indoor running?

murphey21

so, of course right now, its too cold to run outside, so I have been using the indoor track at my
YMCA. The problem is the GPS inside is really bad and does not work properly all the time while using the track inside. I have thought about going to the treadmilll, so I can see calories and distance. I need some ideas what the best way to log or calculate distance and calories and everything like if I was outside with a GPS. I only have an iphone and have tried runkeeper and the gps goes in and out and the stats are way off. The other one I have tried is using Nike + because it kind of works like a pedometer and it works, but don't know how accurate it is. Any thought or ideas would be appreciated. My other idea was to run on the treadmill and just manually enter it into runkeeper, but I would really prefer to stay running on the track til the weather got nicer. Thank you!

chard_muncher

Well, you could just wear a watch and count laps. Ask the staff how large the track is, because indoor tracks are usually smaller than a standard 400m track. If it was 200m, then you would be running a mile every ~8 laps.

If you're using a pedometer, you can use your knowledge of the track length to calibrate it properly. For example, if you run 5 miles (known from counting laps) but the pedometer says it was 10 miles, you would just reduce the stride length on the pedometer by half. Once you get the pedometer to be reasonably accurate, you can stop counting your laps and just let the pedometer figure it out for you.

As far as calories are concerned, you can figure that out (approx) by timing your run and knowing the distance. There are plenty of calculators online that will figure out calories burned from weight, distance, and time (including one on MFP).

SonicDeathMonkey80

so, of course right now, its too cold to run outside

No, it's not.

Anyway, if you know the distance of the indoor track, just push your split counter at each lap (or at a scheduled interval that works out for you). Garmins support an "indoor" mode and it works like a regular stopwatch.

murphey21

Thank you! I thought of that too! I don't know the length of the track, but I know 11 times around is a mile.

RGv2

so, of course right now, its too cold to run outside

No, it's not.

Anyway, if you know the distance of the indoor track, just push your split counter at each lap (or at a scheduled interval that works out for you). Garmins support an "indoor" mode and it works like a regular stopwatch.

I'll give you that, only because it's Missouri.

just_Jennie1

so, of course right now, its too cold to run outside

No, it's not.

Anyway, if you know the distance of the indoor track, just push your split counter at each lap (or at a scheduled interval that works out for you). Garmins support an "indoor" mode and it works like a regular stopwatch.

Maybe not for you. It is too cold for me to go outside and exercise. I am not about to hit the road when it's -20F -- or any degree that is below 40 right now -- and the wind is blowing. Nor am I about to go run outside while there is a layer of snow and ice on the road and potholes that I can't see. If I am miserable outside in the cold running my errands chances are pretty good that I will be miserable outside in the cold running.

People have different tolerances for cold. My tolerance level is extremely low.

SonicDeathMonkey80

so, of course right now, its too cold to run outside

No, it's not.

Anyway, if you know the distance of the indoor track, just push your split counter at each lap (or at a scheduled interval that works out for you). Garmins support an "indoor" mode and it works like a regular stopwatch.

I'll give you that, only because it's Missouri.

I'd kill for some Missouri weather to run in. Meanwhile, I've been stuck in single digits and negatives for 2 months now between South Dakota and Ohio.

SonicDeathMonkey80

so, of course right now, its too cold to run outside

No, it's not.

Anyway, if you know the distance of the indoor track, just push your split counter at each lap (or at a scheduled interval that works out for you). Garmins support an "indoor" mode and it works like a regular stopwatch.

Maybe not for you. It is too cold for me to go outside and exercise. I am not about to hit the road when it's -20F -- or any degree that is below 40 right now -- and the wind is blowing. Nor am I about to go run outside while there is a layer of snow and ice on the road and potholes that I can't see. If I am miserable outside in the cold running my errands chances are pretty good that I will be miserable outside in the cold running.

People have different tolerances for cold. My tolerance level is extremely low.

They make gear for low tolerance levels

Miserable to me is having to do math on top of running, and treadmills in general. So I guess it's relative.

rduhlir

so, of course right now, its too cold to run outside

No, it's not.

Anyway, if you know the distance of the indoor track, just push your split counter at each lap (or at a scheduled interval that works out for you). Garmins support an "indoor" mode and it works like a regular stopwatch.

Maybe not for you. It is too cold for me to go outside and exercise. I am not about to hit the road when it's -20F -- or any degree that is below 40 right now -- and the wind is blowing. Nor am I about to go run outside while there is a layer of snow and ice on the road and potholes that I can't see. If I am miserable outside in the cold running my errands chances are pretty good that I will be miserable outside in the cold running.

