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Is a GPS that much more accurate than a Foot Pod
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I have been looking at a HR and mile/speed machine. Shop staff have been addiment a foot pod on my shoe is accurate for distance. But I know how much my stride can vary depending on distance, terrain, general mood. Are they considered that accurate?
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Well...my site beats your site!
www.mapmyrun has a nifty elevation feature which will show how hilly the route is and also links to Google earth so you can 'fly' the route in 3D !!
I have a Garmin 405 with a footpod that I use for treadmill work. (I also have an old 305 and they both work exactly the same with it)
I find that the footpod is very accurate but only when I'm running at the speed it callibrated it at.
I only use the treadmill for fast stuff so I callibrated it at 16km/h and anything slower it measures as much slower. To contrast, if I'm doing some intervals at say 18km/h it says I'm going a lot faster than I really am.
Obviously if it is misreading the speed the distance going to be off too.
Basically, you're right - the way you run has to be consistant for a footpod based system to be accurate
Oh my god, Plod, I'm so there with you. What a find! [sneaks off to find paradise that is mapmyrun]
PS - the googleearth 3D view only works once you have saved your route. For some reason I find the .com version better than the co.uk version and the old mapping tool better than the new one - (it gives you the option when you first log on).
The 'elevation' view only works once you have entered a start and finish point and is obtained by clicking at the very bottom of the map. I live in the sticks and if I click on the start and finish of my lane ( about 100m) it gives an accurate represntation of the slope. It is a top , free , site.
Also have you discovered.... http://www.howardgrubb.co.uk/athletics/wmalookup06.html which is an age grade calculator that I use all the time to compare myself as a Vet 50 to the young whipper snappers who I train with.
MapMyRun is useless!!!! It doesn't work!
My runs are a lot longer than that.............
Neil, trying adding the .com bit !...
www.mapmyrun.com duh!
Sorry Plod, when I say it doesn't work, I'm not talking about accessing the websites, I'm talking about how much futher I'm sure I run....
Try clicking on the course profile bit.... some of my runs are disappointingly shorter than the time seems to indicate, but then when I see how hilly they were, I realise why they were short.
I have to say, I find them to be dead accurate. In fact, my coach has roller wheeled some of the shorter routes and they were spot on.
I run with a Garmin 50 + footpad and the Missus uses a Garmin 405. I've not calibrated mine, but over 19km on Sunday (according to mapmyrun) the missus measured 18.8km and I measured 17.2km.
They reckon the footpod is about 90% accurate out of the box and 95% once you calibrate it. I've never calibrated mine, but I think I should now I'm doing longer runs.
I have a garmin 50 with foot-pod and hrm ... I had to calibrate the footpod but once I did that it is very accurate. You need to make sure you are consistent with where you place it on your trainer ... same foot and same lace position (I actually just keep mine on my trainer all the time).
Off topic a little bit . . . what do you guys consider hilly?
My normal run measures at about 40m elevation - not sure if that is enough to slow me down.
Wait for good GPS accuracy = accurate distance
Don't wait for good GPS accuracy = inaccurate distance
The choice is yours!
By the way, I place the 305 outside whilst I do my warm up and stretches. By the time I have finished it has got a good satellite lock.
Also if you want good accuracy with a garmin switch off smart recording so it samples every second rather than when you change direction etc.
I think if you view the route in google earth thru' training centre it shows the stored GPS points on the map and if the route is twisty you can see how it has cut corners.
The data storage is greatly reduced by switching off smart recording and you will need to download the data after every run, otherwise it may start to overwrite it.
but you can switch it on, bung it on your window sill and then get your kit on - by the time you're dressed and ready to go it'll have found the signal - simple.
should just re-iterate - 5 mins is the longest my garmins ever taken to find a signal when it's left stationary - it's usually more like 1. if yours is taking much longer than that if it's not being moved around then it might be worth getting it checked if it's still under guarantee.
Lisa I did not say it only recorded on change of direction I said change of direction etc.
Just for example I have just had a training session with the club and ran 5 1500m loops in town the first 2 with smart recording on and the last 3 with it off.
The first 2 were within 3 m of each other at 1498m and 1501m (error could be down to exactly when I pressed the lap button) and the next laps with smart recording on were 1489, 1491 and 1490.
Though not a scientific test I must admit, but try it yourself and see how you get on