Anthony Famiglietti sighting - He's back - wins Big South 5k in 13:57

French wisconsin wrote:

No it doesn't...depending on the course, GPS can cut corners and measure short.

This has been my belief forever! My friends have been using their GPS during 5k races and would use their time from when their GPS had said 3.1 miles "somewhere back there". Then, of course they would say that the course was long.

I always use google Earth later(ain't saying it's right but I trust it more) and find with my meticulous plotting of the course, especially the corners, that some 5k races that were "exact" turned out being anywhere between 3.03-3.07 miles.

I argue that Google Earth is superior by the fact that when I zoom in on a track and put the line right on the 100m start and finish lines, that it's usually something like 99.95-100.05m. I assume that it's really only off by my own human error.

what an asshat...ONLY a 14.15. How fast have you run a 5K? Faster than that?

Looks like I'm running Cupids Cup.

I argue that Google Earth is superior by the fact that when I zoom in on a track and put the line right on the 100m start and finish lines, that it's usually something like 99.95-100.05m. I assume that it's really only off by my own human error.

Don't rely too much on that either. The absolute best measurement, in terms of accurate, is which a tape/wheel/counter device. Google Earth uses SRTM data, which offers something like 30m vertical accuracy, at 90m horizontal grid spacing. What does that mean you ask. Imagine the physical picture of the landscape on a 2D surface stapled to a 3D sphere like object. The 2D image has to now incorporate elevation changes and measurements which is essentially where the SRTM data comes in. Data is averaged over 90m grids. Sharp spikes or drops in elevation get recorded inaccurately. In addition, depending on where the geodetic reference marker is in relation to the measurements you are trying to take, your ability to take accurate measurements will decrease the further away you are from said markers. If you want a true measurement, measure the landscape while you are in it.