GPS, pace and cardiofitness

[Pannekoek01]

Dear All,

 I have just been on a short run. The distance is 5.5 km and the time registered by my versa was 32.21 min. I thought (know) it was quite a good run. The versa and my iphone were probably not immediately GPS connected as my versa only registered a distance of 4.48 km. With the following paces. 

1. 7’06”

2. 7’08”

3. 7’26”

4. 7’16”

5. 7’21” (0.48km)

However according to me my average time should have been close to 5’50” over the 5.5 km. 

Because of this my cardio fitness score dropped one point. And I think has been happening more frequently.

Can I do anything to make the GPS connection to my Versa more quickly? as it took approx 1 km, which averages to approx 5 minutes before the GPS signal was found by my watch.

And can I exclude the runs where this happened in the calculation of my cardio fitness score?

Thank you,

Anne

[LZeeW]

Hello @Pannekoek01  and a warm welcome.  You Versa has the ability to make the phone connection before you actually start the run.  Are you taking advantage of this setting?  See if that helps your recorded distance.

I read an explanation in a Help article that gives a "how this stuff works"  explanation if you start your run before the GPS connects.  It said that your tracker will use your steps x stride length until the GPS connects, then use the GPS distance after that.  I think you should take a look at your GPS map.  GPS does not have the pinpoint accuracy that we wish it had, but there instances where users get really bad maps.  See this Help article.

I would not be too worried about a one point drop in cardio fitness score.  It is best estimated on a flat surface.  But that number can change simply because you ran on a humid day compared to a relatively dry day -- you heart rate tends to be a little faster on the humid day, trying to dissipate heat.  Mine dropped two points by running in the warmer late morning than in the early morning.

If you delete an run, you keep the raw data, but lose the detailed data.  It will drop that run from the cardio fitness score calculation.  A few users have accidentally chosen Run when on a treadmill.  You really don't go anywhere and that will cause your score to tank!  So a simple deletion can help.

Stop by again and let us know if this helps.

[Pannekoek01]

Thank you LZeeW for your quick and clear answer! Highly appreciated. Today I did the same run with very similar outcome, now I made sure my fitbit and phone were connected prior to the run. I think you might be right about the GPS not having the right accuracy. For now I think I will run without GPS on “normal” runs and only when I want to monitor my cardio fitness score I will run a short 1 km run on flat terrain where there is no interferance.

Thank you again. 

KR

Anne