Foot Pod Calibration
Just picked up a foodpod since I am doing most of my IMTX training on a TM this winter. I tested it out of the box today and it was way off. I did a quick calibration at the end of my workout at EP.
For those with footpod experience.
Wondering what the variation if any maybe between Z1 and Z5?
What is your system?
What is the best pace or Zone to calibrate your footpod on a Treadmill?
Have you compared GPS calibration to a known distance calibration? And or a TM?
Does it even matter?
Thanks Tim,
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Tim ... sitting here @ Toyuota dealer while they perform the recall serviice on my Prius.
I got a Garmin footpod last year for my Forerunner 305. I calibrated it at my local track. I leave the footpod on my shoe for all runs, switching shoes if needed. But it's like HR - I record the data automatically, and occasionally look at it, but only to say, hmm, that's interesting, at least for outdoor runs.
In the dead of winter (NOW) I do my IP intervals on a treadmill. So when I calibrated it, I used my Threshold pace as the marker. I ofund that, going salower than that, the footpod would read SLOWER than actual pace; faster, the pod is reading FASTER than actual pace. I do not use the footpod pace to determine my work on the treadmill, I just use it to determine a setting I should use which matches my desired pace as read by the footpod.
I did the calibraion at a college outdoor track. The default calibration # is 1000; mine is 955 for that TP.
I also use the info to keep WKO+ up to date with my workouts, rather than doing a manual entry for treadmill runs. I ignore any little deviations from reality (i.e., I'm probably going a bit faster and farther than the Garmin is recording.)
On the deadmill I adjust belt speed to get the Garmin to be close to desired pace. My mill is pretty close around TP but runs faster than the Garmin at EP & MP but not by a lot.
Like Al, it allows me to get deadmill data into WKO+ without having to fuss.
Thanks guys. Santa bought me a new (smaller) foot pod so will be calibrating this weekend!
The new ones are better than the ones that used to have a AA battery in them. The calibration will be a little bit off whenever you are running with a substantially different stride. It will be darn near close enough anywhere from near MP to 5K pace from a calibration at TP. For round numbers, my MP is 7:00 and EP is 8:00. Just the other day, I did a track run and it was less than 1% off for my 5K and it was spot on at about 7:30 pace for a mile. It's been a while since I checked it "jogging" but I know it's less accurae when I'm running very slowly. I suspect it will also be further off for a treadmill because your stride is different, but then the whole treadmill thing is still not quite "reality" anyway.
Agree with everyone. Calibrate at a track and be running around threshold.
Also there was a cool little utility mentioned on the DC Rainmaker site that would look at data from an outdoor run and compare foot pod data with GPS data allowing you to manually calibrate. Finding a long straight road resulted in the best data.
Search his site for "foot pod" and it should come up. If you can't find it, repost and I'll dig it up.
Only reason I got it was to download and log Treadmill runs. Pretty interesting to look at my cadence on todays run though. 92-93 on EP recoveries and 102-103 on Vo2 intervals. Just looking to get the distance down right.
I wrote a post a month or two ago on calibration of treadmills and an unscientific collection of data from a set of treadmills vs. my footpod calibration. Overall my takeaway was that the TMs are nowhere near as inaccurate and inconsistent as the forums would have you believe...most of them are pretty good. So, like you Tim, I only use the footpod becuase it facilitates uploading, logging and tracking.
I'll also say I don't run on the mill that often and try to get outdoors as much as I can. You may live in NH but I'm sure you can brave the elements, buddy!!
Tim...I picked up a Footpod as well this year...thinking of data/two things...1.) I was interested in getting a read on my running cadence and 2.) I thought it would be a good check on the TM paces...
I have since concluded ..a.) I like the cadence data outside running....and b.) it simply is not worth it trying to calibrate the footpod/outside cadence/paces with the TM....
I believe there are too many variables at play...you change your form, stride length, etc. inside....and I have decided that I will run my quality workouts outside as much as possible...and that when I do run on the TM I will use as amuch as possible the same TM and live with the potential that the pace is off...( I will always tend to run the indoor work at a slight faster target anyway just to compensate in some way...)
Yes I can brave the weather and that is what I have done in the past. My theory and plan this year is to use the TM for the run like we use PM for the bike. I can do my FTP and V02 runs on a TM essentially removing , wind, hills , traction issues etc, and run them with consistency that I havent been able to do in the past outside. Aside from track workouts which are all covered in snow I believe this the best way to keep me honest, accountable, and consistent with Pace!