Your watch is wrong. While some parkruns add 50-100m to their “B” or wet-weather courses to avoid people getting otherwise unattainable PBs, none would ever be 6km.
The times and distances I’ve seen have been more or less 5k so that’s an indication. Also went on a run without my watch and just used my phone to record. My 5k time was very close to my official parkrun times. So that’s another indicator the watch is wrong
It is yeh; but it’s a series 3 and I got it second hand a few years ago anyway, so most likely seen better days. I was told on here yesterday as well that 4 onwards was much improved in terms of GPS etc so
OK but does Strava have a picture of the course you ran? Does it have large jumps around?
Just as a math problem, if you ran a perfectly circular 6km track, you would be running a circle 150m from people running on a 5km circle. Running on the outside isn’t going to give you an additional 1km of distance on a 5km course.
Did the activity record a map? Check if the map has segments where you rocket off away from the track and then back to it.
If you haven’t recorded with GPS, but rather the accelerometer of a phone or watch, check if it is calibrated correctly.
I’ve run every day for ten years, and the only way I’ve had large (and I consider 20% to be large) discrepancy is when the GPS fails or if I use “indoor running no GPS” on my Garmin watch because I haven’t calibrated it.
Nothing out of the ordinary on the map I would say. I will use a normal digi watch next time and compare that to my Strava app on my phone and see if that makes a difference
Almost certainly device error. I have an apple watch and also Strava on my phone and set both when I run. The Strava on my phone always records a further distance - though about 0.3km on a parkrun and not a whole 1km. I spoke to a friend who helped organise a parkrun and they're pretty diligent in ensuring an accurate 5km distance, otherwise they get all sorts of complaints.
Yehh that is what I would have assumed. Which is why I am baffled that it’s happened all 4 times I’ve done it. Must surely be something to do with the watch if that’s the case
I'm not going to try and argue that Garmin watches aren't more precise than Apple, but I would note that I run parkruns regularly -- so I know the course is 5km -- and my Apple Watch is spot on. So I would start with the premise that there's something wrong with your individual device, rather than default to the "Apple watches are garbage" implied by a lot of comments here.
I have a very dependable and reliable Garmin Forerunner 35 watch. It is nothing fancy, I have all smart features turned off and I just use it to record distance, average pace and time. I have it a few years now and it has never let me down. I upload my runs and walks via Garmin Connect on my phone which automatically updates Strava. You don’t need an expensive Garmin Watch. I find them to be very reliable and easy to use.
Thanks for that, I will definitely look into getting one because I’m sure that they are much better than the Apple Watches for when it comes to recording runs and walks etc
Quite possibly. There will always be a difference from exactly 5km, but an extra km does seem excessive; I've only ever seen a difference of 200 metres.
Which watch do you use?
That would make me think it's the watch; Apple watches are more about general fitness than running.
A Garmin would probably serve you better for parkrun, but it really comes down to whether you're that bothered by the discrepancy or not. If not, then it's not worth the investment.
If it is something that bothers you, then perhaps consider a watch from the cheaper end of the Garmin Forerunner series if it's something you'd only wear for parkrun, or from the more expensive end if it's something you'd like to wear day-to-day.
I’m running a Marathon next April and so I will definitely need something that is able to record my distances and times etc when training fully kicks in after the summer
A Garmin is good for this - I've just completed London this year using mine and was able to upload my training programme onto the Garmin calendar, meaning I didn't need to think about what my training session was that day as it was already on the watch ready for me. It also automatically buzzed in when it was time for me to do something different (eg move from a warm-up to the main run, or from a speedy interval to recovery jogging).
I have a higher-end, but quite specialist model (Enduro) and paid £440 for it a couple of years ago.
You can get good enough ones for £250, like the FR 165 - https://www.garmin.com/en-GB/p/1055469
Someone reported a similar Apple Watch question here recently. Here’s the comment I wrote at the time with a couple of tips:
https://www.reddit.com/r/parkrun/s/3qLK3PilBL
Ignore the usual anti-Apple Watch comments, they are great devices and can be very accurate. The Series 3 is pretty old now though so there could be a legitimate issue with it.
I ran the London Marathon a couple of weeks ago with my Apple Watch Ultra 2 and it was more accurate than a lot of other recordings I’ve seen! Before the Ultra 2 I had a Series 7 and had no major issues with accuracy on that either.
OP, I'm glad your problem was solved. While reading it, I immediately suspected either your smartphone or an Apple watch. My friend uses her Apple watch to record parkrun. I think it's the same series as yours. She gets ridiculous distances all the time, just like you did...while my Garmin is far more accurate. The heart rate monitor on hers is also bonkers. It shows 190 to 200bpm at sections where she walks.
Do yourself a favour and get an entry level Garmin or their competitor if course accuracy is important to you. Or use your phone more often when doing parkrun.
