Do you HAVE to have an even mileage?
davemunger
Posts: 1,139 Member
Today I got much flak from my running group for stopping my Garmin at 14.99 miles instead of running an extra .01 to get a round number. I actually kind of enjoyed seeing how frustrated everyone was. One woman asked if she could take my GPS and run the extra distance for me!
So, let's take a little poll -- how close do you have to be before you'll run extra to get a round number? If your GPS says 5.8 will you run an extra 0.2 to get to 6 miles? Would you run 0.5 miles extra? What's the most you'll run to get a round number of miles? Or are you like me, and just figure "close is good enough"?
So, let's take a little poll -- how close do you have to be before you'll run extra to get a round number? If your GPS says 5.8 will you run an extra 0.2 to get to 6 miles? Would you run 0.5 miles extra? What's the most you'll run to get a round number of miles? Or are you like me, and just figure "close is good enough"?
0
Replies
-
I don't care!
.04 or 0.2 miles won't change anything
0 -
I'm generally a landmark person, I run from here to there and don't much worry about the decimal points. At a race I will keep going if it is a PR run and the course is short.
All that said I would have gone the extra 100th of a mile to get to 15.0 -
I love even mileage! If I have the time, I will always go the extra distance to hit my next mile....I'm just weird like that 0
-
LOL, this weekend I had an 18mile long run, previous to this, my longest run in my life was the 14miles the week before. I mapped it out and ran, when I approached my driveway it was 17.84, although physically I felt done, I had to run up the block to get to 18. If asked, I wanted to say 18, it would have bothered me if I only ran 17.84.
Earlier in the week, I had a workout to run 8 miles, when I ended, near dark, it was 7.78. That was good by me, I didnt care because it was only a workout.0 -
Long runs have to be either a whole number or .5. If it's 10.51 or 10.01 that's okay. If it's 9.99 I'll go the extra .01. For shorter runs during the week or whatever I don't care.
I've actually run around in circles in front of my house until the odometer flips.0 -
LOL, they'd hate me then. I have some routes that do (can) work out to even numbers (usually out & back runs on recreational paths in the summer) but most of the time my distance is dictated by the loop......if it's 5.27 km it's 5.27km.0
-
Not any more. When i trained for my first half I used to think that if my plan prescribed 10, and I got to my house at 9.87, if i didn't run the .13, there was no way I'd be prepared for my race. I now realize that is silly. If I end up home less than a mile short, I let it go. The other day I finished my week at 29.73 miles. I knew that when I finished my run, but i wasn't about to go the extra .27 steeply up hill pushing a 40 lb child in a jogging stroller just so i could say I ran 30 miles that week.0
-
If I was scheduled to run 10 miles, I would not stop until 10 miles, not 9.99 or 9.98. I am okay with going a little over but not under.0
-
Not any more. When i trained for my first half I used to think that if my plan prescribed 10, and I got to my house at 9.87, if i didn't run the .13, there was no way I'd be prepared for my race. I now realize that is silly. If I end up home less than a mile short, I let it go. The other day I finished my week at 29.73 miles. I knew that when I finished my run, but i wasn't about to go the extra .27 steeply up hill pushing a 40 lb child in a jogging stroller just so i could say I ran 30 miles that week.
For me it's not even that it's the prescribed distance. I just like having the round number.0 -
I totally do this! I would run up and down my street just to get the extra distance because I had to be even...if not even then it had to be 3.12 or 6.2 so it would be even in kilometers...ha! I am trying to get past my OCD now. My friend was in shock the other day when I stopped at 5.98...she was like "are you seriously going to let that go?" and i just started smiling. I was really proud of myself for not freaking out about that! (I did run a little past my stopping point to get to 4 miles last night--but hey...I am still a work in progress!) :happy:0
-
I used to be like that, but I appreciate the little bonus miles I get when all the fractional miles add up!0
-
It depends. If my run was supposed to be 6 miles I am ok with 6.12 but not 5.89. I will round down but not up.0
-
I'm totally into round numbers, but I have to recognize the limitations of measuring systems. I say if you pick a system (like your garmin) and stick with it, then it's fine. Still, I'm not sure I would have run that extra 0.01, since after 15 miles, you may have actually run more than 1/4 mile more or less.
I use internet course mapping sights (like RunningAhead), since personal GPS units aren't designed for accuracy (and mine is not top of the line). No system is perfect (except maybe one of those little rolling measuring devices that are actually in contact with the surface). Even with that though, you can still get a huge variance over a long run just by running the tangents.
My neighborhood loop is about 1.03 miles. If I do 1 loop, I call it 1 mile. If I do 2 loops, I call it 2 miles. If I do 3 loops, I call it 5K.0 -
I don't know if I *have* to have even mileage, but, I don't like to stop short of my planned mileage so it usually works out to being even anyway - except this past week-end when my IT bands would not let me go any farther.0
-
Yep!If I was scheduled to run 10 miles, I would not stop until 10 miles, not 9.99 or 9.98. I am okay with going a little over but not under.
Exactly.It depends. If my run was supposed to be 6 miles I am ok with 6.12 but not 5.89. I will round down but not up.
