GPS Forerunner Question

mlb929
mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
edited December 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
So, I'm curious to understand the operation of my garmin - I'm confused. So sometimes, I'll glance at it for pace - it will way 9:06 pretty consistently for a mile, then when it beeps the mile is past, it say "mile 4 at 9:14) - or sometimes just the opposite - says 9:24 whenever I glance, then beeps the mile at 9:01. I'm really confused. I know the "average" is generally correct, but I'm curious to know why when I'm glancing at it in the middle of these miles, it's sometimes no even close.

My main bother is like in a race - where I think I'm doing well when I glance at it but then am not on my pace at all.

Any way to fix it or is it just a gps thing and I'm just needing to ignore it and worry about averages.

Replies

  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
    Here's what I do:

    Set the Garmin to auto lap every mile. The set the unit to display the "lap pace" rather than the "current pace."

    I find current pace to be useless, as it shows you how fast you were running a few seconds ago. Plus there is lots of jumpiness.

    With "lap pace" the pace is smoothed out over the course of each mile. I find this much more useful.
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
    Super - Thank you I'll double check that it is driving me nuts. So will lap pace be what the last lap was - it is set to 1 mile laps - it will be the last lap then correct?
  • zoom2
    zoom2 Posts: 934 Member
    Super - Thank you I'll double check that it is driving me nuts. So will lap pace be what the last lap was - it is set to 1 mile laps - it will be the last lap then correct?

    It will show you your average pace for your current lap (as each lap is completed it starts tabulating over). And it takes about .15 of a mile of each lap before it settles-down.
  • arc918
    arc918 Posts: 2,037 Member
    Super - Thank you I'll double check that it is driving me nuts. So will lap pace be what the last lap was - it is set to 1 mile laps - it will be the last lap then correct?

    It will show you your average pace for your current lap (as each lap is completed it starts tabulating over). And it takes about .15 of a mile of each lap before it settles-down.

    At the start of each lap, your "lap pace" is essentially "current pace." Your lap pace then becomes like a blended average for each mile. At the end of the run, you can see your average pace for the entire run as well as your pace for each mile (or lap). As a runner I find my pace for each mile to be the most useful measure available on the GPS.

    I've been running with a Garmin since they came out and before that I had a goofy Timex 2 piece GPS unit. They work really well 98% of the time. Every now and then they go a little crazy, but usually you can tell it was wrong "nope, I did not just run a 3:00 minute mile..."
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