meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Run to the Top Podcast | The Ultimate Guide to Running

Inaccuracies with GPS Watches: How to best use the data to optimize your training

Run to the Top Podcast | The Ultimate Guide to Running

RunnersConnect: Coaching Community, Running Experts, Inspiring Runners, No Fluff Blog

Running, Fitness, Health & Fitness, Sports

4.5936 Ratings

🗓️ 5 May 2023

⏱️ 64 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

How much should you trust your GPS watch? 

In this week's coaches chat, coaches Michael and Andy dig into GPS watches and cover some of the most common questions and concerns we see as coaches, plus metrics we recommend tracking. 

They'll discuss…

  • Why GPS watches may not always be accurate, especially on trails or dirt roads.
  • Why certified marathon courses are more accurate than GPS watches.
  • Understanding effort is more important than just focusing on paces for training
  • How to have a healthy balance between the data you consume and the effort you put in. 

You don't want to miss this one. 

Connect, Comment, Community

This week's show brought to you by:

Lagoon

Lagoon specializes in making pillows designed specifically for runners and athletes to help them optimize their sleep and recovery.

Their sleep quiz pairs you with the perfect pillow for you based on sleep position, body size and more.

And the data on sleep improvement isn't only from research papers. Using her whoop device, US Olympic Trials marathon qualifier Caitlin Keen saw her deep, restorative sleep increase by 52 minutes when she switched to a Lagoon pillow.  

If you want to see the dramatic affect a pillow designed just for you can be, head to lagoonsleep.com/top 

Then take their awesome 2 minute sleep quiz that matches you with the Lagoon pillow that's perfect for you. Plus, if you use the code TOP at checkout, you'll also save 15% off your purchase. 

Oladance

If you're looking for better and safer headphones while you run, then you need to check out oladance. 

The unique design of their headphones allows you to listen to your favorite music and podcast while running, yet still hear everything going on around you so you can stay safe.

But my favorite part is that their open-ear-design means your ears will never get tired or fatigued, even after 2 hours or more of listening. That makes them perfect for those super long runs.

Plus, their dynamic driver is 3 x bigger than most headphones, which allows them to deliver superior sound, while still being comfortable.

Just visit oladance.com/rttt and use the code TOP to save 20% on your purchase.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Hello fellow runners. I'm your host Finn Melanson and this is the run to the top

0:14.2

podcast the podcast dedicated to making you a better runner with each and every

0:19.2

episode. We are created and produced by the expert team of coaches at runnersconnect.net

0:24.4

where you can find the best running information on the internet as well as training plans to

0:28.4

fit every runner and every budget.

0:35.0

How much should you trust your GPS watch?

0:41.0

If you regularly run with a GPS watch, it can be good to ask yourself, how much are you using it and relying on it during your training?

0:48.0

Does the data telling you that you are unproductive or overreaching make you question everything you've been doing?

0:54.4

What about heart rate?

0:55.4

Is that really high reading actually true?

0:58.7

GPS watches have come a long way.

1:00.6

They have improved greatly over the years, becoming more and more accurate.

1:03.7

However, they still aren't perfect and we see this often when we step on the line to race.

1:08.8

Inevitably, there is a discrepancy between the coarse distance in your watch, which is right.

1:13.7

On this week's coaches, coaches Michael and Andy dig into GPS watches and

1:19.2

cover some of the most common questions or concerns we get, plus metrics we recommend tracking.

1:25.0

They also dig into how to have a healthy balance between the data you consume and the effort

1:29.6

you put in.

1:30.5

You don't want to miss this one. Lagoon specializes in making pillows designed specifically for runners and athletes to help you optimize your sleep and recovery.

1:41.0

Learn more at lagoon sleep.com. forward slash TOP. and before but didn't like how they felt, then you really need to give Ola Dance headphones a try.

1:55.0

You'll be amazed at the difference their open-ear design makes.

1:58.3

Head to ola Dance.com forward slash R-T.T.T. T. T. To learn more.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from RunnersConnect: Coaching Community, Running Experts, Inspiring Runners, No Fluff Blog, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of RunnersConnect: Coaching Community, Running Experts, Inspiring Runners, No Fluff Blog and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.