Meredith Dietz Meredith Dietz Senior Staff Writer Experience Meredith is a marathon runner and stand-up comedian. As Lifehacker’s Senior Staff Writer, she covers personal fitness tech, home gym equipment, and more. Read Full Bio April 14, 2026 Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google We may earn a commission from links on this page. Credit: Meredith Dietz Table of Contents In the past few years, I’ve gone from being a defiant minimalist runner , to becoming a humble fan of Garmin’s most entry-level running watch, to now falling in love with the company's top-of-the-line Forerunner.  A quick cheat code to understanding the model numbers in Garmin’s Forerunner line: The first number tells you how fancy (and expensive) the watch is. This means that my upgrade from the Garmin Forerunner 165 to the Forerunner 970 is not a small step up the ladder. Honestly, it's more like skipping the ladder entirely and taking the elevator to the penthouse.…