Treadmill Distance Accuracy

[A Former User]

@pilleus Garmin let’s you calibrate after a run but the distance synced to Strava is the original (wrong) one.
There are a lot of topics on Garmin’s forum

[ChrisA]

@pilleus I second that, having had very good results with Garmin, Huawei and Amazfit and also with Polar watches (which don’t offer the possibility to adjust the distance after running, but are always very close to the actual distance). My son’s Apple watches ate also quite good. No idea why Suunto is not good at treadmill distances…

[pilleus]

@lessthanmore okay, I never synced from GarminConnect to Strava. And since I use a Raspberry Pi with a linereader and ANT+ dongle to make my old treadmill smart, the distance on the Garmin Fenix 6X Pro is equal to the Runn sensor and the Suunto watches. There is always an option …

[pilleus]

And no watch out there can show the data in the detailled view (pace, cadence) of the Runn treadmill sensor or the DIY solution with the Raspberry Pi and Ant+ (I use it with the Garmin Fenix 6X to have a comparison with the professional Runn).

Here two screenshots, one out of the Suunto app (Runn data), the other out of GarminConnect Mobile (RaspberryPi data).

[Andi Buzer]

@pilleus does Suunto also show the incline values received from the runn ?

[pilleus]

@Andi-Buzer no, the Runn is connected as a foot pod and no incline is shown on the watch. I never found a data field which could read the incline on my Suunto watches.

Zwift can do it.

Garmin has an app to show all Runn data.

[pilleus]

I asked at NPE support/contact site to add a SuuntoPlus app for Runn treadmill sensor, as it is available for Garmin’s IQ Store.

With the Fenix 6X Pro I have a data field for Runn, which shows incline, decline (in %) and ascent, descent (in m) one after the other (every two or three seconds). In the summary of the treadmill workout in GarminConnect there is a graph for incline/decline and the total ascent/descent of the workout.

I hope that NPE will read it …

[pilleus]

Okay, I found a detailled explanation of how a Runn treadmill sensor is working.

“In order to get speed/distance/cadence/gain/incline data from the Runn, the watch and/or app needs to support the Stride Base Speed & Distance (SPD) ANT+ profile.”

https://npe-inc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360038509212-Is-Runn-compatible-with-Garmin-watches-

I hope NPE will answer my request in the way, that the SPD profile is also available via BLE to have all the data on Suunto watches too.

[isazi]

@pilleus S+ apps can connect to BLE devices, and if the Runn has a way to broadcast ascent/incline in their BLE messages it will be in theory possible to have such data on Suunto watches. If they do not add the information in their broadcast, then yes it is difficult to do it.

[pilleus]

@pilleus said in Treadmill Distance Accuracy:

I hope NPE will answer my request in the way, that the SPD profile is also available via BLE to have all the data on Suunto watches too.

Got an email from NPE today. The team will discuss it in the next meeting.

[Jamie BG]

@lessthanmore
The Garmin calibration is a little bit different in that it then uses that basis for your next run - so assuming your stride is reasonablly even the next run should be pretty close to what your treadmill determines as distance.
Fortunately it does offer the option to recalibrate if it isn’t.

Biggest issue with the calibration is you have to run over 1 mile.

[A Former User]

@Jamie-BG Yes, you’re right. Tested it this morning.
Treadmill: 6.26km
Zwift + Garmin HRM Pro: 6.3km
S9PP: 7.5km

A bit annoying since I use the treadmill often.

[quattrojames]

I’m on week 4 of C25k now and am pleased with my progress.

4k on the treadmill was reading 5.1k on my watch - I just adjust it after each run and it doesn’t worry me too much.

If I get into treadmill running then I’ll invest in that Runn device which looks really clever, but as I use a shared treadmill I’ll wait till I become obsessive about it

[Ketoohs]

Which pod is best performance to cost? I would only use it for treadmill accuracy, so I don’t need power or any advanced metrics.

Can the zwift pod connect directly to Suunto?

Tnx

[Spree]

@Ketoohs I would argue if you want to keep things cheap the Zwift POD is a good choice. Always worked fine for me, and it goes for 45 euros in most EU countries: I don’t know if anything cheaper exists, honestly. Before Zwift acquired it it was called Milestone, and you could get it for 20 - sadly, no longer the case.

[pilleus]

I recommend to use the Runn treadmill sensor. No foot pod can give these exact data. Pace, incline and cadence are precise measured by the Runn and the connection to Zwift or Suunto watch is possible. Just incline is missing on the Suunto watch, but may be there is a future S+ app.

The graph for the incline is showing the shock absorption because the Runn is very sensitive. But the advantage is to have the ascent of the training in meters.

[Andi Buzer]

@pilleus I bought one today after having a treadmill workout last week, which tracked 12km despite treadmill displaying 11km. I hope it arrives quick, can’t wait to test it and I hope they add a s+ app for incline.

[Stas Varazhbit]

@Spree I have a ZWIFTpod and it is very unreliable. It constantly falls off the connection and the battery drains very quickly. I tried training with it in the arena and on the treadmill, but because of these problems I had to give up using it. Maybe it needs some kind of calibration or firmware, I don’t know.
@pilleus pace looks fantastic in the photo.

[Spree]

@Stas-Varazhbit I agree with the battery, it’s not great. I didn’t have connectivity problems though.

[Andi Buzer]

I received my Runn Sensor on Friday and did two runs with it over the last two days. It’s stunningly accurate, no big differences and kilometer vibration of the watch matches with display of the treadmill.