Garmin for London - Questions!

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5 years ago 04/20/2018 4:11pm EDT

Hi friends!!!

Running London on Sunday - a few questions on what I should do about my watch situation.

In past marathons, I've used a normal sport watch (i.e. no GPS tracking) and just ticked off a split at each mile marker. However, for all my long runs and training for the past year plus, I've been using a Garmin Forerunner 25. Should I use this for the marathon also, or go back to the regular sport watch?

If I go with the Garmin, will I have any issues being able to get signal at the start? I'm ok if my watch distance is a little off at the end of the day, I just don't want to be standing at the start "waiting for GPS".

Also, if I go with the Garmin, what should my 2 screens (with 2 data fields apiece be). I'm stuck between choosing 4 of these 5 fields:

1. Total Time

2. Total Distance

3. Lap Time

4. Avg. Pace

5. Current Pace

Normally on my runs in training, I didn't have lap time in there - my watch would autolap every mile. But since my watch distance will be off from the mile markers in the race, I think I tick off the miles and include lap time. But I'm not sure what to cut out.

Any and all help would be appreciated! Thanks in advance!!!

5 years ago 04/20/2018 4:52pm EDT

re: watchguy

Reliable mile markers in London + dodgy signal due to urban area = use manual lapping, rely on average lap time for your mile splits.

Or just trust the GPS.

5 years ago 04/20/2018 5:06pm EDT

re: larkimm

GPS works everywhere in the world. It is military engineered.

Your GPS watch will even auto correct for the time zone.

I wouldn't even mess with any other watch...

5 years ago 04/20/2018 7:10pm EDT

re: manualf150

manualf150 wrote:
GPS works everywhere in the world. It is military engineered.
Your GPS watch will even auto correct for the time zone.
I wouldn't even mess with any other watch...

Lol, do you use GPS at all? I can go to a dozen places within 5 miles of me here in California that GPS will not work. That crappy GPS chip in your Garmin is inspired by military tech, but it certainly isn't military-grade.

If the OP wants to get a reasonably correct distance, they should be using a calibrated footpod.

5 years ago 04/21/2018 3:59am EDT

re: Get a clue

So which fields do you think I should use on each page?

5 years ago 04/21/2018 4:57am EDT

re: watchguy

Screen #1

Total Distance

Total Time

Screen #2

Lap Time

Current Pace

5 years ago 04/21/2018 5:07am EDT

re: watchguy

Use the GPS watch because Strava.

Depends on what your goal is. I would just do total time and current pace.

Manual or auto lap is personal preference. Do you use miles and are the miles marked?

5 years ago 04/21/2018 5:19am EDT

re: watchguy

Personally I would have; previous lap split time and total time.

Use manual lapping every-time you cross a mile marker.

5 years ago 04/21/2018 6:51am EDT

re: watchguy

My garmin was fine in London - got signal no probs at the start but then you're in a big open park so no real reason why you should have trouble with any make...

My watch measured 26.55 which was the shortest (i.e. closest to accurate) I've had on a marathon. Not sure why - maybe sticking to the clearly marked out racing line.

5 years ago 04/21/2018 7:46am EDT

re: watchguy

I ran London last year... every mile is marked on the course, so I used the manual lap on my watch so that I could measure splits by course.

My watch measured long but not drastically. What I did notice around 17-20miles, was that the high rise buildings screwed up my lap pace so it was reassuring to see that when I hit the lap button I was still on pace.

The only screen I used was Cadence (helps me focus on stride), lap pace, lap time. That way I just focus on one mile at a time... there are enough clocks on the course to keep you on track.

Hope this helps!

5 years ago 04/21/2018 7:57am EDT

re: manualf150

manualf150 wrote:
GPS works everywhere in the world.

Nyet.

Mind you mine uses GPS and GLASNOST* at the same time which helps.

* :-)

5 years ago 04/21/2018 8:00am EDT

re: larkimm

larkimm wrote:
Reliable mile markers in London + dodgy signal due to urban area = use manual lapping, rely on average lap time for your mile splits.
Or just trust the GPS.

This guy knows his onions. But its really only the start that's an issue and that's pretty open isn't it? It's not like say the Pollok parkrun or GSR start where I've failed to get a signal to start with.

5 years ago 04/21/2018 9:23am EDT

re: I vaguely know the poster

Thanks all!!! This has been quite helpful :)

I think I'm going to turn off auto-lapping and click it on my own. And I'll likely go with these fields.

Screen #1

Total Time

Total Distance

Screen #2

Lap Time

Current Pace

5 years ago 04/21/2018 9:32am EDT

re: watchguy

Current pace is useless unless you wear a footpod. I would use Average Lap Pace or Average Pace from the start

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