Comments on: GPS watches: – The IOF will take action to monitor compliance

By: anders

anders — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 19:32:27 +0000

Jakob> Buy an ad (if it help you, Tractrac is out anyway..)

By: Jakob Ødum

Jakob Ødum — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 08:26:17 +0000

I believe that the TracTrac-GPS-unisex-top (S,M,L) can carry GPS-loggers as well as tracking-units.
We have them produced in bundles.

By: Anders

Anders — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 12:26:19 +0000

May the people at IOF please take off their gray clothing and step out of the office to face reality; GPS watches or similar cause no “harm” to our sport.

Well use of the old map and compass are still the fastest way to victory.

By: Scuz

Scuz — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 04:39:38 +0000

It seems that wearing GPS watches that are unlikely to give any practical advantage are to be policed, but officials look the other way at someone clearly following another runner in the forest.
Go figure?

By: Dag Aalvik

Dag Aalvik — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 21:20:02 +0000

Ivo:
There is a lot of equipment that is suppose to help reduse the stress on your body, but does it actually work or is it a “placebo”?

HR-monitors are an electrical aid, so using one would lead to a disqualification. All depending on how you interpret the rule. Runners on a WC level should know their body and the signals it sends so well that they would not need a HR-monitor. But still. The map and compass is the key points to orienteering..

By: Matthias

Matthias — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 20:44:59 +0000

According to the current rules in Switzerland, the use of GPS Watches is not allowed (see german text below). But until now, as far as I now, nobody has been disqualified or had to leave his GPS Watch at the start.

Swiss Orienteering – Rule Nr 54:
“2 Während des Wettkampfes darf der Läufer insbesondere nicht mit sich führen:
a) elektrische und elektronische Geräte, die Informationen über den Wettkampf
vermitteln oder die Orientierung erleichtern können; ”

during the competition, the runner is not allowed to carry any electric or electronic devices, which provide information about the competition or can help to orienteer.

By: Ivo

Ivo — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 20:33:58 +0000

Hi there, Dag :)

The Polar altimeter is probably not so useable in Scandinavian terrain, but in steep terrains, like for example WOC in Japan, it can be a good tool when you know you’re going to climb 200 m to the control – which is placed in the middle of the hill.

Anyway, I don’t think the best runners are using any of those tools during competition, and if someone ever used it – it was just for trying it out.

But here’s my another question – HR monitors and digital watches. I have heard about runners (WOC-medallist) using their HR monitor all the way, to monitor the pulse – and keeping it in a pre-defined zone. Isn’t it the same?

What about pacing with normal watch? If you’ve ran 100 times in a similar terrain, and know your pace is approximately 4.30/km, then it can be used?

What about new high-tech O-tops? Is it fair to run with Trimtex or Noname which exports your sweat away and keeps your body cool, when there are others running with shirts from the 80’s??? Is it fair to let the Swedish and Norwegian national teams run with special CRAFT-made tops which are termo-regulating (WOC in Japan, JWOC in Switzerland)?

What about sweat band? Those not using it are loosing seconds due to sweat in the eyes, and bad possibility to focus your eyes on the map …

It’s never going to be the same, and IOF can’t just decide using one type of shoes, one type of tops, one type of compasses and so on to keep the sport fair …

By: Dag Aalvik

Dag Aalvik — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:35:43 +0000

I have a Polar RS800CX with the G3 pod. This is a heart rate monitor whit built in GPS recording. It also functions as a watch (primary reason for buying it was the GPS tracking). Whiles recording there is no way to see the longitudinal axis on a display. I have no experience with other brands, but I think its the same with them. Using the altimeter on the watch as a tool for example whiles running a hill and you know you have to drop or climb 20m, is near to impossible. Its far to inexact, and it does come with a bit of a time lag. I have done a few tries whiles training, its more a waste of time then a time saver. Another thing on my Polar is that altitude is measured using barometric pressure, which may change rapidly. Another reason not to use it. I use my watch for analyzing training and as a helpful tool whiles training. The new IOF rule seemes to be made up by people who has never tries to use one of thees devices. GPS watches are not tools, they are training aids and gadgets for us freaks that are obsessed with numbers, heart beats and meters climbed in a session. Dagdag out.

By: Renars

Renars — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:47:44 +0000

GPS watches and similar gadgets are, in general, nothing more than a way to make your trainings more interesting. It is like a toy, and you can use all of its capabilities in your training sessions, but you should be able to run in the big competitions without it, if you can’t then maybe really it makes some advantage over others who don’t have such gadget. The problem that now we will be unable to draw our paths on the map doesn’t seem to be a big problem. Of course, in some way it is a little step back, but is should encourage organisers of big competitions to allocate GPS devices to all runners which at the end should make our sport much more attractive.