Tips for precise running apps for distance?

annebjerke

Hi, everyone

Yesterday I ran my first 5k race (yeay!) and I used Endomondo to let me know every km how far I had run. When I reached the finish line Endomondo claimed I had only run 4.64 km!!! I know a lot of you has experienced Endomondo counting the wrong amount of calories spent, but distance? If it was a matter if a couple of meters off it wouldn't be an issue, but this really surprised me. Are there any more precise apps out there?

Also, I ran over 5 minutes better in the race than I do on my own. How to keep up the pace when I exercise alone? I don't have any potential running partners close by.

Thank you!

meerkat70

how sure are you the race distance was right? fun runs often run short.

i find endo a reliable app (in the proper sense - it reliably measures the same distance the same way).

but it is the quality of your gps device that is the big factor. when i got my s3 it was better than my s2. and my garmin is better still.

ameliaepinephrine

pedometers are usually way off, use a gps. they have running apps based on gps like MapMyRun. accurate.

meerkat70

Endomondo *is* GPS based. It is not a pedometer.

Willkathmum

I use the free Runkeeper App, it uses GPS and can be used for walking running cycling etc and seems pretty accurate. What I notice is that currently I have it set to stop automatically if I stop running ( I run with the dog so do have to stop occasionally!!), it often takes several paces to restart so sometimes show that you have run slightly less - you can however turn this feature off! I started of with the Nike app but much prefer this one.

meerkat70

Runkeeper, mapmyrun and endo are all much the same. As I said, it is the device you use the app on that influences accuracy.

Willkathmum

To add then, I use Runkeeper on the iPhone 5!

romyhorse

Runkeeper, mapmyrun and endo are all much the same. As I said, it is the device you use the app on that influences accuracy.

I agree with the above, if you want better accuracy invest in a Garmin.

RunnerElizabeth

On my galaxy note ii, map my run is pretty accurate. Runkeeper and edomondo are both off.

Actually I started using map my run because on my old galaxy phone when the gps started to go, map my run was still accurate and the others started saying ridiculous things.

Right now I do have a brand new note ii (broke my first) and still map my run is more accurate.

meerkat70

On my galaxy note ii, map my run is pretty accurate. Runkeeper and edomondo are both off.

Actually I started using map my run because on my old galaxy phone when the gps started to go, map my run was still accurate and the others started saying ridiculous things.

Right now I do have a brand new note ii (broke my first) and still map my run is more accurate.

I've had the opposite experience...

:-)

Battery life and local networks play a role too.

annebjerke

Thank you for your replies!

I use Endomondo on my iPhone 4s. I'm saving up for a Garmin, but it will take a couple of months. I have no idea if the race was shorter than it should be. I guess I'll have to experiment with map my run and runkeeper to find out. Can't wait to get a Garmin.

Amandakd84

I use MapMyRun on my iPhone 5. I find the distance to be fairly accurate.

scottb81

Also, I ran over 5 minutes better in the race than I do on my own. How to keep up the pace when I exercise alone? I don't have any potential running partners close by.

You're not supposed to run the same pace in training as you do in a race except maybe once a week for speed training. Even then the distance is usually shorter with planned breaks between intervals.

During those sessions you just have to be mentally tough to run faster. It is not supposed to be comfortable.

daj150

Endo is fairly accurate. However, if you hit dead spots in the GPS during your run, it does not compensate well for this. Therefore, if you hit some part where your GPS cut out, that distance may not have been counted. Other apps like Nike+ Running, MapMyFitness, and Runtastic all compensate. RunKeeper is better than Endo, but not as good as the other 3.

Also, as someone else noted, fun runs can tend to be a bit shorter due to the nature of event and getting local township approval. However, I recommend maybe plotting the route into MapMyFitness or try driving it and see how far it actually was.

lsuatmospherics

I bought a Garmin GPS watch, Forerunner10. Love it.
And yes, as said before by someone else, I've noticed that some fun runs don't come out to a full 5K. I've had two at 4.8K and one at 4.5K. A way I verify this also is to map it on Google Earth and on RunKeeper afterwards. All of these races didn't have course maps provided prior to the run itself. The first one sort of got me mad because I was expecting 5K and was thinking that I shattered my PR time but the course was just short. I still had a PR but not nearly as much as I had thought once I compensated for the distance. Take them for what they are, FUN. Luckily, there are plenty of true 5Ks here to make up the difference.

No problems yet with my Garmin, including running under bridges or through a CBD - tall buildings. But I haven't run through any tunnels or through thick forests with it yet. I never downloaded run apps for my phone because my thought was that they'd drain my battery plus I have Sprint which has been spotty for me especially back in June/July. The Garmin watch solves that problem because it does track everything (distance-including mapping, time/pace (total and average and location specific), elevation and weather conditions at the time). For me personally, it's been a great investment. Also, the calories counted on the watch line up pretty even with RunKeeper too, vary slightly with MFP but not a lot to make a huge difference.

froeschli

GPS in my area is terrible (especially for my iPhone 3), so I use Nike+ along with the shoe sensor (which sort of is a pedometer, but gets calibrated by using it with the GPS device). It's about +-10% accurate, more if the GPS is actually working that day. I say that because when I use DHs iPhone 5 the distance shown is a bit less.
Anyhow, for me, the consistency is what matters more than 100% accuracy. This way I can track progress without having to go in and correct gps spikes for every run....

3dogsrunning

Dedicated GPS like Garmins will be more accurate than using a phone GPS however they still have an accepted degree of error. I am on the committee for the local marathon and we have to have it measured every two years to be a Boston qualifier. The last time it was measured (accurately) our route guy took along his Garmin. He did the exact same route as the person who measured. At 5 k there started to show a difference between his Garmin and the official measure and it only got bigger.

ETA - yes, as others have mentioned "fun runs" tend to be much more relaxed and can be shorter.

annebjerke

Someone asked the organizers on Facebook if the route was really 5k, because they too had a shorter distance on Endomondo, and the organizers said that it had been measured to exactly 5k. That means Endomondo was off by close to 350 meters! That's a lot! *annoyed*

wilsoje74

Was it a certified course? I'm guessing it was off. I use map my run but used to use endomondo and it worked fine .

meerkat70

Someone asked the organizers on Facebook if the route was really 5k, because they too had a shorter distance on Endomondo, and the organizers said that it had been measured to exactly 5k. That means Endomondo was off by close to 350 meters! That's a lot! *annoyed*

i think the organisers *would* say that, tbh.... :-)

elfpearl

I use Nike Plus on my iPhone 5 with very accurate results! I have also used Runkeeper with about the same accuracy. I agree that the run could have been short...I've done a couple 5ks that ended up under 3 miles.

annebjerke

The organizers finally admitted it was a short route of 4.7 km. Still annoyed, but at least Endomondo can be somewhat trusted.