Cell Phone vs GPS Watches
for Most of our activities our Smartphones are good enough for C25K and our 5K training but I want to caution people eyeing anything beyond a 10K and using only their smartphone.
My wife last year began her C210K training and was using MapMyRun on her Iphone. On weekends we would run together and our distaces would be up to .25 miles off, I use one of the latest Multisport Garmin watches. this could be plus or minus difference on her part.
The danger of report being shorter is that part of training is adapting your body to endure for the distance if my wife's phone was off .25 miles over 4 miles imaging what it would be over 9-13 miles? You could actually be off by a mile.
The danger of going to far is that your body may not have adapted. Rule of thumb is a 10% increase in time or distance going to far beyond could put you at risk for injury or excessive soreness.
The reason for these differences are in how Cellphones use GPS. A smartphone does not communicate directly with the GPS satellites but rather gets its position in relation to the Cell Towers that communicate with the satellites. So your phone pings the towers and gets an approximate position. The straighter you run the more accurate your phone but the reality is that not many of us have straight runs. As you eye longer distances make the jump into a basic GPS watch. My wife about killed me for getting her one but now she refuses to run without the watch and her HR strap.
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03 First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (PR 2:24:35)
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04
I use Endomondo on my phone and I have noticed that on my usual route around the house, the 1 mile mark can very by as much as 75 yards. Most of the time it is within 20 yards or so, but it does vary every day.
I was thinking about getting a bluetooth strap to use with my phone but it sounds like I would be better served with a GPS watch. I have an old Garmin GPS watch but have not used it in years. I wonder if Garmin could put in a new battery?
Surgery Date 04-22-14 HW 2011 388(lost 60lbs on WW, regained 40) Surgery Consult Weight 1/10/14 - 367 SW 357 - CW 9/15 210.
Stalls are your body's way of telling you not to get too cocky.
5K - 1st 59:00(9/14) PR 33:45(9/15)
10K - 1:14(10/15) 1/2 - 1st 3/20/16
You can get a Decent Garmin that includes HR Capabilities for under $200. It is all about what features you want. I got my wife a Forerunner 220 for Christmas and she about killed me. Now she doesn't run without it and her runs have improved as she actually has more awareness into her runs. On the other hand I sport the 920XT proudly and wear it as my watch and activity tracker.
First 5K 9/27/20 46:32 - 11 weeks post op (PR 28:55 8/15/11)
First 10K 7/04/2011 1:03 First 15K 9/18/2011 1:37
First Half Marathon 10/02/2011 2:27:44 (PR 2:24:35)
First Half Ironman 9/30/12 7:32:04
True on adapatation!
I did a 12 mile run the other day along the boardwalk. Literally I was fine at 11.5 miles. Then at mile 12 my knee totally seized up. I couldnt do the lift and extend part of the stride.
I have had this problem before when increasing my mileage..It used to happen at mile 8. I really think it has to do with body acclimating to activity and strain.
That has been my experience anyway..
RNY Surgery: 12/31/2013;
Current weight (2/27/2015) 139lbs, ~14% body fat
Three pounds below Goal!!! Yay !
oh. but back to the main point.
If that can happen in as little as half a mile and you are losing MILES due to smart phones...imagine how disappointing/crushing it would be during a race! That race is the "goal" and your body crapped out too soon because one didnt train "far" enough for it. And it wouldnt even be the person's fault! Just some faulty computer somewhere.
And that would make it even MORE disappointing. All the hours training, effort, exertion....
RNY Surgery: 12/31/2013;
Current weight (2/27/2015) 139lbs, ~14% body fat
Three pounds below Goal!!! Yay !
I love my Garmin Vivoactive and find it much more accurate than when I was using Runkeeper to track.
VSG with Dr. Salameh - 3/13/2014
Diagnosed with Binge Eating Disorder and started Vyvanse - 7/22/2016
Reconstructive Surgeries with Dr. Michaels - 6/5/2017 (LBL & brachioplasty), 8/14/2017 (UBL & mastopexy), 11/6/2017 (medial leg lift)
Age 42 Height 5'4" HW 319 (1/3/2014) SW 293 (3/13/2014) CW 149 (7/16/2017)
Next Goal 145 - normal BMI | Total Weight Lost 170
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