Anyone find the GPS on mapmyrun inaccurate?

omma_to_3
omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
edited 12:38AM in Fitness and Exercise
It said I walked a mile during my 5 minute warm up. Anyone know of a more accurate running gps app? The odd thing is, I mapped it out via google maps on my ifit live account and it came up with the same total distance. I think the distance is off by as much as a mile!

Has anyone else had that experience with Map My Run? I plan on trying Runkeeper and runens next but just curious how accurate others have found the GPS to be. This was for a run in a city park in my town.
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Replies

  • uniqute1888
    uniqute1888 Posts: 182 Member
    My Boyfriend was using it for his 8mi walks... Was fine first couple times then after about a week the gps was off anywhere from .5-1.5mi a workout .... And my boyfriend followed the same route every time! He is using run keeper now and likes it so
    Much better the gps is more accurate
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    I tried run keeper tonight and it said I went 2.24 miles during my 5 minute warmup WALK. Wtf?!

    Next ill try runens. I really hope something works better than this!
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
    Try Endomondo.
  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    I've never had a problem with mine.
  • whoiskat23
    whoiskat23 Posts: 103 Member
    I've never had a problem with mine.

    Me either, but I prefer RunKeeper. Could it be the area you live in is causing some type of interference?
  • Leiki
    Leiki Posts: 526 Member
    Try Cardio Trainer, and set the settings so that it is most accurate. It works pretty well for me. There is a park that is almost exactly 1/2 a mi, and when I tracked in using Cardio Trainer, it was only off by a few feet (which may be due to me not walking in a straight line)
  • burtg
    burtg Posts: 7
    Try Cyclemeter, you can set it for running instead of biking. I've found it to be more accurate than the MapMy apps. It does cost $4.99 but it can be used for all sorts of activities. None of them are perfect.
  • magistra12
    magistra12 Posts: 22
    I find that my GPS for mapmyrun works better if the screen is still up, but then again, I use it on my phone. Also, I've started using TrackerBooster in addition so that the signal stays stronger.
  • UrbanRunner81
    UrbanRunner81 Posts: 1,207 Member
    yes. I stopped using it. I use runkeeper now.
  • mslindsay
    mslindsay Posts: 93 Member
    Someone told me you need to turn off wireless. That your phone picks up singles and it throws it off.
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    Someone told me you need to turn off wireless. That your phone picks up singles and it throws it off.

    That's interesting! Easy enough to try!

    I went on runkeeper's website and looked at my run. It had me starting my run two miles away from my actual starting point for some reason. I was able to edit it online and everything else looked very accurate. So, I'll try runkeeper again!

    And I'll keep the other suggestions handy too!
  • crazyellybean
    crazyellybean Posts: 999 Member
    I've never been able to get Mapmyrun to be accurate... my Footpod has been my life saver.
  • lizzyliz79
    lizzyliz79 Posts: 43 Member
    I use Adidas micoach on my phone. It seems to be accurate.
  • spammyanna
    spammyanna Posts: 871 Member
    Someone told me you need to turn off wireless. That your phone picks up singles and it throws it off.

    Actually, having the wifi on improves your location. It could be anything, trees, interference whatnot. My friend and I both use runkeeper, we will run the same race and have different mileage. Her GPS is more sensitive than mine. And I doubt it's the app's fault, the GPS is in your phone, not the app.

    So no matter what app you use, you will probably have issues.
    You can also go back and edit the activity later online, that's what I do when it's off.

    Good luck!
  • bekahsack
    bekahsack Posts: 1 Member
    Yeah, mine is always off by about .5 miles for every 2 miles I run! I use RunTracker now, it's so much better and also more accurate. You can even use a "Ghost Runner" which is basically running against one of your previous runs trying to beat it. Motivation at its finest.
  • confettibetti
    confettibetti Posts: 405 Member
    I can't get mapmyrun, endomondo, or nikerun to work!!!! :( I have different issues with all of them! :(
  • Runs4Wine
    Runs4Wine Posts: 416 Member
    And I doubt it's the app's fault, the GPS is in your phone, not the app.

    So no matter what app you use, you will probably have issues.

    ITA that if 2 separate apps are that inaccurate it's likely either your phone's GPS or your location/interference.

