A lot of individuals support the idea of running a marathon because of the mental and physical demands it entails, stressing the commitment and endurance required. They also point out the community spirit it nurtures and the personal challenge it offers.

Nonetheless, the most persuasive reason to run a marathon is to evaluate seven fitness trackers for your position at Mashable dot com. That’s precisely what I accomplished.

Two years ago, at my inaugural New York City Marathon, I donned an Apple Watch SE, which sadly conked out before I crossed the finish line. Let’s all chant it together: Boooooo.

To be honest, the NYC Marathon has a reputation for exhausting fitness tech due to the lengthy waiting periods before and after the event.

I started in the fourth wave, beginning my race at 10:50 a.m., but my day kicked off at 5 a.m. I exited my apartment at 6 a.m., boarded the Staten Island Ferry at 7:20, and then hopped on a bus for a 20-minute journey to the start village. Once there, I went through security and located my corral. By the time the race commenced, I had already endured a long, chilly journey for hours. After completing 26.2 miles, I still had to walk almost a mile out of the finisher area, catch the subway, and navigate my way home, which took over an hour.

Apple has since enhanced the battery life of its smartwatches, but the SE dying just before I could receive my medal was a memory I wished to avoid.

I have multiple criteria for a fitness tracker, including comfort, clarity, design, recovery metrics, workout metrics, and a fair price. Nevertheless, I require a tracker with exceptional battery life. Thus, my exploration commenced.

Throughout my race preparation, I utilized 10 different fitness trackers and smartwatches. I upgraded my Apple Watch SE to the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and ultimately to the Apple Watch Ultra 3. I also tested the Pixel Watch 3, which I later upgraded to the Pixel Watch 4. Furthermore, I wore the Garmin Forerunner 570, the Whoop MG, the Suunto Run, the Oura Ring 4, and the Fitbit Charge 6. In total, I covered 508 miles running, engaged in 30 weightlifting sessions, cycled 110 miles, and practiced yoga or Pilates weekly, all while wearing seven fitness trackers.

In the end, I favored the Apple Watch Ultra 3 for the race itself, the Garmin Forerunner 570 for training, and the WHOOP MG for health metrics. I explained my reasoning in my guide to the top fitness tracker for running a marathon, but now I wish to recount my experience during the actual race.

Full transparency: It was chaotic.

Apple Watch Ultra 3: I cherish you

Contrary to common belief, the primary difficulty at the New York City Marathon isn’t the inclines or the delayed starting time—it’s locating your friends cheering you on from the sidelines. With nearly 60,000 participants and over two million spectators, finding your friends is quite the challenge. Enter: the Notes app.

To be entirely frank, I consider the bulk of the Apple Watch Ultra 3 to be a drawback. It’s large and bright, which can be bothersome during a typical day or a Pilates session. However, during the marathon, its size turned out to be beneficial. The notes from your iPhone’s Notes