3rd consolidation run - confusing stats! Help needed.

[Marcomanc]

Hi all. I’ve just completed my third consolidation run and as it was a good run and I was feeling good having tried a new route I decided to carry on after my usual 30 minutes to run for my first 5k. I was tracking my run on both Strava and Runkeeper as I still can’t decide which one I prefer but the problem is I get different information on each. I turn them on within seconds of each other but still get quite differing stats. Has anyone else experienced this? Which info is correct? I am only using the apps on my phone in my pocket as I don’t have a running watch thingy.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

How different are the readings?

The apps may be set to check your position at different intervals and this may or may not be possible to change in the app settings. If they are both set up the same they should return broadly comparable results.

[Marcomanc Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Runkeeper says I ran 5.07km in 36m 13. Strava says 5.18km in 35m 14. I’ll have a look at the settings to see if I can make sense of it.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to Marcomanc]

It is odd that the duration differs and that could be because one is set up to stop the timer when you are not running (pure guess!)

[a_in_gsr Graduate]

I find different apps always give slightly different results...

Personally, choose one from here on out that you will focus on, and then see our progress from here. You could also keep both, but compare your previous runs to the new one; without focusing too much that they give you slightly different measurements.

[Marcomanc Graduate in reply to a_in_gsr]

Thanks. I think that’s good advice.

[nowster Graduate]

It does depend on how often each app queries the GPS and what smoothing algorithms they use. For example, when you will have inevitably had to wait to cross Princess Road there, what does it do when you're standing around waiting for the lights to change. Does it pause the timer or does it continue logging?

Fun fact: the A6010 forms an incomplete, intermediate ring road round Manchester. Your end meets Edge Lane in Chorlton. The other end meets Bury New Road in Broughton, and it circles the centre via the Alan Turing Way, passing the Eastlands stadium. It was planned as one of three ring roads back in 1945.

[Marcomanc Graduate in reply to nowster]

I like those kinds of fun facts nowster, thanks for that. Yes, I did have to wait to cross but I’m not sure what the different apps do in that situation to be honest. This was my first time not running in the park.

[LottieMW Graduate]

I have that with Strava and MapMyWalk. I did a (not) Park Run for my first consolidation run last week...counted the 5 minute warm up, jogged for 30, walked to the finish...

Strava finished first: 5km in 47:15

MMW...I had to walk a bit extra to make up the distance... 3.11 miles in 50:03.

Before C25k, I was was regularly walking 2 miles and would measure both as walks in miles. Strava would always finish first. I’m tempted to think (in my case) that Strava is more accurate as I ran a measured course, and it measured 5k at the finish.

Plus it was faster...so I’m counting that! 😂

[Marcomanc Graduate in reply to LottieMW]

Ha ha! Yes, it’s the same for me. Strava always says I’m going faster!