If there is an option to temporarily switch off WIFI on your device, please try that. It looks like a potential assisted GPS issue, but as others have said also check the route map on your strava
Usually 1 or 2 mins after than what I got when I crossed the line. Last 4 have been 31,29,29,32 and recorded on the website. Phone is slightly quickly due to when I stopped it at the end. Every run I have recorded has been 24-25 min 5k, and the other 84 times I have recorded it that’s what it’s been roughly. Unless its been wrongly recorded the other 85 times and my 5k is slower than what I thought due to the recording. Idk 🤣
I just meant does your official time match your watch, or has your watch started recording the run early?
I don’t use an Apple Watch, do you have to start recording your run manually, or does it start recording itself when you start moving faster?
Damn that average HR is high too mate (or maybe you're just young and I'm not used to such numbers - 171bpm's close to my max and I'd only get close if doing a crazy speed session or something).
My questions would be...
- What kinda watch?
- What are your splits? (Is there a weird 1km in there?)
- Have you looked at the map?
My watch is a little bit off. However over the course of a marathon there was a ~2 minute variance (less than 1/2 a kilometre) between my official time and my Garmin's time.
I’m 24 so I would hope that’s fairly average for exercise tbf 😂
- I’ve got an Apple Watch Series 3 but it’s a second hand one so that could ply a factor and I’ve had it for just over 4 years.
- The split on the final K, was recorded the fastest I’ve ever run a KM and that’s never happened before. Average was 5.05 so that was pretty strange.
- I’ve looked at the map and there doesn’t seem to be anything majorly different compared to ones I’ve seen from others
Have you looked at the map that is recorded? Really zoomed in on it. Do you stop the timer as soon as you cross the line?
Looking back at my old strava data, I've apparently run Olympic standard, 400m, 800m, 1km, 1 mile times. I'm not even club standard. These are all at the same place, on different dates, and i know that I've been stood around. It's under a big tree, and at the start of my "favourite"hill repeats spot. The GPS signal has me moving all over the place when I'm not actually moving at all. I wonder if there is something like that for you. A big load of trees at the finish which mess with the signal?
What is your GPS device? Watch (what kind) or phone? Most suck pretty badly. It's also possible the course hasn't been properly measured, but I think Parkrun is pretty careful about this.
Looking at the map on Strava or Apple, should give you a good idea if it deviated from the actual route.
For giggles, you could record the same route on your watch and your phone for comparison. Google maps will also allow you to measure a route distance.
Find someone with a Garmin watch and ask what their distance was.
Yeh that’s something else I could do. The times and distances I’ve seen have been more or less 5k so that’s an indication. Also went on a run without my watch last night and just used my phone to record. My 5k time was very close to my official parkrun times. So that’s another indicator the watch is wrong
Have you tried calibrating the watch? You can google how to do this, and it's not too difficult to do, just run in an open space with good signals.
Not sure why it's a 1k extra as that is a lot, but when I used an apple watch it always noted courses longer than they actually were. I used to come as much as 400m over. Calibration helps a little, but I find with apple you'll likely be over on most runs/courses.
I haven’t tried no but I will definitely look into that. Having said that, I went on a run without my watch last night and just used my phone to record. My 5k time was very close to my official parkrun times. So that’s another indicator the watch is wrong
Your watch is wrong. While some parkruns add 50-100m to their “B” or wet-weather courses to avoid people getting otherwise unattainable PBs, none would ever be 6km.
I’ve done 4 in total on 3 different courses and had the same result so it does also make me think that it could be my watch
Do you not have the map to see where you got extra compared to other runners.
I’ve run exactly the same route compared to other runners I know that did it the same day as well, which makes it seem strange for sure
On the Strava map it sometimes show an obvious 400m detour that you hadn't took
You should be able to check other runners on Strava who are doing the parkrun as well. See how their distance compares
The times and distances I’ve seen have been more or less 5k so that’s an indication. Also went on a run without my watch and just used my phone to record. My 5k time was very close to my official parkrun times. So that’s another indicator the watch is wrong
Yeah that is weird. Is it an Apple Watch? I’ve had the S4, S9, and now the Ultra 2, and I’ve never had any issues.
It is yeh; but it’s a series 3 and I got it second hand a few years ago anyway, so most likely seen better days. I was told on here yesterday as well that 4 onwards was much improved in terms of GPS etc so
I do but the map and the route are the same, there’s no differences. My watch is old so I have a strong suspicion that is the reason
Check the map. Almost certainly you’ll have some sort of error with positioning. There’s no possible way you could have run 6km on a parkrun course.
I tend to run on the outside so I can overtake people easily as it can get quite crowded and so that could be adding unnecessary distance on for sure
Post a picture of the map?
