This entry-level Garmin watch helped break running records, and it's discounted just in time to train for the Aussie marathon season

Marathon season has officially kicked off in Australia, with plenty of running events coming over the next few months, including the Sydney Marathon, which is part of the prestigious Abbott World Marathon Majors to be held on 30 August this year.

It follows the London Marathon that took place recently, when Sabastian Sawe finished first with a time of 1:59:30, breaking records, while runner-up Yomif Kejelcha was just 11 seconds behind.

While the coveted entry ballots to the Sydney Marathon closed a while back, you might be inspired by Sawe to up your running game and train for your first 5K run or even a full ultramarathon, and having the right gear will help with the training.

In Sawe’s case, headlines focused on his shoes, the unreleased Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, but what stood out to me as a tech reporter (and long-time Garmin user) was his running watch — the entry-level and now five-year-old Garmin Forerunner 55.

We’ve had the Forerunner 55 as one of our best Garmin watches for years before newer models edged it out, but Sawe's win during the London Marathon proves you don't need the latest and most expensive kit to achieve your goals. Even after all this time, the Forerunner 55 is still reliable, has a wide range of features and, importantly, is affordable (for a Garmin) even at full price. But why pay full price when you get it for a decent discount, just in time for the Aussie marathon season.

Save 23% (AU$81)

Garmin Forerunner 55: was AU$349 now AU$268 at Amazon

Boasting a battery life rated for 2 weeks, lots of dedicated running metrics and plenty of Garmin features like Body Battery and virtual pacing, the Forerunner 55 is fantastic for both new and experienced runners alike. This discount makes the already cheap Garmin a no-brainer for the Aussie marathon season.

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Admittedly, this Garmin doesn’t look the most modern with its smaller screen and it doesn’t have an on-watch sleep widget, but you do get the accurate GPS technology the brand is known for. It also helps that the Forerunner 55 is feather-light at just 37g, thanks to the plastic case.

The Forerunner 55 also has women’s health tracking, Garmin Coach workout plans, respiration rate and access to third-party widgets available through Garmin’s Connect IQ store.

While it may not turn you into Sawe overnight, it can certainly track your training runs reliably and accurately, or at least get you motivated enough to train for a race in the next few months.