiting to cross.
Simply do the following to enable auto pause.
1. Select a run profile and select OPTIONS, then AUTO PAUSE
2. TURN ON
Setup Recurring Alerts
When you head out for a long run with your garmin forerunner 35 and only get an alert when you cross a certain time or distance milestone; then recurring alerts is what you need.
This feature justs give you an alert after a time, distance, calories or hr alert.
To setup alerts, do the following:
1. Start a run activity and select OPTIONS, then select ALERTS
2. from here, choose the type of alerts you want to set.
time
distance
calories
Heart rate alert.
once you choose a an alert type, set the value that you want to see the alert.
for example, say you want to get an alert at 5km, or 30 minutes, or 300 calories, or once your heart rate goes above 160 bpm.