W8R2 and some fitbit help please!

[Plumesworld]

I really went for it on my run today after Laura said on my last run that if I'd managed it comfortably I needed to work harder!

I'm definitely feeling it now!

I wear my fitbit when I'm running but I don't understand what the pacing and splits mean. I turn it on to run tracking when I start the podcast so assume the splits are warm up, run and warm down. Any explanation appreciated!

[B0bP Graduate]

Pace or pacing is the speed at which you are running.

Splits = the split timings per K (or mile depending on how your device is set)

[runningnearbeirut Graduate in reply to B0bP]

Probably miles from those figures.

[MarkyD Graduate]

Hiya.

We are all familiar with the concept of speed - miles per hour or kilometres per hour. Helpful when we're driving a car, but less helpful when we are running as the speed is much lower.

So instead, running metrics use 'Pace' which is the opposite of speed. Instead of miles per hour (speed), pace is 'how many minutes to run one mile'? Or, 'how many minutes to run one kilometer? So completing a parkrun (5km) in 35 minutes means that each kilometre takes 7 minutes. That is a '7 minute pace'. Strictly, 7 minute per kilometre pace. If you run a marathon in, say 4 hours or 240 minutes, you've done 42 kilometres in 240 minutes - about 6 minute kilometres and '6 minute pace'. Speed does not really work in these 2 examples, because the speeds are (parkrun) 8.5km/hour and (marathon) 11 km/hour. The numbers are quite low, and hard to understand.

Your fitbit is recording in miles. So the time at the end of each row (14'50 etc) is your pace to run one mile. Since this is W8r2, you have a 5 minute warmup walk, and 28 minutes of running. So your first 1 mile includes the warming up - so it took you longer to cover the first mile. Your second mile was quicker as you were running all the time. You completed the second mile in 14'13, so that is (slightly over) a 14 minute pace.

During the W8r2, you completed 2.67 miles, and the last 'split' was the slowest (of course) at a pace of 17'05 minutes per mile as you were probably tiring, and also did your cool-down walk.

The whole activity has been split into 1 mile sections by fitbit, and we call these 'splits'. Split 1, split 2 etc. My colleagues (very experienced runners) train with 'negative splits' meaning that each kilometre or mile is run faster that the previous one.

Hope that helps, you'll graduate next week! Whoop Whoop!!

[sparky66 Graduate in reply to MarkyD]

Wow marky d.. that was a very full and thoughtful reply.. it's help like yours on this forum that makes it one of the best I've ever known!! Invaluable.. I'm sure appreciated by lots of new to techies

[MarkyD Graduate in reply to sparky66]

That's what an engineering degree and a love of mathematics brings to the party

[sparky66 Graduate in reply to MarkyD]

ahh my son is at college studying engineering and he also loves Math.. I'm glad to say just as helpful.. sadly lacking in motivation on the excercise front..

Lol can't have it all.. I will keep working on him

Good on you!

[Plumesworld Graduate in reply to MarkyD]

Thank you! Very informative! Yes looking forward to graduating!

[Allydee Graduate]

Thanks - I've been using the Fitbit flex and have also been confused!!! I've also given up on the stride length calculations as it says divide a distance by feet (imperial?) or actual feet paces? The Fitbit automatically calculates the stride in cms... Very confusing!!! I now only put the distance tracker on once I've finished the warm up/stop before warm down and have run keeper open at the same time. I did wk 8 run 2 like this and the Fitbit said 4.5 km and run keeper said 4.2. I was just happy to do 4! For graduation I'm going to do the Southsea parkrun on Saturday... Looking forward to it!!!!