I always manual lap it during races. Check out the km splits below (note last one is 1.1, since I didn't bother hitting the button at 21km). I understand that people can be careless when laying out a course, but seriously?
So is .63 is the number? (in the absence of any .62's) There are three of those and two .64's. Dayum.
In contrast, my last 10k (missed one, so that's why it shows 1.22):
Dat crazy.
So you are saying you did NOT run your 3rd 5k at an 18:11 pace?
How did you manage that race anyway - just tracked your lap-average pace? Did the whole thing screw with your head?
I have never worried about being that precise for where I'm at, & always just gone with auto-lap. I thought about manual-lapping Detroit, but decided not to. And in fact there were a number of mile markers I never saw, so maybe it was best.
Dave
Dat crazy. So you are saying you did NOT run your 3rd 5k at an 18:11 pace? How did you manage that race anyway - just tracked your lap-average pace? Did the whole thing screw with your head? I have never worried about being that precise for where I'm at, & always just gone with auto-lap. I thought about manual-lapping Detroit, but decided not to. And in fact there were a number of mile markers I never saw, so maybe it was best.
The timing mats are another story, but those were messed up too. At least one of them for sure.
I glanced down at average pace every so often, but I mostly ran by feel. It messed with my head early on, but once I realized the splits were useless I just ran and pressed the button without really looking. It was funny to see that first sub-3 km!
I don't mind missing a marker as long as they are laid out reasonably accurate. Just double the time.
Skirt Runner
Question: what would the benefit of doing manual laps during races be? In almost every race I've done, the mile markers are not accurate, so I'm not sure what manual lapping at each mile marker would do to be helpful? Just curious. I have only had a Garmin with a manual lap feature for about 3 weeks (had the FR 10 now have the 220) and so far the only good use I've found for the manual lap feature is speed work, and on speed work days I have set up my second screen to be lap pace, lap distance, and lap time and I manual lap for intervals or the fast part of a tempo run. I'm curious to understand other uses. Thanks.
PRs: 5K- 28:16 (5/5/13) 10K- 1:00:13 (10/27/13) 4M- 41:43 (9/7/13) 15K- 1:34:25 (8/17/13) 10M- 1:56:30 (4/6/14) HM- 2:20:16 (4/13/14) Full- 5:55:33 (11/1/15)
I started a blog about running :) Check it out if you care to
Question: what would the benefit of doing manual laps during races be?...
I'm usually in trail races and use landmarks (stream crossings, maybe an aid station, top of hill, whatever) for my "laps". Mile markers don't mean a lot when a particular mile might be part uphill on trail and part relatively flat asphalt. If I want the mile splits afterward, I just flip the button in my software. Close enough for my purposes. (I've found splits by mile to overwhelm my senile senses anyway.)
Are we there, yet?
And that's why I use autolap. After the race when I upload the data, I pro rate the Garmin data to fit the certified course distance. During a race I use Garmin distance only as a rough guide and still check for course markers which I use when available and I see them.
2024 Races:
03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles
05/11 - D3 50K 05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour
06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.
I use auto-split, and was considering using manual splits. But, after seeing how these can be really inaccurate, I'll stick with auto-split.
As a wise woman once said, the finish time are the only numbers that count.
I'm with you on the fact that you'd think race organizers would put some effort in placing the markers correctly and especially the mats!
How do you know they are not accurate?
Assuming they are, the reason to use them is that you are racing the course, not your Garmin. If you use only your Garmin autolap splits as a guide, you will fall short of your goal finish time.
How do you know they are not accurate? Assuming they are, the reason to use them is that you are racing the course, not your Garmin. If you use only your Garmin autolap splits as a guide, you will fall short of your goal finish time.
I've run races in which the mile markers were up to .3 miles off from my Garmin. Are you saying I should trust the mile markers more than my Garmin for distance? I've always thought the mile markers were more of a rough guide, mostly for those who run without technology, and haven't paid much attention to them because I've never had them even close to line up with my Garmin. I'm definitely a nOOb though. How will using the mile markers on the course help me better make my goal times?
You have run a lot more races than me. I don't have enough experience to know what is typical; I always assumed the markers were accurate (if the course is certified) and my Garmin was off. As you probably know your Garmin will always measure the total race course long, as it's difficult exactly run the tangents. A HM usually ends up something like 13.2 on your Garmin. If you want to run a 2:00 HM, and you target 9:10 splits based on your Garmin auto-lap, you will finish at 2:01 based on running 13.2 miles at that pace. Alternatively you need a 9:06 pace over 13.2 Garmin miles to run a 2:00 HM. So assuming the mile markers are accurate, you may theoretically be better off using them. And even if they are not accurate - they will at least have the right number of them, so pacing based on manual lap is more likely to get you to the right finish time.
However I've never done this; nothing I'm doing with my running demands that level of accuracy. And I imagine you are the same. Way easier to not have to mess with your watch while you are running.
If you have seen markers off by 0.3 miles, that is really bad. And B+'s HM is really bad. I'd be surprised if either was typical, but what do I know.
I have had experiences where the mile markers were off and where my garmin was off. I don't trust GPS when I'm surrounded by tall buildings. It has done some crazy stuff. That said, this weekend the mile marker for mile 1 was early, by at least .1. I assumed my GPS got thrown off by the buildings at the start, so thought I ran 7:52. GPS had that mile at 8:25. At this point, I'm not trusting either.
Former Bad Ass
I have used both but prefer auto laps. Mostly because I forget to press them at some miles of the marathon and then my laps look worse than B+'s.
Damaris
Super B****
The mile markers are supposed to be accurate (assuming the course is certified, anyway). I don't use manual lapping because I don't need something else to worry about and I'll probably forget to press it a few times... I just accept that I'm probably going to run longer than the race distance by my Garmin and adjust my pace accordingly.
(Kristin -- are you ready to run a 58:30 10K?! )
chasing the impossible
because i never shut up ... i blog