Running Apps & Gizmos

[lehcar70]

I have been using endomondo since graduating in April as it is the only app my old phone will support. However, I've been getting such varying results lately e.g. I can run exactly the same route and be 1km out, its a bit disheartening. I don't know what to believe and whether I am improving or going backwards.

Thinking of upgrading my phone so I can download Strava. Do you chaps find this reliable? Alternatively, I have a big birthday coming up so could ask for a GPS watch. I'm not into all the stats but just want something that is reliable on distance so I can see if I am improving plus I dont want to think I've got to 10km and find out I've only done 8km.

Any feedback gratefully received

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10]

A newer phone will be more reliable, as it will have better GPS. Some phones are more accurate than watches for distance... watches are more convenient while running. Apps are pretty much dependent on the device they run on for accuracy, they vary in how often they request location data, but this can produce better or worse results.

Nike Run Club tends to measure my home parkrun the closest to 5km of any, but this isn’t to say a different app will not be better at a different course, in fact I’d expect this to be the case.

I love my Forerunner 245... I also loved the 35 that it replaced. I thought about the 45 too. The Fenix shall be mine one day, but model I want cannot be justified at the moment... well, I can justify it but senior management won’t sign off on it 🤣

[Hidden in reply to UnfitNoMore]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 I'm right with you on the Fenix!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

£840... however since deciding that it wasn’t worth a divorce, the Instinct has come out in solar version for £350, so I’m thinking that may be my next bit of gear.

[lehcar70 60minGraduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

I could probably buy a car for that!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10 in reply to lehcar70]

I’ve had much cheaper ones 🤣

[Hidden in reply to UnfitNoMore]

I've been so impressed with Garmin and got a 45s a few months ago as a treat. If I keep going like I am in a year or so then I'll look at upgrading to a 245 or something like that as I really like Garmin.

[lehcar70 60minGraduate in reply to Hidden]

Perhaps I will buy the Garmin off you when you upgrade to the Fenix!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

I’ve been a fan of the company since 2001 when they replaced my handheld GPSr in the car park of their U.K. office an hour after I reported a problem. I won’t get that kind of support now I’m a 4 hour drive away from them though... I think they should have moved at the same time to keep the service level constant for me 🤣

The 45 is a great watch... I was close to buying one but went for the 245 and some extra little features (that I’ve turned off 🤣)

[Speedy60 Graduate10 in reply to UnfitNoMore]

What you need is very fit adult children who are really interested in your running. Add a big birthday and hey presto! A fenix 6s smoke grey and rose gold will be yours.🎁 😊

[Womangolfer Graduate10]

I use a garmin watch which syncs with Strava. Strava is very good on its own but I find it a bit fiddly where I can turn watch on and see how I am doing while running very easily. Happy birthday when it comes.

[Grannyhugs Graduate10]

I love my Garmin forerunner 35 - about £100 , hubby got his as second owner one for £65 (often just means it's been bought and returned with only box opened). Dont underestimate the fun you can get with your stats once they are available to you. Advantage of watch is you are already wearing it and just press start stop. Happy running 🤗

[Curlygurly2 Graduate10]

Like you, I dithered about getting a watch, and used various apps on my phone, Runkeeper and Mapmyrun among them. Like you I was fed up with the varying stats, and often found it wouldn't sync for a day or so. Get a watch! I eventually bit the bullet and have never looked back. Some of them will do more than just track a run, once you can see your cadence, heart rate and stride length it adds a whole new slant to running!

Like Unfitnomore I have just upgraded my fr 35 to a FR 245, and love it to bits. All I would say though, is do your research and make sure the watch you choose does all the bits and bobs that you want, or indeed, doesn't do stuff you don't want.

[Buddy34 Graduate10]

I'm with Grannyhugs . The garmin forerunner 35 is an easy to use watch and normally very reliable. Also you can link it to strava and your run uploads there as well. Happy shopping🏃‍♀️

[lehcar70 60minGraduate]

Thanks chaps. I am now googling garmin forerunner instead of working

[Tasha99 Graduate10]

Get a garmin.

[Fionamags Graduate10]

I am also a Garmin fan. I got the Vivoactive 4S. Does way more than I need but two reasons I went for it: S version more suited to v small wrist and also I can download music to it and play through bluetooth headphones. Also it was my birthday and I capitalised on the fact that my husband didn't have a clue what to get me. 😇

I love how I can set the screen to show cadence, pace, distance, running time etc. So it helps me to pace myself. It also has training plans, which I might try. SueAppleRun are using Garmin coach and I'm waiting for their next update.

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate in reply to Fionamags]

Next update about to be posted

[Hidden]

I was using Strava happily on my phone during C25k and early consolidation runs, but the GPS did go dippy a few times and gave me stats an Olympian would have been proud of. I bought my Garmin 45s with my saved petrol money during lockdown and I love it. It does everything I need and more and I would buy it again tomorrow 😊.

[MrsSchnauzerSmith]

I use Endomondo and find it’s really reliable. It is probably your phone causing the issue? The only problem I’ve had Roth Endomondo is when I put my phone in a back pocket to walk the dog, I’d popped it on to check distances for a possible new run, and my butt cheek accidentally switched it to speaking Spanish! Hola!!

[lehcar70 60minGraduate]

Update - I borrowed son's snazzy phone which helpfully told me for large parts of my run the GPS signal was lost and when it did eventually give me a lap time, it was set to miles. Doh! I have ordered the forerunner 35