I've just started exploring analysing runs from my Garmin watch. In summary:
- Attach watch to laptop via USB-C -> opens like a USB drive, showing all the config and activity data files. You aren't locked into Garmin Connect or Strava or any other platform.
- You can also use the Garmin Connect API and go via the web service. I tried that first. But since discovering the raw data is available directly on the watch, I don't anymore.
- Activity data files are in the FIT format. Garmin has an SDK on GitHub in languages including Python, C# and a few others. I've tried the Python one.
- There are a couple of projects on GitHub for decoding FIT files. I've just started writing my own as I want to output modern Pydantic models. (And the Python code in the Garmin SDK is not the most efficient or idiomatic).
I've had my Garmin watch for 10 months now, and rate it as my best ever purchase for improving my fitness and performance, and for overall motivation to be more active. Having easy access to the raw data files is a huge bonus that I didn't originally consider.
- Attach watch to laptop via USB-C -> opens like a USB drive, showing all the config and activity data files. You aren't locked into Garmin Connect or Strava or any other platform.
- You can also use the Garmin Connect API and go via the web service. I tried that first. But since discovering the raw data is available directly on the watch, I don't anymore.
- Activity data files are in the FIT format. Garmin has an SDK on GitHub in languages including Python, C# and a few others. I've tried the Python one.
- There are a couple of projects on GitHub for decoding FIT files. I've just started writing my own as I want to output modern Pydantic models. (And the Python code in the Garmin SDK is not the most efficient or idiomatic).
I've had my Garmin watch for 10 months now, and rate it as my best ever purchase for improving my fitness and performance, and for overall motivation to be more active. Having easy access to the raw data files is a huge bonus that I didn't originally consider.