Pacing without GPS - Lessons from the Chicago Marathon

The Chicago Marathon took place recently.  An athlete that we coach raced with a goal in mind.  Training went great.  The race plan was well tested.  However, race day brought an unexpected surprise.  GPS tracking in the windy city didn't work very well.  Above is a route that a watch detected as displayed in Strava.  Notice all the curves and cutting through buildings.  As you may expect, this impacted the accuracy of pacing.

We've raced in many races and Chicago several times without experiencing issues like this.  Every day and every race is an opportunity to learn and improve.  So, how should you prepare for a race when you can't rely on GPS? 

We can remember when the first Garmin Forerunner was released.

Photo by Ryan Jones 

Before watches had GPS, they had stopwatch features.  Or maybe you used an actual stopwatch.

Photo from Amazon

For short races, a stopwatch could be used to see your time at each mile marker (or kilometer marker).  But as the race distance increases, this becomes more challenging.  If your target pace is a consistent 7-minutes per mile, the math is pretty simple.  But if your target pace is 7:35 pace, the math gets more difficult as fatigue sets in. 

Using the lap button on your watch/stopwatch can eliminate the math if your plan is to run consistent paces.  Simply push the button and see how long the last lap took.  There are two caveats with using the lap button.  One is the expectation of race directors/volunteers marking the distance accurately.  The second is that pressing the lap button may interfere with a workout you are using during the race.  For example, if we as your coach push out a race workout with consistent pacing of 7-minutes per mile and you press the lap button, the workout on the watch immediately ends and starts a cooldown.  If you have a workout on your watch that auto laps ever X number of minutes (for example 7 minutes), you could gauge your pace based on where you are in relation to the mile markers assuming they are positioned accurately.

Some athletes write their target splits on their forearm and glance at the watch and arm at certain marks along the course.  This option has improved over the years.  Pace tattoos are available.  Stickers for the arm are available.  But a pace band holder may be the best option because it's waterproof, customizable, and reusable.

From RetiSports Store on Amazon

Another option for pacing is a foot pod.  Two of the more popular models are from Garmin and Stryd.  These can be your best option where GPS isn't an option.  But calibration is important to ensure accuracy.  And it's best to calibrate at your goal race pace to alleviate any stride differences between paces.

Photo from bol.com

If you like to plan ahead and build in contingencies, consider these options just in case GPS technology lets you down.