For most runners, I recommend the Garmin Forerunner 245. I'm currently wearing the Garmin Forerunner 735XT my wife gifted me since I’m dabbling in the world of triathlons which I love. But, it doesn’t stand up against the 24 hour GPS battery life of the 245 which is one of the most important features when purchase your first or next watch especially if you enjoy long hikes and ultra running. Other features you want are wrist heart rate monitor (let’s be honest, it can be hard enough getting outside for a run - you’re not going to put on a watch AND a chest trap every time plus it’s super important for you and your coach to know how hard you are working during each run or workout) and one that is training plan compatible. I write custom training programs for my athletes and they love how the entire workouts sync directly to their watches and tells them when to warm up and for how long or when to pickup the pace and what specific paces to target. No more memorizing your 5k or marathon workouts. It’s like I’m right there coaching them.

If you’re on a budget, go for the 45 or 45S.

Other features that you can skip are music (if you are a new runner, you should really focus on listening to your body first) and text notifications (again, if you are running - focus on running).