Why do I need to calibrate speed and distance measurement in my Suunto 3?

Speed and distance measurements are core parameters for your exercise targets and fitness level estimation. When not using connected GPS with the Suunto app, your Suunto 3 utilizes an accelerometer, a motion sensor that detects movement from your wrist, to measure speed and distance. As wrist movement and the related stride length vary from person to person, the sensor needs to be calibrated to your own personal movement.


Note: In an uncalibrated state, your watch cannot measure speed and distance accurately without connected GPS.


Because your stride length is different between running and walking, you need to calibrate for both activities. You can do that in two ways:

 

  1. Automatically using connected GPS via Suunto app on your phone
  2. Manually by adjusting the measured distance after walking and running.

 

1. Connected GPS
With connected GPS, the calibration of the wrist-based speed and distance measurement is done automatically once you connected your watch with Suunto app and started an exercise. Learn more about it in the user guide of the product.

 

2. Manual calibration
With manual calibration, you need to run and walk known distances, and then adjust the distance in your watch after you have stopped the exercise recording.

To calibrate:

  1. Record a walking / running exercise. Learn how to record an exercise in this user guide article.
  2. Run/walk for at least 15 minutes with your normal running/walking pace and body movement. Keep the pace steady.
  3. End your exercise and scroll in the exercise summary to Distance.


  4. Press the middle button of your watch to enter the calibration view and change the recorded distance to your known distance.


  5. Press the middle button to save your change.

Note: In general, the way you move your wrist during a running or walking exercise may affect the accuracy of the speed and distance measurement.


Learn more in the user guide of your product:
Connected GPS
Speed and distance calibration

RELATED ARTICLES:
What affects the accuracy of speed and distance measurements with connected GPS on iOS?
What affects the accuracy of speed and distance measurements with connected GPS on Android?
Which sport modes affect my fitness level estimation?

 

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Suunto AI Coach — The coach you always wanted

Suunto AI Coach  ·  New

The coach you
always wanted.

You already know what you did yesterday. Suunto AI Coach helps you decide what to do tomorrow.

See how it works
Know what to
train
Plans that adapt to your goals and the time you have.
Know where to
go
Routes matched to your fitness and where you are.
Know when to
recover
Readiness from your recovery, sleep and training load.

Key benefits

More than a training plan.

It analyses your training, adapts your plan, guides your recovery and helps you find where to go next.

Builds training around you

Creates and adapts training based on your fitness, goals and available time.

Knows when to push or recover

Analyses your training load, recovery, sleep and activity history before recommending what to do next.

Creates routes for your watch

Ask for a route and it builds one around where you are, then sends it to your watch to navigate.

Answers your questions

Ask naturally about your training, recovery or routes and get answers based on your own data.

Adapts with every activity

Each workout, adventure and recovery period helps your coach better understand what you need.

See it in action

Ask your coach,
almost anything.

Plan a workout, build a route, compare your months or check a trend, all from your own data, right in the Suunto app.

Suunto AI Coach

Your app and watch, as one.

The app does the thinking, your watch gets you moving, and Suunto AI Coach keeps the two in step.

01

Ask, wherever you are

“Find me a local 7k route” or “what should I train today?” On holiday or at home, just ask.

02

AI Coach works it out

It draws on your goals, your training and where you are, for a real answer, not generic advice.

03

Get it where you need it

A route, workout or plan syncs to your watch. An answer or insight stays in the app.

How to get it

Two ways in.

Get a Race 3 series watch

Three months included

Race 3 S and Race 3 come with three months of Suunto AI Coach, whether you’re new to Suunto or upgrading.

Explore the watches
Use your current Suunto

Apply for early access

Already have a compatible Suunto watch? Join the Pioneers Program and try Suunto AI Coach before wider availability.

Apply for early access

Supported devices

Get Suunto AI Coach with the Race 3 series.

A Race 3 series watch is the fastest way in, with three months of Suunto AI Coach included.

Suunto Race 3 S
3 months included
Race 3 S
Available first

Lightweight trail performance. 1.32″ AMOLED, dual-band GPS, sapphire crystal.

Explore Race 3 S
Suunto Race 3
3 months included
Race 3
Coming later in 2026

Bigger 1.5″ AMOLED display and longer battery for the long days out.

Explore Race 3

How to activate

Up and running in minutes.

Got a Race 3 series watch? Start your three months of Suunto AI Coach in a few steps.

01

Open the Suunto app

Download or open it, and sign in to your Suunto account.

02

Register your watch

Add your Race 3 series watch and your three-month trial activates automatically.

03

Ask your first question

AI Coach is ready in the app. Ask what to train, or plan a route.

Pricing

Three months included. Continue when you choose.

Your Race 3 series watch includes three months of Suunto AI Coach. Continue with a paid plan after your trial to keep your coaching active.

Explore the Race 3 series

Pioneers Program

Already a Suunto user? Get in early.

Apply to join the Pioneers Program and experience Suunto AI Coach before wider availability. Existing owners with compatible watches come first.

Sign in with your Suunto account

We’ll use your account to confirm your watch and email, nothing to type.

Spots available · limited intake

No Suunto account? Apply with your email

Thanks. You’re on the list, we’ll be in touch.

FAQ

Good to know.

What is Suunto AI Coach?

Suunto AI Coach turns your training, recovery and route data into guidance you can act on. Ask what to train, when to recover, or where to run, and get answers based on your own activity, right in the Suunto app.

How is this different from Suunto Coach?

Suunto Coach builds your structured training plan. Suunto AI Coach is the coach you can talk to: ask questions in your own words and get adaptive guidance across training, recovery and routes, in the moment and from your own data.

Which watches work with it?

At launch, Suunto AI Coach comes with the Race 3 series, Race 3 S and Race 3, with three months included. Owners of other compatible Suunto watches can request early access through the Pioneers Program.

What does it cost?

It is free for three months with a Race 3 series watch. After the trial it continues as a paid plan, planned for 2027. Join the Pioneers Program and we’ll share plan details before launch.

What can I ask it?

Plenty. Plan a workout for today, build a running route, compare this month with last, check a trend like your resting heart rate, or ask whether you’re ready to push. If it relates to your training, recovery or adventures, ask away.

How do I activate it?

Get a Race 3 series watch, open the Suunto app and register it. Your three-month trial activates automatically, so you can start asking straight away.

What data does it use?

Suunto AI Coach works from your own Suunto data, your training, recovery, sleep and routes, to make its guidance personal rather than generic.

What technology is behind Suunto AI Coach?

Suunto AI Coach is built by Suunto and runs inside the Suunto app. It combines your own training, recovery and route data with Suunto’s sports science, so the guidance is personal and relevant rather than generic.

Can I connect my own AI, like ChatGPT?

Suunto AI Coach is designed to work natively with your Suunto data, so you get connected, reliable guidance without handing your training data to outside tools. The focus is a seamless in-app experience rather than plugging in external chatbots.