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No trail running listed in the exercise choices

completebeginnings
completebeginnings Posts: 34 Member
edited February 1 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm curious what the calorie comparison would be for running off road verses on. I do a morning hike/walk/run that is 100% not paved, all either up hill or down and 80% of it is sand or large rocks you are trying to avoid. I only run about 25% of the time. I have been entering it as 2.5 mile down hill walking pace for 20 minutes, 3.5 uphill walking for 30 minutes, 10 minutes of running at 12 mph page. It all seems very cumbersome. Other than purchasing a heart rate monitor any thoughts on how to better log and get accurate calorie usage?

Replies

  • JenMc14
    JenMc14 Posts: 2,389 Member
    If you have a smart phone you can get an app like MapMyRun/Walk or Runtastic. I use MapMyRun, and it gives me a calories estimate. If might be a tad high, I usually round down, but it uses GPS to track my route, it's not 100% accurate, but "good enough" for my purposes.
  • SpleenThief
    SpleenThief Posts: 293 Member
    When you say sand, are you talking about a beach like surface?
  • completebeginnings
    completebeginnings Posts: 34 Member
    I live in a red sandstone desert. So the sand is sand dune type sand. But it has rocks etc. Maybe every 5th step is in sand if that makes sense.
  • SpleenThief
    SpleenThief Posts: 293 Member
    I would guess that if there is a difference between the calories burned running a trail of that type vs running a road with a similar grade would be negligible. I'd plug your time/pace in and go with whatever calorie burn it spits out.
  • 9jenn9
    9jenn9 Posts: 309 Member
    I rely on my heart rate monitor. The calorie burn of any type of exercise is determined by your age, weight, fitness level, etc. I find that the calorie estimates on mfp and on cardio machines are way over for me. I only burn 2/3 of what my treadmill estimates. Since I eat back my exercise calories, I don't rely on general estimates. A hrm is a great investment.
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