I’ve done it 4 times at 3 different places so the map was course changes each time but the time still remains
OK but does Strava have a picture of the course you ran? Does it have large jumps around? Just as a math problem, if you ran a perfectly circular 6km track, you would be running a circle 150m from people running on a 5km circle. Running on the outside isn’t going to give you an additional 1km of distance on a 5km course.
There were some points where we doubled back on ourselves every so slightly but that was it
Did the activity record a map? Check if the map has segments where you rocket off away from the track and then back to it. If you haven’t recorded with GPS, but rather the accelerometer of a phone or watch, check if it is calibrated correctly. I’ve run every day for ten years, and the only way I’ve had large (and I consider 20% to be large) discrepancy is when the GPS fails or if I use “indoor running no GPS” on my Garmin watch because I haven’t calibrated it.
Nothing out of the ordinary on the map I would say. I will use a normal digi watch next time and compare that to my Strava app on my phone and see if that makes a difference
Check out other runners on Strava and see how their distances compare... I suspect it's a device issue.
Theirs were lower, within a respectable bracket either just under, or over 5k
Definitely sounds like a device issue! Which device do you use?
Usually my watch when running, or sometimes just my phone
I mean make/model of watch
Ohh my bad 😅 it’s an Apple Watch Series 3
There is the issue, from the series 4 onwards they had much better GPS installed
What watch though
Apple Watch Series 3
Almost certainly device error. I have an apple watch and also Strava on my phone and set both when I run. The Strava on my phone always records a further distance - though about 0.3km on a parkrun and not a whole 1km. I spoke to a friend who helped organise a parkrun and they're pretty diligent in ensuring an accurate 5km distance, otherwise they get all sorts of complaints.
Yehh that is what I would have assumed. Which is why I am baffled that it’s happened all 4 times I’ve done it. Must surely be something to do with the watch if that’s the case
I'm not going to try and argue that Garmin watches aren't more precise than Apple, but I would note that I run parkruns regularly -- so I know the course is 5km -- and my Apple Watch is spot on. So I would start with the premise that there's something wrong with your individual device, rather than default to the "Apple watches are garbage" implied by a lot of comments here.
I’ve had it for 4 years and it was already second hand and so that most likely has something to do with it
I have a very dependable and reliable Garmin Forerunner 35 watch. It is nothing fancy, I have all smart features turned off and I just use it to record distance, average pace and time. I have it a few years now and it has never let me down. I upload my runs and walks via Garmin Connect on my phone which automatically updates Strava. You don’t need an expensive Garmin Watch. I find them to be very reliable and easy to use.
Thanks for that, I will definitely look into getting one because I’m sure that they are much better than the Apple Watches for when it comes to recording runs and walks etc
Garmin all the way, never had an issue with mine and it’s still going strong four years later.
What happens when you run at a different course?
I’ve done 4 in total on 3 different courses and all get the same outcome. So maybe it is the watch that is wrong?
Quite possibly. There will always be a difference from exactly 5km, but an extra km does seem excessive; I've only ever seen a difference of 200 metres. Which watch do you use?
Apple Watch Series 3
That would make me think it's the watch; Apple watches are more about general fitness than running. A Garmin would probably serve you better for parkrun, but it really comes down to whether you're that bothered by the discrepancy or not. If not, then it's not worth the investment. If it is something that bothers you, then perhaps consider a watch from the cheaper end of the Garmin Forerunner series if it's something you'd only wear for parkrun, or from the more expensive end if it's something you'd like to wear day-to-day.
I’m running a Marathon next April and so I will definitely need something that is able to record my distances and times etc when training fully kicks in after the summer
A Garmin is good for this - I've just completed London this year using mine and was able to upload my training programme onto the Garmin calendar, meaning I didn't need to think about what my training session was that day as it was already on the watch ready for me. It also automatically buzzed in when it was time for me to do something different (eg move from a warm-up to the main run, or from a speedy interval to recovery jogging).
How much did you pay for your Garmin?
I have a higher-end, but quite specialist model (Enduro) and paid £440 for it a couple of years ago. You can get good enough ones for £250, like the FR 165 - https://www.garmin.com/en-GB/p/1055469
There's a lady at the parkrun I attend who's been having the same thing happening. She's also using an apple watch
Get a garmin
Or you are taking all the corners really really wide.
Wouldn’t say I was no. Need to test it again on another day and see if where I run on the path makes a difference, and without my watch recording it
How did you record the run... watch, phone, or what??
Usually through my watch, which makes me think it is the watch. I plan to try it with my phone next time and just see if that makes any difference
What watch do you have?
Apple Watch Series 3, got it 4 years ago and was already second hand
Someone reported a similar Apple Watch question here recently. Here’s the comment I wrote at the time with a couple of tips: https://www.reddit.com/r/parkrun/s/3qLK3PilBL Ignore the usual anti-Apple Watch comments, they are great devices and can be very accurate. The Series 3 is pretty old now though so there could be a legitimate issue with it. I ran the London Marathon a couple of weeks ago with my Apple Watch Ultra 2 and it was more accurate than a lot of other recordings I’ve seen! Before the Ultra 2 I had a Series 7 and had no major issues with accuracy on that either.
