Using Map Navigation with the Garmin Fenix 5X

8/11/2018 update:
Since this post, I have used my Fenix 5X to navigate for three months. I now LOVE the watch and have no trouble using it. If you have recently purchased one, be patient. I takes time to learn to use the watch. If you are having trouble with it, please send me an email or post a comment with your question, and I am happy to help! The one thing I haven't used (because everything I've read says you can't) is waypoints. But I've followed courses I've created in Garmin Connect, GPX tracks that I've downloaded, and just used the map when out on the trail. I love the maps, and also being able to track my effort via my heart rate, which can be very useful when running for eight hours, the last several in in the heat.

Original post:
I had mixed success on today's run with my Garmin Fenix 5X. I made a route for Tiger Mountain, starting at Issaquah High School, doing a big outer loop partly on the mountain and a smaller loop inside the big one on the Lake Tradition Plateau to round out an eight-mile course. Oddly, I didn't get any course signals today at all, neither on or off course alerts. As I started up the West Tiger 3 trail, I decided to try to get the map to show while navigating.

My double loop route on Tiger Mountain

I read on the Garmin Forum that holding the menu button for three seconds AFTER hitting the up or down button would bring up the map. I thought I tried that last weekend on Squak Mountain, but the key was hitting the up or down button first. When I did that and then held menu for three seconds, I was able to choose "Show Map."

I had another surprising choice as well: turn-by-tun navigation. I tried that first, and it simply gave me a written direction for the upcoming turn on a specific trail. It seems you have to hit the down button to get the next direction, but I may not have given it enough time. Anyway, the next direction said to turn left on a service road, and then it said service road end. I thought it meant the end of the course, so I abandoned the turn-by-turn navigation. Looking back, I realize now that the watch may have actually been referring to the end of the service road (which does end at the parking lot nearby).

Anyway, I switched to map view instead. I was so excited because I could finally see my route and my progress on it while running. I was also wearing my new sunglasses with the new location of the reading bifocal half circles, so I could easily see the map. My only problem was I couldn't understand how to read it! I got to a junction and should have turned right but I didn't think that was what the course showed, so I didn't take it. Big mistake. By the time I confirmed my suspicion that I was off course, I was .9 of a mile (according to the helpful sign) from the summit of Tiger! Oops. A little more elevation than I wanted because I have a big elevation day this coming Saturday.

I started to continue the route to the top, figuring I may as well finish now that I was so close, but then I looked at the time. It was 7:52, and I wanted to be done by 8:20. I sped back down and took the turn I was supposed to take. It took me by the Talus Rocks and then down the Nook trail. I ended up doing nine and a half miles. One exciting thing happened as I got back on course. Even though I was no longer in map mode, it started giving me turn warnings and showing the map. It beeped at me and showed a big arrow for my upcoming turn, and gave me a countdown in feet as well. It gave me a second countdown and warning when I got closer, and went to zero feet at the exact moment that I should make the turn.

Originally, I thought that the watch was not set to track orientation, but when I checked it was. (The options are north orientation and track orientation.) Now that I think about it, I think it was doing exactly what I wanted and expected it to do but I just didn't realize it. I am pretty inexperienced with GPS tracking.

One thing that didn't work is the course points I put in to warn me of upcoming turns. The watch just beeped at me, but it didn't show the names of the course points so I had no idea which way to turn. It was a good idea, but I don't think it is needed.

Before Saturday's run, I am going to map out a simple course in my neighborhood to see if I can read it correctly. I also need to figure out how to get the course turns showing on the map, because they weren't doing that before. I am not sure what I did to get that to happen! It's a good thing I have the rest of May to figure out the watch before I hit the PCT!