This discussion has been locked.
You can no longer post new replies to this discussion. If you have a question you can start a new discussion

Fature request: 400m Track

Feature ofc, not fature!
I understand the limitations of GPS, but doing a tempo run yesterday on the track was most frustrating: at the end of a 7200m/4.5mi run, the watch had me doing 7.62km, or 100m off every mile.
Would there be a way for software engineers to make an app that somehow compensated for this inaccuracy every time the watch passed the same point (starting line) on a track? Failing that, that adjusted the distance each time a user pushed a button to signal a 400m lap or 4x400m laps or whatever?

Though this is hardly new to most of you, here for laughs is my track (both GPS and GLONASS on) from the run, which was on the very inside of lane 1 the whole way: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1965998252


Sorry I wrote this before finding, three pages in, a thread on track running, and I understand the wrist might have something to do with it (left wrist, clockwise in my case, but right on the inside line the whole way), and that I could just use the stopwatch and manually add the activity into GC later, but I'd like the watch to sync it for me (lazy I know), and wonder if such an app would be hard to make :)
  • There is a data field that can do it, but only for km or mile laps.

    https://www.google.de/amp/s/www.dcrainmaker.com/2016/12/pacing-races-garmin.html/amp

    Maybe the author can make lap distance configurable.
  • Was going to mention but beat me to it. I haven't actually tried it. Has anybody?

    personally I would first try the 935 on your left wridt first if you are going round a track the normal anti-clockwise way in lane 1.

    Forerunners used to have auto lap by position which could help here. I think a few CIQ data fields might attempt to do similar.

    it is a bit of a catch 22 though as you know how far the distance is and a simple 1980s Casio can time it. Horses for courses springs to mind and a GPS device just isn't greal in tight circles. You might also want to look into to using a foot pod which, if calibrated for you at your normal pace, should give reasonable results.

    that all said my runs on the track with a 935 have been good enough and when I cycled a miles on the track the other week it was almost spot on.
  • Yep, there's Lap by Position:
    https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/56ac6530-5b61-4ed2-9e2f-d682064efeb6

    The dev says that it works great for track intervals.

    None of these apps will change the distance or laps that's recorded the FIT file, though. They just adjust the information that is displayed to you while you are running.
  • As an aside noticed current Edge devices (certainly 520 and 1030) still have Auto Lap by Position whereas the Forerunner and presume the Fenix 5 do not.

    Some more CIQ ones that seem do auto lap by position and/or give you opportunity to adjust when go through a known point

    Loop Ultra Racer
    https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/d647721e-5147-4a84-9914-e023236b1f13

    OneRunData - One screen is all you need
    https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/08760e1e-16c7-4a61-ab0c-6c4a9b632b3f

    Race Screen (this is the one DC Rainmaker reviewed)
    https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/6a30651b-ca67-41a5-96dc-60634983fc93

    Auto Lap Counter [hLaps]
    https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/4ae5506a-0d33-4948-a101-d1b2128f3bbc
  • Was going to mention but beat me to it. I haven't actually tried it. Has anybody?


    I tried it on my last 10k race and it was a total fail. Switched off auto lap and was anxiously awaiting the first kilometre marker. Nothing happened. They had no markers in the entire race. Epic fail. Never tried race screen again. Apart from that: too much info on one screen, can not read this while running.

  • I tried it on my last 10k race and it was a total fail. Switched off auto lap and was anxiously awaiting the first kilometre marker. Nothing happened. They had no markers in the entire race. Epic fail. Never tried race screen again. Apart from that: too much info on one screen, can not read this while running.



    Ah more fail of the organisers to put out some km markers then! Even so there is always the "concern" they are in the wrong place which often happens.

    At least on a track you would not have that issue.
  • Ah more fail of the organisers to put out some km markers then! Even so there is always the "concern" they are in the wrong place which often happens.


    Yes, that's what I also wanted to say. This manual lapping is something that distracts myself from the race. Not too much, but enough. As you pointed out: lap markers on road races aren't reliable either. So for me, the normal functionality of the watch with auto lap and virtual pacer is absolutely sufficient.

    At least on a track you would not have that issue.


    No, but for track races, a classic old school Casio or Timex running watch without GPS is absolutely sufficient ;-).
  • Plus In a track race you get splits from an official - well you do in the U.K. There was once a case where the officials were fed up with everybody timing themselves despite being done properly by them they nearly DQ'ed the whole field although not sure what rule they thought the runners were breaking. Back in the day I often run sans watch but of late then there is the thought of want to post it on Strava and discuss that you "really" ran say 830m in a 800m etc etc
  • On this, just discovered that at the British track champs this year all athletes had to remove their watches before competing. I am trying to find out which rule of competition was supposedly been broken or enforced there. It is a mute point as general UK Rules of competition allow watches as long as they can't be used to communicate with somebody. Of course with a 935 you can at least receive messages.
  • Hmmm. IAAF Rule 143 is almost clear on that:

    "For the purpose of this Rule, the following shall not be considered
    assistance, and are therefore allowed:
    ...
    (d) Heart rate or speed distance monitors or stride sensors or
    similar devices carried or worn personally by athletes during
    an event, provided that such device cannot be used to
    communicate with any other person."

    Sure, carrying a smartphone is definitely forbidden. But how about a smartphone that is within bluetooth reach of the watch on a track? Isn't this almost the same as coaching advices from the side?