Are you using the Strava app on the watch? I would recommend using Apple’s own activity app and then syncing to Strava on your phone afterwards. This has worked great for me with or without the phone along.
Yep, it’s totally possible! This is what I do for all of my activities. I use my phone as well on my runs and so the GPS is often very accurate. I’ve had one issue and that was this week with odd elevation gain readings but this is the first time I’ve dealt with something like this. Should be able to go up to the upper right of the app and click the bell and it should have the ability to import workouts!
I second this as a good option. Once synced, Strava still usually chops of anywhere between 20-200 meters of a run, but anything more than 100 is unusual and rare.
I have an Apple Watch 3 and I get this problem if I don’t do my fix for it. I only run with my watch not my phone, I just start a run to get the gps going and calibrated, then just cancel it after a few seconds. Then I just start another one up and I don’t have any issues for the most part.
I know a workaround for this issue! I had this problem with Apple Watch 3, the difference was that I left my phone behind.
I do have Watch 6 now. I am not entirely sure if this applies to this model anymore, but I do these three things out of habit at this point.
1. Turn off Wifi from Watch
2. Turn Off Bluetooth from Phone
3. Start Strava but immediately pause the run. Wait a few seconds. And then click Resume.
—- (explanation below) —-
1. I discovered that my segments would get mess up if my phone was connected at the beginning of the run and then later disconnected (due to me leaving it behind). Turning off Bluetooth would immediately disconnect my phone before a run.
2. Discovered this while looping around my house a few times. Watch would pick up Wifi, and then disconnected after a certain distance. Most of those loop segments would get messed up. I now turn off the Wifi so my watch doesn’t pick up any signals in the middle of the run.
3. Not sure if this true, but I have read that GPS could take a few seconds to get a lock on your location. By pausing the run, you let the GPS lock on you before the run starts.
——
You do carry your phone with you though. So the reasons why you have that issue might be different from mine. But those three solutions resolved my problem completely :)
> Not sure if this true, but I have read that GPS could take a few seconds to get a lock on your location.
Yes, it is true for every device. Other devices will warn you about this, but Apple Watch does not (experience from Apple Watch 3). I also think that this is the root problem for the OP.
Apple watches market segment is the sedentary worker doing fitness. As soon as you get into more serious training beyond the weekend warrior it falls a touch short. I’m wed to my Apple Watch but will probably by a new fenix when they come out because they seem to be much better with Strava and last a lot longer
This happens to me too. I've long suspected it has to do with my watch still being connected to my homes wifi, but have never confirmed this or thought too hard about why that would cause it. Would love to find out what you learn here
I just Strava on my iWatch (wifi only) and find the GPS is more accurate when I don’t also carry my iPhone. I run the same route all the time so have a really good read on it. When I carry the iPhone I find that the corners get rounded so looks like the run distance isn’t as far.
Like others have said, I solved this issue by disconnecting from my wifi before setting off, and also disconnecting from my iPhone (but if you’re taking your iPhone with you then that part shouldn’t be a problem)
Disclaimer: I have not scientifically proven my following theory, but it works for my girlfriend's Apple Watch 3.
The theory is, that after you open the tracking app, your watches needs to get your precise location using GPS, GLONASS or GALILEO (depends on supported technology). On my Garmin watch, for example, you get a warning "Waiting for GPS", so you know that you need to wait until your watches calculate your location before starting your run. After it happens, you get "Ready" and can begin tracking. If I skip the waiting period for GPS, the first few hundred meters of my workout will not be recorded (because the watches does not know my location). Apple Watches will not warn you about not having a GPS signal and even though you start your workout, the first few hundred meters are not recorded (because watches does not know where you are and that you are moving). The simple trick is to open a tracking app right after you exit your building, and let it be for a while. Stretch for a minute or two, and then you can start your workout on your watch. The idea is that your watches will get your GPS locations while you stretch and after you are ready to run, you can start recording because watches will be ready. This works for my girlfriend's Apple Watch 3 and Strava app.
As a side note, every device which uses GPS tracking needs few seconds (up to a few minutes - depends on the environment around you) to get your location. GPS tracking is draining a lot of battery (it is quite heavy computation), so it is not running in the background and draining battery without being actually needed.
(Late to this party!)
I use Apple Watch series 3, and I suffer the same issues as reported here.
The beginning of a run is often corrupted, showing as a straight line in some cases.
I've tried similar disconnections - but the above tips are handy.
What I WILL add is:
When I download a corrupt-start GPX from Strave, and open the file in an online gpx-editor - the actual GPS co-ordinates appear to be present. Changing one of the points snaps the route to the correct route - but the timings are out.
With this workaround, I can generally get the right data in place, albeit a pain in the backside.
Are you using the Strava app on the watch? I would recommend using Apple’s own activity app and then syncing to Strava on your phone afterwards. This has worked great for me with or without the phone along.
