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Footpod

No change in size, 18:21, 17 September 2015
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[[File:Footpods.jpg|right|thumb|500px|A comparison of various Footpods, from top left to bottom right): Garmin (Ant+), Adidas MiCoach (Bluetooth), i-gotU (Bluetooth), Polar S3 (W.I.N.D.), Polar Stride Sensor (Bluetooth). You can see the Polar Footpods are huge compared with the others.]]
/A Footpod is a small device that measures pace and distance while running or walking. These Footpods contain accelerometers that calculate the movement of your foot, providing an accurate measurement across a broad range of paces and stride lengths. A Footpod does not simply measure each stride, which would be wildly inaccurate. If you have a [[Best Running Watch|Garmin Watch]] then a [http://www.amazon.com/Garmin-Foot-Pod-Retail-Packaging/dp/B00264GKVQFootpod] is an excellent upgrade.
=Accuracy=
Out of the box, a Footpod is typically accurate to 90+% and after calibration this typically improves to 98-99%. This compares well with the accuracy of GPS which is 97-98%. However, a Footpod only gives you this accuracy on smooth surfaces where your stride is reasonably predictable. You need to make sure the Footpod is well attached to your shoe; if it's bouncing about the accuracy will be poor. If you do trail running, I found the accuracy can be rather patchy. Of course if you're running a twisty trail with tree covered, you may find the accuracy of GPS dropping to 80-95%. I have found that a Footpod provides vastly more accurate information for your current pace compared with GPS. While the errors in the GPS signal even out over the course of a run, they can result in a current pace that is inaccurate by 1-2 minutes/mile.
The Footpod will provide an accurate display of your [[Cadence]], which is a critical and often overlooked aspect of running.
=Using a Garmin Footpod=
If you have a [[Best Running Watch|Garmin 910XT, 310XT or 610]] then it is possible to display your current pace from the [[Pace From A Footpod ]] while getting other data from the GPS. I believe this is the optimal configuration for most runners. In addition, I found that turning the GPS off and relying on the Footpod dramatically increases the battery life of a Garmin watch.
=Bluetooth Footpods=
There are a number of Bluetooth Footpods on the market, but there are various compatibility issues.

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