Syncing PacePro splits with marathon race mile markers

I don't believe that is how pace pro works. From the small use I have of it the PacePro is based on the elevation changes to work out where and when you should be kicking up a bit of slowing down for a hill.

I don't see how it would be able to give you a pace if it had a big up and a big down in the same mile.

But I could be wrong.

I don't know of a way to sync a course mile-marker to a PacePro plan.  PacePro lap locations and calculations are not based upon the GPS distance measurement that the watch uses for most of the distance metrics (autolap, total distance, etc.), but uses the geo location of the lap location defined when you create a PacePro plan from a course.  In other words, when you are running your race, the PacePro laps are triggered by location on the course, not measured distance from the GPS track.

The real trick is to match up your course created in Garmin Connect to the race course so that mile markers are as close as possible.

Thanks for reply. I'm looking to use PacePro for distance (mile) splits, not elevation splits.  But the distance splits take into the elevation of each mile split.  The problem I have is ensuring the distance splits I have on my PacePro plan match accurately with the splits marked by the mile markers on the marathon course.

If you have mile marker splits you are limiting yourself to 26 splits.  PacePro could split that into 30 or more splits that 'could' potentially get you that even better time. 

Thanks, Dan.Boilermaker I agree.
But marathons don't publish a .gpx of the course - and using other athletes' activities for past events to create a route would not ensure accuracy as the precise location of the start and finish may change year on year.
The organisers only publish a vague PDF of the route.  I want to be more accurate so I can be sure to achieve my PB.

frattoneyes said:

The organisers only publish a vague PDF of the route.

It is beyond me that participants are not provided public link to a course.  Good luck.

PacePro locks to the position on the course, NOT to the accumulated GPS splits.

DCRainmaker's review of the F6 has more information on how PacePro works. www.dcrainmaker.com/.../garmin-fenix6-pro-solar-series-review.html

Dan.Boilermaker said:

frattoneyes said:

The organisers only publish a vague PDF of the route.

It is beyond me that participants are not provided public link to a course.  Good luck.

I agree it would be useful.

I suspect that Race Directors are afraid that people will blindly follow the GPS trace, which may be an issue if there has had to be a late change in the course for permitting or safety reasons.

Thanks @mcalista for the link above.  The article succinctly sums up the predicament:

"What’s notable here is is that it locks to your GPS location on the predefined course (think of it like a train track, or roller coaster ride), rather than your watch distance the GPS has measured. This has its pros and cons.

On the plus side, this means that if your GPS accuracy goes to crap (such as with a tunnel, or just life in general), then it doesn’t impact PacePro. That’s really really cool, and is considerably different than something like Virtual Partner or any other pacing functionality. On the downside though, if there’s a difference between the route/course you created in Garmin Connect (or wherever) and the course that you’re running – then you’re up crap-creek. That could happen if either there’s a change on race day due to some road scenario, or if the route you created on GC has unnoticed anomalies in it."

I guess I'll just have to make sure the course I create is as accurate as possible.

Well, you are now outlining a different problem to the one outlined in your original post.

If you do find yourself in the situation of last-minute course changes, then the fall-back position would be to use a Pace Pro strategy for a generic marathon distance. While course changes in the days leading up to an event do happen (which would allow to create a new PacePro strategy for the changed course), truly last-minute changes are less common.