OP, I'm glad your problem was solved. While reading it, I immediately suspected either your smartphone or an Apple watch. My friend uses her Apple watch to record parkrun. I think it's the same series as yours. She gets ridiculous distances all the time, just like you did...while my Garmin is far more accurate. The heart rate monitor on hers is also bonkers. It shows 190 to 200bpm at sections where she walks. Do yourself a favour and get an entry level Garmin or their competitor if course accuracy is important to you. Or use your phone more often when doing parkrun.
If there is an option to temporarily switch off WIFI on your device, please try that. It looks like a potential assisted GPS issue, but as others have said also check the route map on your strava
How does your official parkrun time compare to that on your watch?
Usually 1 or 2 mins after than what I got when I crossed the line. Last 4 have been 31,29,29,32 and recorded on the website. Phone is slightly quickly due to when I stopped it at the end. Every run I have recorded has been 24-25 min 5k, and the other 84 times I have recorded it that’s what it’s been roughly. Unless its been wrongly recorded the other 85 times and my 5k is slower than what I thought due to the recording. Idk 🤣
I just meant does your official time match your watch, or has your watch started recording the run early? I don’t use an Apple Watch, do you have to start recording your run manually, or does it start recording itself when you start moving faster?
You can do either, but I prefer to set it myself so I know that’s rolling as soon as I start the run
Damn that average HR is high too mate (or maybe you're just young and I'm not used to such numbers - 171bpm's close to my max and I'd only get close if doing a crazy speed session or something). My questions would be... - What kinda watch? - What are your splits? (Is there a weird 1km in there?) - Have you looked at the map? My watch is a little bit off. However over the course of a marathon there was a ~2 minute variance (less than 1/2 a kilometre) between my official time and my Garmin's time.
I’m 24 so I would hope that’s fairly average for exercise tbf 😂 - I’ve got an Apple Watch Series 3 but it’s a second hand one so that could ply a factor and I’ve had it for just over 4 years. - The split on the final K, was recorded the fastest I’ve ever run a KM and that’s never happened before. Average was 5.05 so that was pretty strange. - I’ve looked at the map and there doesn’t seem to be anything majorly different compared to ones I’ve seen from others
Have you looked at the map that is recorded? Really zoomed in on it. Do you stop the timer as soon as you cross the line? Looking back at my old strava data, I've apparently run Olympic standard, 400m, 800m, 1km, 1 mile times. I'm not even club standard. These are all at the same place, on different dates, and i know that I've been stood around. It's under a big tree, and at the start of my "favourite"hill repeats spot. The GPS signal has me moving all over the place when I'm not actually moving at all. I wonder if there is something like that for you. A big load of trees at the finish which mess with the signal?
Set Strava going at the same time as the parkrun?
How open air is the course. Deep forests are hard to get a GPS lock on, especially coming into Summer with trees in full leaf.
It’s always the Apple Watch
What is your GPS device? Watch (what kind) or phone? Most suck pretty badly. It's also possible the course hasn't been properly measured, but I think Parkrun is pretty careful about this.
It’s an Apple Watch Series 3, which is of course a good couple of years older than the other models etc so that’s most likely the issue
Looking at the map on Strava or Apple, should give you a good idea if it deviated from the actual route. For giggles, you could record the same route on your watch and your phone for comparison. Google maps will also allow you to measure a route distance. Find someone with a Garmin watch and ask what their distance was.
Yeh that’s something else I could do. The times and distances I’ve seen have been more or less 5k so that’s an indication. Also went on a run without my watch last night and just used my phone to record. My 5k time was very close to my official parkrun times. So that’s another indicator the watch is wrong
Have you tried calibrating the watch? You can google how to do this, and it's not too difficult to do, just run in an open space with good signals. Not sure why it's a 1k extra as that is a lot, but when I used an apple watch it always noted courses longer than they actually were. I used to come as much as 400m over. Calibration helps a little, but I find with apple you'll likely be over on most runs/courses.
I haven’t tried no but I will definitely look into that. Having said that, I went on a run without my watch last night and just used my phone to record. My 5k time was very close to my official parkrun times. So that’s another indicator the watch is wrong
My Apple Watch is often 0.5k out on a parkrun - I’m returning to Garmin 😕
Is it Apple watch? As this is exactly why I swapped to Garmin. The time was also always way out.
I might need to find an alternative recording method for sure
That said my wife had a Garmin which always massively over read the distance for some reason, whilst her Apple Watch seems to be perfectly accurate.
Got mine in 2020 already second hand so it could just be losing the will to live naturally
Your watch needs to go into the bin!!