GPS While Running Track Laps?

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warp wrote I’ve been researching the Timex Bodylink and Forerunner GPS systems, and I am wondering if they correctly register distance traveled while running laps on a 1/4 mile track. Seems like they might possibly be confused by the relatively short circle… does anyone have any information on this? I used my Timex on a track and it had no problems. Kristine Quilici

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I’ve used the Garmin Forerunner for running 800m sprints which I split into 400m out and 400m back along a road. It had no problem with this. HTH Russell

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It’s not a problem…unless there are obstructions in the path of the receiver, like a building. The University of Michigan Track has a building 5 feet from the edge of the track, and I can be off by as much as 1/20th of a mile per lap because of the obstruction caused by the building. -jeremy — — Jeremy Hallum, System Manager , Astronomy, University of Michigan "Audentis Fortuna Iuvat"

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Why would you need a GPS unit for running laps? You already know how long a lap is, and can count, and a simple watch will give you pace. — Bob Burns Mill Hall PA

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I’ve been researching the Timex Bodylink and Forerunner GPS systems, and I am wondering if they correctly register distance traveled while running laps on a 1/4 mile track. Seems like they might possibly be confused by the relatively short circle… does anyone have any information on this? Why would you need a GPS unit for running laps? You already know how long a lap is, and can count, and a simple watch will give you pace.

That only works if can stay in a single lane. If you have change lanes to get out of the way for a faster runner and the distance could end up a few feet longer. That can create a great deal of angst for those "precision" people. The actual mile could end up being 5,284 feet and raise havoc in ones log book. ;) — Doug "tongue way in cheek" Freese "Caveat Lector" (remove the NOBS)

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If it’s a metric track, you’re more than 30 feet short to the mile anyway (-; And you’d better stay at exactly the right distance from that white line. Cheers, — Donovan Rebbechi http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

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For information on Running with a GPS checkout www.GPSrunner.net

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there is a yahoo group dedicated to the forerunner, google this group for the link. if I remember correctly the accuracy is sufficent enough to be affected by which arm you are wearing it on. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been researching the Timex Bodylink and Forerunner GPS systems, and I am wondering if they correctly register distance traveled while running laps on a 1/4 mile track. Seems like they might possibly be confused by the relatively short circle… does anyone have any information on this?

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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been researching the Timex Bodylink and Forerunner GPS systems, and I am wondering if they correctly register distance traveled while running laps on a 1/4 mile track. Seems like they might possibly be confused by the relatively short circle… does anyone have any information on this? Why would you need a GPS unit for running laps? You already know how long a lap is, and can count, and a simple watch will give you pace. — Bob Burns Mill Hall PA

Good question Bob; I often run to the track from my home, do some laps, and then head out on a road course (not quite sure WHY I do this, but what the heck, it works). And I would be interested in total distance traveled plus the track distance.

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there is a yahoo group dedicated to the forerunner, google this group for the link. if I remember correctly the accuracy is sufficent enough to be affected by which arm you are wearing it on.

The Yahoo Group is www.groups.yahoo.com/groups/GarminF also see www.GPSrunner.net and www.GPSbiker.net John

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I’ve been researching the Timex Bodylink and Forerunner GPS systems, and I am wondering if they correctly register distance traveled while running laps on a 1/4 mile track.

Yeah, you wouldn’t want to risk getting lost, so a GPS is a must for any track runner.

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Why would you need a GPS unit for running laps?

No one "needs" these toys… But, the word that is pronounced "need" is often spelled "w a n t". And, having a new toy, most boys cannot resist the temptation to play with it.

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I have both the Timex and Garmin and ran a 10K on the track to check the calibration wearing both at the same time. Both read high. I can’t recall the exact numbers but the Timex was about 99.5% accurate and the Garmin was way off, I seem to remember about 95%. The Garmin could not handle the oval very well. All of my running loops that I have show about .05 to .1 longer using the Garmin vs the Timex. I have used the Timex in several certified marathons and it read about .1 to .15 over at the end which is pretty good over 26.2 miles. Have not used the Garmin in a marathon yet. My experice is that the Timex is quite accurate and I am certain that my Garmin is consistantly optimistic in mileage. Also the measurement varies more over the same loop where as the Timex measures virtually identical each time. I’m not sure if accuracy would vary from unit to unit and other people would have better or worse accuracy. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve been researching the Timex Bodylink and Forerunner GPS systems, and I am wondering if they correctly register distance traveled while running laps on a 1/4 mile track. Seems like they might possibly be confused by the relatively short circle… does anyone have any information on this?

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No one "needs" these toys… But, the word that is pronounced "need" is often spelled "w a n t". And, having a new toy, most boys cannot resist the temptation to play with it.

Agreed, they are a luxury, but can also be very useful. When I was training for my first ultra-marathon recently, I was following a training program. When I needed to run say 20kms, I did not need to measure a route. I just went out and ran. It was great. I did random routes and still knew how far I ran. And I came back knowing just a little bit more of the neighbourhood. I have really good memories of some of those ad-hoc runs. Cheers, Russell.

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there is a yahoo group dedicated to the forerunner, google this group for the link. if I remember correctly the accuracy is sufficent enough to be affected by which arm you are wearing it on. I’ve been researching the Timex Bodylink and Forerunner GPS systems, and I am wondering if they correctly register distance traveled while running laps on a 1/4 mile track. Seems like they might possibly be confused by the relatively short circle… does anyone have any information on this?

During yesterday’s track workout I wore my Forerunner. I found it to be off anywhere from 3 to 12% too long. I wear the GPS on my right arm and I ran in the middle of lane 1 for most of the laps. When I imported the data onto the Forerunner software, the start and end of each lap never where at the same point. The end point was always at least 50 meters short of the start point of each lap. The device seems to be much more accurate on an out and back or a long loop course where there aren’t a lot of turns. Phil M. — "Pain is temporary: the success it brings can be everlasting." -fortune cookie

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Gee, that frustrating feeling that you’re running around in circles must really intensify when you actually have proof of it.

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