I'm all about the plan. If the plan calls for 12, I will run 12+. I tried to keep the surplus under .5 as I don't want to jeopardize the plan.0 -
Lets see. Last five runs: 7.38, 6.14, 5.85, 2.98 and 4.79. Nope, guess I don't care about round numbers.0
-
I really don't care about having round numbers.0
-
Count me in as someone that will go over but not under.....
....but.....
I have a long history as a really lazy runner. I didn't do track or sports or anything growing up, so I came up from the idea that "just getting off the couch" was good enough. Sometimes I want to give myself a medal at the three mile mark, KWIM? But I also want to run hard ultramarathons. That "hooray you exercised today and that's good enough" mentality isn't going to see me through the dark times.
When I finally got a GPS it was because I was tired of selling myself short with my running. Yeah, I won't come in under anymore.0 -
I have to have even numbers. For me, it is like saying I ran x distance but didnt actually.
On Sunday, I had a 5 miler. My route to the car ended at 4.88. I turned around and ran back until I reached the 5. The dog gave me a "w t f" look. She couldnt understand why she could see the car and we were going backwards. SO I guess dogs dont worry about that kind of stuff0 -
Most times I set a minimum mileage when I run... however, if it's cold this may be compromised... If it's great weather then I may try for an even mileage.0
-
I have to hit an even mile. I couldn't stand the .99!
I also can't stand to run without my watch because I always want to know pace and distance EXACTLY. My Garmin puked at mile 20 at my last marathon. If it wasn't for my pace group I would have gone nuts!0 -
Yep!If I was scheduled to run 10 miles, I would not stop until 10 miles, not 9.99 or 9.98. I am okay with going a little over but not under.
Exactly.It depends. If my run was supposed to be 6 miles I am ok with 6.12 but not 5.89. I will round down but not up.
I'm all about the plan. If the plan calls for 12, I will run 12+. I tried to keep the surplus under .5 as I don't want to jeopardize the plan.
Same here... I'm a slave to my plan. :-) I used to need to nail the mileage exactly (due to my OCD tendencies); but I've broken myself out of that now and will run at least what is in my plan, but if it's an extra 0.02 to get to the end of my driveway, so be it!0 -
Yep!If I was scheduled to run 10 miles, I would not stop until 10 miles, not 9.99 or 9.98. I am okay with going a little over but not under.
Exactly.It depends. If my run was supposed to be 6 miles I am ok with 6.12 but not 5.89. I will round down but not up.
I'm all about the plan. If the plan calls for 12, I will run 12+. I tried to keep the surplus under .5 as I don't want to jeopardize the plan.
Same here... I'm a slave to my plan. :-) I used to need to nail the mileage exactly (due to my OCD tendencies); but I've broken myself out of that now and will run at least what is in my plan, but if it's an extra 0.02 to get to the end of my driveway, so be it!
I was a slave to my HM plan starting out. However, life is short and I wanna race, so I deviated (and yes, listened to my body)! However, in the effort of OCD for even miles, I did perfect a 5 mile loop outside of my office so I wasn't zig-zagging to make it round up.0 -
No, no no! I try to improve each time I run. But I am not going to be that obsessive.
People. Really?
Make it fun. Don't make it regimented.
(Please, don't tell my wife I said this. She will go around the block to get her GPS to an even mile if she has to. I have seen her do it, more than once.)0 -
.01 is like what... 15 steps or something? So yeah, I'd go the extra distance to make it hit the next mile marker. 4.99 would drive me nuts!! Haha!
But if it's off by .25 or greater? Depends on how far we're talking about. On a 5 miler? Nah. A 15+? Yup.
0 -
I dooooo. The funny thing is, I ran 10 on Sunday - or rather, stopped my garmin at 10. I actually ran 10.08 or something, but I didn't want the off mileage on my list of runs LOL. I can run .5s or 1s and will push myself up to finish. On races though I will run the course. I ran a trail 5K that came out to 3.32 haha.
I drive my husband nuts He runs by route rather than mileage so his is usually in increments of 4.6 - 9.2, 13.8, etc. He told me I can't run with him on his routes because I'd lose my mind 0 -
No, no no! I try to improve each time I run. But I am not going to be that obsessive.
People. Really?
Make it fun. Don't make it regimented.
(Please, don't tell my wife I said this. She will go around the block to get her GPS to an even mile if she has to. I have seen her do it, more than once.)
Who said following a plan isn't fun?0 -
If I am close like 9.9 I will run extra to get to an even number. If I am a 1/4 mile or more away I don't bother as long as I hit my goal for the day.0
-
I have to laugh. I have this one running partner where we will end up running once around the parking lot of McDonalds because the run HAS to end on an even number. And then I'm like, on your watch or mine? *evil grin*
My runs generally ends up as round numbers because I have limited routes that I can safely run alone. I know the exact length of each block so it is easy to do the sums during the run and end up where I have to be distance wise. But, I stop where my house is, won't run past. Okay...I lie. Maybe if the watch is on *.99.... (and then just to complicate things, when you download sometimes the distance changes by a bit...)0 -
Yes, it would bother me to have .01 off. If it were .50 or less, I think I MIGHT be ok. LOL0
