GPS vrs. Foot Pod: The Speed and Distance Battle

I used to shrug off the idea of purchasing a Speed and Distance System. Though in principle it made a lot of sense to use one on my runs, I liked the mystique behind not knowing how far or quickly I’d run. Like most busy people my age who used to train seriously, I am not nearly as fast now as I was 10 years ago. To make myself feel better about my current shape, I came up with innovative ways to trick myself into believing that my runs were much longer and faster than they actually were.

Watch the HDO iNET Stream of the Polar S625x - Foot Pod Powered System

My senses were knocked back into me a couple months ago, when my wife beat me in a road race. After catching my breath, I was quick to decide that it was time to stop cutting corners in my training. I started shopping around for the best Speed and Distance System, and learned that this title was not as clear-cut as I had hoped. Each brand swears by a different type of Speed and Distance measuring device, and the monitors come in all different shapes and sizes.

I narrowed down my search by separating the monitors into Speed and Distance devices. My two categories were Foot POD and GPS. A Foot POD is exactly what you might assume from its name. It attaches to your shoe, and measures your speed and distance based on your average foot stride to which you’ve calibrated the system ahead of time. Because the system is calibrated to your unique stride, it is very accurate, and is on a different level than your average “pedometer”. The only time when the Nike or Polar Foot POD will lose its accuracy is when you’re running on hilly terrain. We tend to shorten our stride dramatically on uphills, and lengthen it on downhills. This throws a Foot POD’s measurements off.

GPS (Global Positioning System) uses satellites to pinpoint the monitor’s exact position. Timex monitors that use this system come with a small GPS unit that can be worn in an armband or on the waist. Garmin, the other brand that uses GPS, has installed the GPS unit directly into the wrist unit. Though this makes the watch larger than others, it keeps everything in one convenient package.

While GPS, in theory and most of the time, is completely accurate, its signal cuts out in certain situations. GPS is ideal for unobstructed training locations. It is not the best choice of Speed and Distance system if much of its use will take place in heavily forested areas. I live in a suburb, and so do not normally train in areas where GPS would be obstructed. And although I try to avoid hills at all costs on my runs, I like knowing that my Speed and Distance device is capable of measure the length of each of my runs, no matter the topography.

Watch the HDO iNET Stream of the Timex BodyLink - GPS Powered System

In the end I chose the Timex Bodylink System, which comes complete with a Heart Rate Monitor and a Speed and Distance monitor. Its GPS system is perfect for where I live, and I like that the watch is the size of a regular running watch and that the GPS unit is so tiny I never notice it on my arm. I’ve been using the Bodylink for about month, and am relieved to say that I have seen pretty marked improvements in my training. I’ve increased my average mile time to just under 7:25, which is not so coincidentally ten seconds per mile faster than my wife’s personal best mile time for the distance of our upcoming race.

Top selling Speed and Distance Systems:

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Foot Pod powered: