Discrepancy between treadmill and activity tracker.
mzbek24
Posts: 436 Member
My watch (it's a Tom tom Multi sport cardio gps watch) shows differing distances and paces to the treadmill screen, every single time, despite starting the watch at the same time I get on it. Generally my watch says that I have run a further distance and also am running a faster pace than the treadmill says. About a year ago I remember using the exact same treadmill at the same gym, and all of the stats were completely the same as what my Polar ft4 had on it's screen.
Anyone had any discrepancies like this with any HRM's/trackers before, and know which to take into account for training? I don't want to be thinking I'm running the distance on my training plan when I'm not.
I have been believing what the watch says, because I have read before that a hrm is going to be more accurate than a treadmill, because it has my own personal data etc, whereas the treadmill doesn't. Also, because my times for distances outdoors are similar ish to the times the watch says it takes me to run it in I thought it seemed pretty legit.
Anyone had any discrepancies like this with any HRM's/trackers before, and know which to take into account for training? I don't want to be thinking I'm running the distance on my training plan when I'm not.
I have been believing what the watch says, because I have read before that a hrm is going to be more accurate than a treadmill, because it has my own personal data etc, whereas the treadmill doesn't. Also, because my times for distances outdoors are similar ish to the times the watch says it takes me to run it in I thought it seemed pretty legit.
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Replies
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I'd lean towards the watch. Treadmills aren't always calibrated properly/accurately, nor do they keep their calibration over time without servicing and recalibration.0
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If you are tracking distance on the watch while on the TM, it isn't based on GPS, so that isn't going to be precise either. Both are going to be inaccurate. Just pick one and use it. Either is going to be close enough.0
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I had the (unfortunate) privilege of running on the treadmill a few times recently. I had two 8 mile and one 18 mile run thanks to all the ice outside. I found my watch (Garmin Forerunner 220) to be a much better interpretation of my pace than the treadmill.
The 18 mile run took right over 3 hours which is what I typically run them outside. I didn't look at the watch or the treadmill initially. I just set the incline on 1.0 and then got up to a comfortable speed just as if I was outside. The treadmill said I was doing 12.5 minute miles. That would have be uncomfortably slow. The watch was showing me hitting a 10:15 pace. I don't know that it was perfect but it was so much closer to reality than the treadmill.
The next week I did a couple 8 mile runs and picked a couple different treadmills. One has my 10:00 pace (on the watch) as a 11.5 minute mile. Another said I was around a 10:30 while the watch said 10:00ish.
Long story short. Run outside if you can. Use the same treadmill if necessary. Trust the watch more if you're running with it outside generally.
ETA: For an easy run it really doesn't matter I suppose.0 -
CarsonRuns wrote: »If you are tracking distance on the watch while on the TM, it isn't based on GPS, so that isn't going to be precise either. Both are going to be inaccurate. Just pick one and use it. Either is going to be close enough.
This.
I chose to use the info my treadmill is giving me since it's easier to see/deal with than a watch.
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