Is the Great Manchester Run really 10km?

My Garmin seems to measure this run as 6.3 (last year) or 6'34 (this year) or more miles.  Not much of a difference, i know, but it does affect your personal time significantly.  Wasn't aware of weaving much and Great North Run was accurate  distance on my Garmin. 

 

Any thoughts anyone?!

 

Thanks

Comments

  • In the grand scene of things it matters not a bit 

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    you'd be surprised how hard it is to race the optimal racing line in these mass events.

    10.18km for me at the Bupa London 10k today.

    It happens and it's the way it is!

  • I am glad somebody else has spotted this my "map my runn app"measured it as 6.4miles which is more than 10k. Every bit further affects your time if your aiming to break a pb.

  • Ah, but how do you know the next 10 k you run is exactly accurate ? 

    So in the grand scheme of things ....

  • Stevie  GStevie G ✭✭✭✭

    come on, we all know it works like this

    hit a pb, don't even dare question the distance or even look at it

    don't hit a pb, use any little excuse you can find, often claiming running over distance.

    Today i'm claiming the heat, twisty course, and the above over distance.

  • RicFRicF ✭✭✭

    Considering how easy it is to measure distances accurately, I can see no reason to over measure courses 'just in case'. 

    'Just in case of what'? How much corner cutting is possible? I'd rather run 10k as 10k plus a couple of metres. Sticking the best part of 200m on the distance is just going over the top.

    🙂

  • MillsyMillsy ✭✭✭
    I doubt the organisers measure it with Map my run or a Garmin.

    Are garmins 100% accurate? I don't think so.
  • There's a runner on this forum who wants to complete a 10k in under 60mins. On his 4th attempt at 10k he did 1hr 24 seconds and gutted. If the distance is not accurately measured the time could well of been under the hour and this makes 6 months of training all the better. 

    I am quite sure the organisers Did measure it accurately, but it would be interesting to see how many others measured the distance over 10k 

  • If it has been measured by UKA and has certificate as such then it is accurate ... And it's not measured using a piece of electronics The UKA measure using a wheel 

  • If your so bothered about a pb and your so trusting of your garmin why not just stop when your garmin tells you it's 10k and note down your time. Step off the course happy that you have shaved a couple of seconds off your pb and then rush home to tell everyone how fast you are.image

    as far as I'm concerned a pb can only really be for a certain course anyway otherwise why not go to the top of Snowden and run downhill for 10k and claim a world record! 

     

  • Dave, I am sure you are right. But , you quoted earlier that in the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter. Unfortunately I beg to differ. It does matter ........

  • I am right.... The UKA measure using a wheel and certify that a course is accurately measured...

    but in the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter a damn 

  • MillsyMillsy ✭✭✭
    Barry, if that person had run the exact line they had used when measuring the course then he would have run exactly 10k. If he veered off at any point then he has to accept that he will be running further than 10k.

    The best way to pace it is with a normal stopwatch and use the KM markers. Hit every km marker at 6 min intervals and there you go!
  • Thanks for the motivational speech Chris. I am inspired now to push myself on.

    Cheers.

  • 10.15 on my garmin. I put it down to weaving 

  • Just saying it seems a bit petty to me, I'll give up the dream of becoming a motivational speaker due to an obvious lack of ability. Guess I'm just a different sort of runner, no garmin, no heart rate monitor, no gadgets at all, just a few pairs of trainers and a basic love of running.

     

  • I ran the London 10k yesterday.

    I enjoyed the sunshine, the event, running with my son...

    I take no watches, monitors, etc, I just run and enjoy it.  When we got home, we checked our results on the website and were pleased that we ran the secdond half slightly quicker.  That does it for me image

  • It's the blind acceptance that your garmin is spot on, and that you ran the shortest possible route...

    Didn't  go between any high buildings or under trees ?

