Who Is Getting Fit This Year?

[Russ]

I really wouldn't recommend using a phone as an accurate GPS device for running. They give you an indication of distance aren't a real substitution for a decent GPS watch.

---------- Post added at 20:05 ---------- Previous post was at 20:04 ----------

Originally Posted by thenry

An update on shin splints. I spoke to a friend who knows a physio and was told to do some additional ankle stretches and some weird looking actions during running when the pain appears. I was basically told to open up my ankle, I was too tense. I havent yet called the doc because the physio advice is working so far.

2nd hand information when it comes to health isn't a good idea really....

[LondonRoad]

Originally Posted by Russ

I really wouldn't recommend using a phone as an accurate GPS device for running. They give you an indication of distance aren't a real substitution for a decent GPS watch.

I've used endomondo with both a blackberry and a Samsung (android) phone. Both proved to be pretty reliable indicators of time and distance and on the whole tied in very closely with my running partner's expensive Garmin.

They both had the occasional "blip" when gps signal was lost but it was very infrequent. I would say the only characteristic that isn't reliable/accurate is altitude.

[Russ]

Originally Posted by LondonRoad

I've used endomondo with both a blackberry and a Samsung (android) phone. Both proved to be pretty reliable indicators of time and distance and on the whole tied in very closely with my running partner's expensive Garmin.

They both had the occasional "blip" when gps signal was lost but it was very infrequent. I would say the only characteristic that isn't reliable/accurate is altitude.

When I bought my Garmin FR110 I used it alongside the Nike+ app as well as Endomondo and both of them were about .20 of a mile out, no good if you're after a PB or trying to improve using pace.

[LondonRoad]

Originally Posted by Russ

When I bought my Garmin FR110 I used it alongside the Nike+ app as well as Endomondo and both of them were about .20 of a mile out, no good if you're after a PB or trying to improve using pace.

Interesting.
0.2 mile longer or shorter?

I've used endomondo on officially measured courses (10k and half marathon) on at least half a dozen occasions and it's always been pretty accurate.

[Russ]

Originally Posted by LondonRoad

Interesting.
0.2 mile longer or shorter?

The apps were .20 shorter.

Originally Posted by LondonRoad

I've used endomondo on officially measured courses (10k and half marathon) on at least half a dozen occasions and it's always been pretty accurate.

I'm a competitive runner and where PBs are concerned 'pretty' isn't accurate enough for me. Certainly .20 of a mile is unacceptable.

[LondonRoad]

Originally Posted by Russ

The apps were .20 shorter.



I'm a competitive runner and where PBs are concerned 'pretty' isn't accurate enough for me. Certainly .20 of a mile is unacceptable.

I'd guess it must be down to the quality of the gps receiver on your phone. There is no way that any of my phones have been that inaccurate. A quick straw poll (OK..... I asked 2 mates who also run) concur with me, although one of them uses a differents app (sports tracker I think he said)

If all apps were as inaccurate as your experience then I doubt if anybody would use them.

Pretty accurate is good enough for most training runs. Competitive PBs should really come from official timing anyway.

[Russ]

My iPhone GPS doesn't let me down in any other way.

I'm not saying they're totally inaccurate, as you say they're just about good enough for a training run but if you're after PBs or a reliable way to check if your pace or times are lagging then you can't compare them to a GPS watch.

The running club I'm at actively discourages people from using the GPS in phones for that very reason.

[LondonRoad]

Originally Posted by Russ

The running club I'm at actively discourages people from using the GPS in phones for that very reason.

Is your running club sponsored by Garmin

[Russ]

No, a local estate agent in race days.

[Russ]

If anyone else is going to be running in the evenings or early mornings then this info is vital - and IMO quite surprising http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOyZ98gdoQg

[Russ]

Originally Posted by LondonRoad

I'd guess it must be down to the quality of the gps receiver on your phone. There is no way that any of my phones have been that inaccurate. A quick straw poll (OK..... I asked 2 mates who also run) concur with me, although one of them uses a differents app (sports tracker I think he said)

If all apps were as inaccurate as your experience then I doubt if anybody would use them.

Pretty accurate is good enough for most training runs. Competitive PBs should really come from official timing anyway.

Forgot to post this ages ago - this is the sort of thing I mean http://runneracademy.com/running-app...nning-watches/

[LondonRoad]

Originally Posted by Russ

Forgot to post this ages ago - this is the sort of thing I mean http://runneracademy.com/running-app...nning-watches/

Still neither of them is anywhere near the 0.2 of a mile that you experienced. That sort of accuracy in that blog(inaccuracy ) would be sufficient for most fun runners and people who jog purely for fitness reasons.

Endomondo on my crappy Blackberry reported my half marathon at the start of this month as being 13.4 miles. Taking into account that I started the tracking before the start line, stopped it well after the finish line and wouldn't always have been taking the shortest route I don't think that's too far off.

[Russ]

Originally Posted by LondonRoad

Still neither of them is anywhere near the 0.2 of a mile that you experienced.

Bike Computer (Wheel sensor): 5.00 miles
Garmin Forerunner 210: 5.01 miles
iPhone 5 (with Runkeeper): 5.32 miles
Samsung Galaxy Nexus (with Runkeeper): 5.29 miles

Originally Posted by LondonRoad

That sort of accuracy in that blog(inaccuracy ) would be sufficient for most fun runners and people who jog purely for fitness reasons.

Fun runners yes, fitness runners no - how can you continually improve yourself if your distances and pace are inaccurate?

[LondonRoad]

Originally Posted by Russ

Fun runners yes, fitness runners no - how can you continually improve yourself if your distances and pace are inaccurate?

0.32 miles over 5 miles is a lot less less than the 0.2 per mile you experienced.

If you're using the same device and it has consistent inaccuracies then you will be able to measure your improvements. They might not be as accurate as you would like if you're competing but they're good enough for most people.

I just checked my half marathon stats. It measured 13.37 and the time difference was nearly 5 minutes.... that's nearly 5 minutes of waiting for the elites to start at the beginning and me forgetting to stop it at the end. The satellite map shows very clearly where I started the tracking (about 100 yrds before the start line) and where I finished (about 150 yards after the real finish line).

[Russ]

Originally Posted by LondonRoad

0.32 miles over 5 miles is a lot less less than the 0.2 per mile you experienced.

I didn't say it was 0.2 per mile

Originally Posted by LondonRoad

If you're using the same device and it has consistent inaccuracies then you will be able to measure your improvements. They might not be as accurate as you would like if you're competing but they're good enough for most people.

Either we have different aims for running or we'll agree to disagree - but the inaccuracies from a GPS phone are far from acceptable for someone wanting to consistently better with their stats.