Garmin: Reinventing the Wheel (Read 1293 times)

I really like the autolap 1 mile chirp that my Garmin gives me. It's almost like a mini cheer for each mile.

Probably never would have found out about this, or considered the chirpy value, had I not read your post. Thanks.

No, no, no - auto lap every .25 mile. This will give you a much better gauge of what your average pace is by looking at the current lap pace. I like this a lot better. A quarter of mile will not vary nearly as much as a mile will. Besides you get to hear 4 times the number of cheers (beeps) that way.

That might be too many beeps for me. I'm trying to find the best way to get the most accurate current pace, though, really, I'm just as happy going by feel and glancing at the time when it chirps. I'm also trying to figure what the Garmin does when you run into a tunnel, as I did on a railtrail last night. Kept the sat. for most of the tunnel (maybe a .25 long tunnel?) then lost. I didn't see that addressed in the manual. Wonder if goes on hold, then resumes, thereby excluding that portion, or if it's smart enough to connect the dots and approximates what wasn't sat-tracked. In any event, railtrail tunnels are not common occurrences, so perhaps I shouldn't worry so much.

....... I'm also trying to figure what the Garmin does when you run into a tunnel, as I did on a railtrail last night. Kept the sat. for most of the tunnel (maybe a .25 long tunnel?) then lost. I didn't see that addressed in the manual. Wonder if goes on hold, then resumes, thereby excluding that portion, or if it's smart enough to connect the dots and approximates what wasn't sat-tracked. In any event, railtrail tunnels are not common occurrences, so perhaps I shouldn't worry so much.

My understanding is that it does, in fact, extrapolate the data from the point it loses signal to the point that it picks signal back up. Only problem being that it assumes a straight line between those points. So if it is a long curved tunnel, your distance will not take that radius into account. Same thing for the 201/301 when it lost signal in tree cover or in spots with high buildings=not so good on tree covered trails or in urban high rise environments. I have little to none of that issue with the 305 .... it rarely loses signal even in pretty heavy tree cover (haven't used it in urban jungle) Just make sure there is a good satellite lock before you start. Cheers hup

I agree. Depending on reception, Garmins may be as accurate as 15-20 ft of actual coordinates. Can you zoom in that close? If you really want to split hairs and have loads of time to spend mapping, use both and average the two.

Recognizing the fact that neither one of them account for changes in elevation and will be up to 2% off anyway. Not that that really matters. I currently have mine set to autolap at a mile, but after my marathons this Spring I'll be training for a 5K so I'll be changing my training over to kilometers instead of miles. I also never use average paces while I'm running (I'll look at the autolaps in GTC or MB afterwards) and instead use the current pace if I care to look. My screens are set as: 1: Current Pace, Total Time, Distance (general use) 2: Current Lap, Heart Rate, Total Time (intervals) 3: Time of Day, cardinal direction, and a couple other things (rarely use, just got tired of having a big watch and not knowing what time of day it was!) Generally speaking, I don't usually look at the watch too much when I run. If I look at anything, it's usually total time running, and sometimes will look at distance. Most of the rest I usually just ignore.

I don't think the device itself extrapolates, but I do know that GPS corrections on MotionBased do a great job of fixing such things.

I think the device only records the last point before losing data as you enter the tunnel and the first after you emerge. It calculates the distance between those points so it can keep a pace estimate running.

I think the device only records the last point before losing data as you enter the tunnel and the first after you emerge. It calculates the distance between those points so it can keep a pace estimate running.

I think this is what I meant Thanks for picking me up

gmapspedometer

Dude. Why go there. You are at RunningAHEAD.com, a far better mapping site. Check it: http://runningahead.com/tools/map

that's what i meant. you had chastised me once before on that. now, call off your monkeys