Correcting distance on Strava - any tips, please? Apart from don't!

[Cmoi]

Tried out a new forest road long run route yesterday and enjoyed it.

However, being a bear of very little brain, I didn't start Strava correctly at the beginning of my run. I use the free version on my phone (I don't yet have a running watch) so only realised when I was some way up the road and hadn't heard a 1k distance notification. I figure I've lost somewhere between 1.5k and 2k, and a chunk of elevation gain.

Grown-up me knows this isn't important, because after all I ran it, whether or not it's on Strava. However little kid me is shouting "S'not fair!" and would like the missing bit to be recorded.

I've googled and apparently there are ways (.gpx export) to add the missing section. But before I try, has anybody ever done this and can offer any tips? I'd rather not potentially mess up and lose the whole run.

Any advice welcome - including don't be daft, leave it! Thanks.

[Tasha99 Marathon]

It won’t be there to export if you didn’t start recording in the right place. Just add the missing distance on manually. Or delete the whole run and add all of it on manually. Think you can only enter the distance and time though. You can manually upload a file when you have actually recorded the data. Lots of us had to do this in the summer when Garmin got hacked. You may be able to do it on a laptop if you open Strava and edit the run but I would’ve thought you can only shorten it rather than lengthen it.

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to Tasha99]

Thanks Tasha99 , appreciate your reply. What I've found suggests I could export the existing file, modify the gps markers via an app, then delete the old file and upload the new one. However I'm a bit wary of so much tinkering about. Will look into adding the missing bit manually. Or leaving the record as it is, and learning my lesson!

[Tasha99 Marathon in reply to Cmoi]

Just click on the plus sign on the app 👍🏽

[linda9389 Administrator Marathon]

I think I'd be inclined to take what was recorded because it has all the data, and call it part 2; then add the missing bit (part 1) manually - I think you can still add elevation, as well as time and distance, just no map and no HR data.

[Cmoi Marathon]

Thanks again Tasha99 and linda9389 . I've opted for simplicity and added a manual entry for the missing bit. I run that section quite a lot so based distance and elevation on previous data, it felt more honest!

[GoGo_JoJo Ultramarathon]

It is so annoying... I was robbed of 300ft ascent yesterday as the GPS hadn't locked on yet. Sounds like not much, but it would have made the whole run 2,500ft which is what I was going for. It still clocked the 18 miles but couldn't draw the first .60 of a mile nor give me the correct elevation.

I've looked into those tools before when I've had weird GPS spikes etc. I found that unless you're really clever with this stuff (and I'm not usually one to struggle) it's more trouble than its worth. Really made no sense. 🙈

I completely understand the childish sentiment though! You're not alone there! 👍🏻😁

[Cmoi Marathon in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

Thanks GoGo_JoJo . My missing data was entirely my own fault, so I can understand that it's even more infuriating when the technology plays up and it deprives you of your target.

That said, if you'd told me when I started C25K in mid-May that I'd be posting on the marathon forum about adding to a run that was already recorded as 16.37km I'd have laughed hysterically at the idea. I really need to learn to be more laidback! 🤣🤣🤣

[SueAppleRun 10 Miles]

You will have to try the zombies because the distance is on there as well