If it's good enough for Sawe... the Garmin watch used to break the two-hour marathon barrier at London is actually super cheap — here's where to get it
At the 2026 London Marathon, Sebastian Sawe broke the two-hour marathon barrier wearing the Garmin Forerunner 55, an entry-level watch first released five years ago. Despite its age and basic features, the watch proved reliable for elite performance. The model is currently available at a discounted price through retailers like Walmart and Decathlon. This highlights a trend among top runners favoring simplicity and reliability over advanced smartwatch features.
- ▪Sebastian Sawe ran the 2026 London Marathon in 1:59:30, becoming one of the first two runners to break the two-hour marathon barrier.
- ▪Sawe wore the Garmin Forerunner 55, a five-year-old, entry-level running watch, instead of a high-end model.
- ▪The watch is currently on sale for $159.99 at Walmart in the US and £119.99 at Decathlon in the UK.
- ▪Experts note a trend of elite runners choosing older, simpler, and more reliable watches over feature-rich flagship models.
- ▪Analysis of race photos confirmed the watch model based on the distinct 'U'-shaped start/stop button unique to the Forerunner 55.
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Health & Fitness Smartwatches If it's good enough for Sawe... the Garmin watch used to break the two-hour marathon barrier at London is actually super cheap — here's where to get it Deals By Matt Evans published 28 April 2026 "It's a bit long in the tooth" When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Getty Images / Warren Little) Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter The 2026 London Marathon made history, as not one, but two runners broke the mythical two-hour time barrier.
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