People have different tolerances for cold. My tolerance level is extremely low.

Layer, Layer, Layer...and if your cold tolerance is low, then layer even more.

And they make YakTrax for ice and snow.

Only time you will ever see me inside is during a blizzard or during lightning.

SonicDeathMonkey80

so, of course right now, its too cold to run outside

No, it's not.

Anyway, if you know the distance of the indoor track, just push your split counter at each lap (or at a scheduled interval that works out for you). Garmins support an "indoor" mode and it works like a regular stopwatch.

Maybe not for you. It is too cold for me to go outside and exercise. I am not about to hit the road when it's -20F -- or any degree that is below 40 right now -- and the wind is blowing. Nor am I about to go run outside while there is a layer of snow and ice on the road and potholes that I can't see. If I am miserable outside in the cold running my errands chances are pretty good that I will be miserable outside in the cold running.

People have different tolerances for cold. My tolerance level is extremely low.

Layer, Layer, Layer...and if your cold tolerance is low, then layer even more.

And they make YakTrax for ice and snow.

Only time you will ever see me inside is during a blizzard or during lightning.

For lightning, just run with a person who is taller than you

_jayciemarie_

I love how people say it ISN'T too cold to run outside when they dont know where the person lives. I'm sorry, unless your life revolves around running then 20-25 BELOW zero is TOO cold. That was the temperature today in Nebraska.

As for the running inside--if it is below 30 I go to the gym and use a treadmill. To make it less boring I turn the tv on and then alternate doing sprints. I wear a HRM. I average between what the HRM, MFP, and the treadmill states and use that as my exercise number.

rduhlir

I love how people say it ISN'T too cold to run outside when they dont know where the person lives. I'm sorry, unless your life revolves around running then 20-25 BELOW zero is TOO cold. That was the temperature today in Nebraska.

As for the running inside--if it is below 30 I go to the gym and use a treadmill. To make it less boring I turn the tv on and then alternate doing sprints. I wear a HRM. I average between what the HRM, MFP, and the treadmill states and use that as my exercise number.

She lives in Missouri...says so on her profile.

ashenriver

Not too cold for you may be too cold for others. Some people are allergic to cold and get hives. Some people love to run at all times, others are fair weather runners.

Last summer I vising my sister in the south, I live in the north. It was beautiful and warm. I was in tank top and shorts, she was freezing and wearing a sweater and pants.

Last winter I spent some time running in an indoor track for several reasons. One it is dark outside at night, two it was usually pouring rain, not a drizzle it was cats and dogs, three was that the track was at the same place as the boyfriends curling rink so he could play and I could run, four I have never gotten shin splints from running on the indoor track like I have outside on trails, streets or the outdoor track.

ejwme

Too cold - It never used to be too cold for me, until I had a horrible accident last year and developed nerve damage in my arm. I love running, and my husband accuses me of yes, living my life around running, but with my nerve damage - yes, it is too cold for me to run outside. I'm working with my doctor to figure out how long term the damage is, but in the mean time, I sucked it up and bought a good treadmill. For some people, it's not about the gear, it's not about being a wuss, it's about actual physical limitations. A year ago I'd have never thought it would be me, but today it is.

To the OP - one warning: calibrating your foot pod to the inside track is a better idea than calibrating it to a treadmill. And while you might not be as accurate as GPS, you'll be more accurate than spotty GPS (and possibly more accurate than the treadmills, depending on the treadmill and maintenance schedule). When it warms up you can do a test run against GPS with it. Also, you can err on the long side of your runs, and add a fudge factor distance of say 15% if you're really concerned about under-running. For example, if you want to run a mile, run 1.15 miles instead - you know you've run at least a mile, maybe more.

Or you could shift your training to times instead of distances. It even works if you have a race - if you run a lot, you know your race pace, turn your distances into times and run those times, using your HRM to make sure you're at your paces. Then you know you'll be at least as good as your starting pace, likely better. Just another thought that doesn't use the foot pod or extra gadgets.

soehlerking

Don't let the haters get you down; it's YOUR workout. Running (and exercise in general) should be enjoyable, to a certain extent. If it's so cold that you're dreading it and you're miserable for the larger portion of the workout, go inside. (I also live in Missouri. I agree. It's WAY too cold.)

I have not mastered the GPS/app issue for the indoor track; I just use the treadmill. I turn up the incline a bit to make it more challenging, and I use that time to watch the news. I hope you find something that works for you!