    Not for one moment of your run did your garmin drop from tracking 7 satellites to only 3 ?

    we live in a small village, using a digitised OS map I have a distance of 1.98 miles for a lap of the village from our front door, In the 2 years I have had my gps unit I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of times it has clocked 1.98 miles for a lap of the village, yesterday the traffic was heavy, so instead of crossing the road by the shops I ran up to the pub, But that took me round the outside of the big bend in the village... Friday I called at the post box, which meant crossing the road twice.

    See how easy it is to stick to the exactly measured route ?

    If the race is claiming a UKA measurement then it is accurate, your garmin isn't

     

  • Courses are mearured on bicycle with a little gadget called a jones counter, which trips every time the wheel does a full turn. If it is a closed road race the measurer will take the shortest route possible. If it is an open road then he will go to the white line on bends with lines or to the bends without lines he will cut the corner to get the shortest route.

    With a race like manchester you will find that only the first 500 runners will be able to take advantage of the shortest route because of mass and you cant all run the measured line.

    If a run has a run britain permit it will be measured correctly and garmins should only be used for training runs as a guide and or a time piece on race day.

    The best races to do are club runs that keep clubs going and dont put millions into Mr fosters back pocket under the great run banner.

    Dont forget the accurately measured Lea Town 10k with run britain permit 12th October 2013 all welcome and within half a mile you will all be able to run the race line.
  • never ever rely on your garmin for distances in a race.........I used to run the smae park run week after wek and it always showed a slightly different distance.but usually over distance.it is a guide so give your self a safety margin when making your calculations.,

    we were discussing the garmins yesterday and someone cycled through a tunnel.........the grmin made up its own route when it lost signal and decided that they have travelled over 600 miles whilst in the tunnel.their average mph was amazing......

    the courses are meausred accurate so moan about your GPS not the race........image

  • I'm always positive ! 

    I just love people who spend a fortune on Garmins and then trust them without hesitation and then moan when they miss a PB by 24 secs

  • I did a 5 miler last year with some club mates and 3 of us had garmins. We all had a different reading. We all ran the 'same' course.

     

    Good read on measuring here

  • I got bang on 26.2 at London on my Garmin.  Most races I do are either bang on or at most .05 miles out.  (with the noted exception of the 2012 MK marathon where even the organisers admitted it was 0.25 long)

    Think it depends on how closely you follow the race line.  At London I hugged the blue line all the way.

  • I finished 109th with no congestion and no people dodging and got it at 10.15km on my Garmin. 

    At an event of this magnitude, I would trust the km markers and official distance to be more accurate than my Garmin 

  • Hi all

    This is a very interesting thread with a number of interesting debates within it. It proves that people run for many different reasons. For those who are motivated via times its unfair to be criticized by whose runners whose motivation sits with simply running and enjoying the experience and fresh air.

    As stated in several posts I personally have no doubt that the race WAS measured correctly and was mearly interested to find out what some runners recorded as a overall distance.

    As for the guy who is 24 seconds from achieving his personal p.b,Keep going and never ever ever give up.

     

  • All Bupa races (10K's & Half's) are measured accurateley, 30000 + runners in the Gt Manchester 10K run ran slightly different distances, I did not see them running in single file, impossible. Just enjoy some of the most supported races in the UK, they are the best for all runners. If anyone wants to know more about course accuracy get in touch with your regional course measurment secretary's. There has been  a definate increase in road running over the past six month, long may it continue. Many new running groups are emerging, long may this continue also. It is easy, cheap and fun setting up local running groups, women's only or mixed, meet your friends and colleagues and talk about it. The best thing about fun running clubs is no pressure to compete in club events as a club runner and over race, many running groups now have experienced UKA coaches for advise. The unattached running club??? is by far the biggest in the UK.  Bruce Tulloh has sound advise in his books for all standards, worth a couple of quid to buy one.

     

    Good Luck everyone, run to your ability, don't worry whether a garmin is long, short or anything else, you are your own boss and know how fast or how far you have run. My views expressed, 50+ years experience behind me at every level, always glad to help.

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