Why Apple Watch is the Best Running Watch for Everyday Athletes in 2025

Apple V Garmin

At Milo, we’ve tested every device out there. Garmin. Coros. Polar. They’re strong training tools - but they look like training tools. The Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch Series 11 have officially changed the game. Not only do they pack all the necessary sensors and hardware for a running app, they’re also a watch you actually want to wear every day.

With apps like Milo, the Apple Watch goes from “great smartwatch” to the best running watch for everyday athletes in 2025.

Strong Running Features for Everyday Athletes

Apple has been building toward this for years, and now the Watch is on par with - or better than - most dedicated sports watches.

  • Dual-Frequency GPS (Ultra 3): Uses multiple GPS bands (L1 + L5) for more accurate distance and pace in tough environments.

  • Optical Heart Rate Sensor: Continuously tracks heart rate from the wrist, so you can see effort, stay in the right zone, and avoid overcooking easy runs.

  • High-G Motion Sensors (Accelerometer + Gyro): Measure cadence, stride, and movement in real time, which helps you understand how you’re running - not just how fast.

  • Always-On Altimeter / Barometer: Tracks elevation gain and loss as you run, so hills, climbs, and vert are part of the data (not guesswork).

Smartwatch Functionality for Real Life

Here’s where Apple Watch pulls away from Garmin and Coros: you don’t have to switch watches after your run. It’s already your daily watch.

  • Always Connected: Cellular models can stay online on their own, so you can leave your phone at home and still get messages, calls, and safety features. You’re not “off the grid” just because you’re on a long run.

  • Instant Access to Your World: Notifications, calls, texts, calendar alerts, Focus modes that mirror your iPhone, Do Not Disturb on race day, Workout mode when you’re training - it all syncs automatically. Your watch and phone act like one system.

  • Apps You Actually Use Off the Run: Music, messages, maps, weather, payments, boarding passes, home access, safety check-ins - all on your wrist. It’s the same watch you use to unlock your Mac, pay for coffee, check on your kid with Find My, change the volume on your Apple TV, and get a text from your group chat.

It’s not just a running watch - it’s your everyday watch.

Milo: The Turbo Boost for Apple Watch Running

This is where we come in. At Milo, we’ve built the app Apple Watch runners have been waiting for:

  • Real-time navigation right on your wrist.

  • Live stats surfaced at the right moment.

  • Structured workouts you can actually follow: Build the session you want - intervals, tempo runs, recovery - and execute it on the watch so you train smarter, not just harder.

  • Deeper post-run insights that actually make sense.

Apple gave us the hardware. We’ve built the software that makes it sing. Together, it’s the most powerful and most enjoyable running experience out there.

The Everyday Athlete’s Edge

For everyday athletes, the Apple Watch wins because it’s more than a single-purpose training tool. It looks good. It feels good. It transitions from your morning tempo to your office meeting to dinner with friends. No need for two watches. No compromises.

With the Apple Watch Ultra 3 or Series 11, plus Milo, you get:

  • Performance-level accuracy for serious training.

  • Seamless integration with your iPhone and Apple ecosystem.

  • Design you actually want to wear every single day.

  • The ultimate running companion that turns information into motivation.

Final Word

In 2025, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Series 11 paired with Milo are the best running watch setup for everyday athletes. You get advanced GPS, training load, custom workouts, and accurate metrics, plus everything that makes Apple Watch the world’s best smartwatch: apps, safety features, and everyday wearability.

With Milo, you unlock the missing piece: the only Apple Watch running app built to deliver real-time navigation, live stats, structured workouts, and post-run insights with Apple-grade design.

So whether you’re training for a marathon, chasing PRs, or just running to clear your head, the future of running is already on your wrist.

Run with purpose. Run with Milo.