While a running watch is not necessarily as essential to a runner as his/her shoes or apparel, it can nonetheless be a very useful piece of running gear. That’s because today’s running watches not only include the ability to tell accurate time, but they can also act as a stop watch, count and record running laps and serve as an alarm. Some running watches can even work as a timer, for those runners who place a great deal of importance on speed. The most advanced running watches can monitor heart rate and even provide GPS capabilities.