Technology Bites

So, I've been using the foot pod sometimes (for speed work, in particular) because it seemed to give more accurate instantaneous results. The GPS jumps around a little bit. I did tempo intervals a couple of weeks ago with the pod, and it registered 3mi at a point I knew to be, in fact, 3mi, so I was reasonably confident in it, although I figured over a longer distance, the GPS would be a little more accurate. Little did I know how much more accurate.

Sat, I was supposed to run 16 miles, with 7 of them at PMP. I mapped a route, and figured I'd do 8 easy + 7 at PMP + 1 CD. I kept an eye on the watch, and picked it up at the 8mi mark. I was feeling ambitious so I was going to run the PMP at the fastest end of the goal range. It was easier than I thought it would be. Cool!

When the watch registered another 7, I backed off and took stock. Hmmm... I should have one more mile to go, but that doesn't look like it'll get me anywhere near the 16mi mark I mapped. Must've mis-remembered the map... <plod, plod, plod>... Now that I think about it, the 8mi mark was a earlier than the map indicated, too... <plod, plod, plod>... Hmmm...

So, back in the lab, I retraced my steps on the map. Using two different mapping tools. No way around it: the pod registered 16mi at the 14.8mi mark. Luckily, the faster I went, the more accurate it got, so the 7mi part was not too far off of 7mi, and my pace was, although not at the fast end I thought it was, at least not at the slow end. No wonder it felt easy. But now I wonder if I could have run at the pace I was planning -- maybe so. Course, perhaps the stupid pod craftily saved me from myself.

This morning saw me removing the pod from my shoe, and replacing the lace it ate. I ran my farleks with just the GPS. I didn't look at the pace or distance, just the time, resigned to discovering when I got home that the paces were, sure enough, slower than they had been. Miracle of miracles, they were actually faster. A lot faster. And I was tired-er. Must have been overcompensating.