    I tried MapMyRun about 2 years ago and it never could find a signal - whether I was home or 350 miles away, so I figured it was the app, so I downloaded RunKeeper and it's worked like a charm ever since. Occasionally there's a slight hiccup by as much as a half mile during races, but that's no big deal to me.
  • jellebeandesigns
    jellebeandesigns Posts: 347 Member
    Strava
  • muddyventures
    muddyventures Posts: 360 Member
    I've tried a few, but stick with runkeeper, not because I think it is the most accurate but because I like the website. I have several runs and I've measured them with my car.. I just edit my runs if I really want to know precisely what I've run and how fast. Honestly, it doesn't matter to me that much... I know that I'm steadily improving and when I can drop another2 or 3 minutes off my mile then I will care (lol).
  • donyellemoniquex3
    donyellemoniquex3 Posts: 2,384 Member
    Runtastic, Nike+ Running
  • Kacy
    Kacy Posts: 43 Member
    I have never had a problem with my mapmyrun gps. It aways has almost the exact same reading as my garmin watch. I did find that Nike+ was never accurate with distance.
  • jsmcintyre
    jsmcintyre Posts: 26 Member
    I never had a problem with MapMyRun, but I have also used JogTracker, and that worked as well.
  • nascarbrat
    nascarbrat Posts: 1
    Could it be the server we are using? I have AT&T and my brother has Verizon and we walk the same trails....his GPS works great mine is off by almost 1.5 miles....we both use mapmywalk.
  • jacknife76
    jacknife76 Posts: 4 Member
    I have trouble with mapmyrun and Endomondo. I just drove my last run in the car and mapmyrun was off by 0.7 mile! I assumed it was my phone or signal-- when I run, the route on the map looks like I backtrack, run across the street, zigzag.... When I am running in a straight line. Tonight when I drove it, I used both apps and turned on cycling, to be most accurate with the car. It was almost exact! And the route lines were completely smooth. No zigzags to be found.
    Hmmm. So it can't be the signal, can it? Does the bouncing up and down affect it that much? I wouldn't think so.
    Weird!
  • gregjeffries1959
    gregjeffries1959 Posts: 1
    Absolutely! Started using the app in June 2013 to prepare for the Philly marathon in November. I first noticed a problem when I ran a 1/2 marathon in September and Map My Run measured my distance at 13.5 miles. Because I did not believe the variance was large, I shrugged it off. However, during the marathon, it was over 2 miles off! I began revisiting my runs on MMR and discovered all of them were off. I was actually pacing between 9.30-9.45 min/mile, not 8.45-9 min/mile that Map My Run led me to believe. As such, the app completed overstated my training performance and I finished the marathon at a 9.43 min/mile.

    Still, the app was friendly companion during training and I don't regret the experience. I will however move on to Nike Running or a gps watch.
  • davidmac69
    davidmac69 Posts: 5 Member
    It's probably not the app, it's probably the phone. The GPS function in phones is mostly an afterthought and is designed to find your location once in a while when you pull up the map and are trying to find an ATM. It was never intended to create a constant track even though it can be used for that to a certain degree. They aren't even really that accurate (+/- 50 mostly) which can mean lots of fake locations that add up to distance you never traveled.
  • fullersun60
    fullersun60 Posts: 5
    This discussion came up in my running club lately. The consensus was that apps in general are not as good as Garmin at tracking distance and seem to be most off on hilly routes.
  • cglode
    cglode Posts: 4 Member
    Hi all,

    Chris, from MapMyFitness here. Sorry to hear you've had problems with our apps. GPS accuracy is a tricky one, influenced by so many factors; condition and state of your phone, weather, urban/rural location, your speed, the weather, time of day and more. We're always working to improve it. We have posted some tips here that tend to help:

    https://mmf.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/200117984-iOS-GPS-Troubleshooting

    The GPS in phones, and our software are both getting better and better so over time we think this will be less and less of an issue and for the majority of users on the majority of runs/rides, its not a problem today. If you do want to switch to a GPS watch, you can still upload your workouts to MapMyFitness to complete your training log.

    Hope this helps and please give us feedback any time at http://support.mapmyfitness.com
  • JohnThomas137
    JohnThomas137 Posts: 1
    I walk a precise 4 mph, 1 mile every 15 minutes, and Map My Ride (set to walk mode) never has me going any faster than 1.4 miles in an hour. Not even close.
  • fleetzz
    fleetzz Posts: 962 Member
    I use runtastic and it is pretty consistent with all of my walks and runs. Very happy with it.
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