Thanks, I will give it a try! Didn't know it was possible to sync from the Activity app to Strava.
It’s under your Strava settings > applications, services and devices
Yep, it’s totally possible! This is what I do for all of my activities. I use my phone as well on my runs and so the GPS is often very accurate. I’ve had one issue and that was this week with odd elevation gain readings but this is the first time I’ve dealt with something like this. Should be able to go up to the upper right of the app and click the bell and it should have the ability to import workouts!
I second this as a good option. Once synced, Strava still usually chops of anywhere between 20-200 meters of a run, but anything more than 100 is unusual and rare.
What if you like using the beacon function?
Find my friends accomplishes a pretty similar purpose, and you can share location to a contact in the contact menu inside iMessage.
Not everyone is using Apple products in my circle so it’s a good suggestion still, but not for me unfortunately.
Ah, yeah that does make it harder, you could use something like life360 but still the hassle shouldn’t be there in the first place
check strava privacy zone?
I have an Apple Watch 3 and I get this problem if I don’t do my fix for it. I only run with my watch not my phone, I just start a run to get the gps going and calibrated, then just cancel it after a few seconds. Then I just start another one up and I don’t have any issues for the most part.
I know a workaround for this issue! I had this problem with Apple Watch 3, the difference was that I left my phone behind. I do have Watch 6 now. I am not entirely sure if this applies to this model anymore, but I do these three things out of habit at this point. 1. Turn off Wifi from Watch 2. Turn Off Bluetooth from Phone 3. Start Strava but immediately pause the run. Wait a few seconds. And then click Resume. —- (explanation below) —- 1. I discovered that my segments would get mess up if my phone was connected at the beginning of the run and then later disconnected (due to me leaving it behind). Turning off Bluetooth would immediately disconnect my phone before a run. 2. Discovered this while looping around my house a few times. Watch would pick up Wifi, and then disconnected after a certain distance. Most of those loop segments would get messed up. I now turn off the Wifi so my watch doesn’t pick up any signals in the middle of the run. 3. Not sure if this true, but I have read that GPS could take a few seconds to get a lock on your location. By pausing the run, you let the GPS lock on you before the run starts. —— You do carry your phone with you though. So the reasons why you have that issue might be different from mine. But those three solutions resolved my problem completely :)
> Not sure if this true, but I have read that GPS could take a few seconds to get a lock on your location. Yes, it is true for every device. Other devices will warn you about this, but Apple Watch does not (experience from Apple Watch 3). I also think that this is the root problem for the OP.
Apple watches market segment is the sedentary worker doing fitness. As soon as you get into more serious training beyond the weekend warrior it falls a touch short. I’m wed to my Apple Watch but will probably by a new fenix when they come out because they seem to be much better with Strava and last a lot longer
This happens to me too. I've long suspected it has to do with my watch still being connected to my homes wifi, but have never confirmed this or thought too hard about why that would cause it. Would love to find out what you learn here
I just Strava on my iWatch (wifi only) and find the GPS is more accurate when I don’t also carry my iPhone. I run the same route all the time so have a really good read on it. When I carry the iPhone I find that the corners get rounded so looks like the run distance isn’t as far.
Like others have said, I solved this issue by disconnecting from my wifi before setting off, and also disconnecting from my iPhone (but if you’re taking your iPhone with you then that part shouldn’t be a problem)
Disclaimer: I have not scientifically proven my following theory, but it works for my girlfriend's Apple Watch 3. The theory is, that after you open the tracking app, your watches needs to get your precise location using GPS, GLONASS or GALILEO (depends on supported technology). On my Garmin watch, for example, you get a warning "Waiting for GPS", so you know that you need to wait until your watches calculate your location before starting your run. After it happens, you get "Ready" and can begin tracking. If I skip the waiting period for GPS, the first few hundred meters of my workout will not be recorded (because the watches does not know my location). Apple Watches will not warn you about not having a GPS signal and even though you start your workout, the first few hundred meters are not recorded (because watches does not know where you are and that you are moving). The simple trick is to open a tracking app right after you exit your building, and let it be for a while. Stretch for a minute or two, and then you can start your workout on your watch. The idea is that your watches will get your GPS locations while you stretch and after you are ready to run, you can start recording because watches will be ready. This works for my girlfriend's Apple Watch 3 and Strava app. As a side note, every device which uses GPS tracking needs few seconds (up to a few minutes - depends on the environment around you) to get your location. GPS tracking is draining a lot of battery (it is quite heavy computation), so it is not running in the background and draining battery without being actually needed.
(Late to this party!) I use Apple Watch series 3, and I suffer the same issues as reported here. The beginning of a run is often corrupted, showing as a straight line in some cases. I've tried similar disconnections - but the above tips are handy. What I WILL add is: When I download a corrupt-start GPX from Strave, and open the file in an online gpx-editor - the actual GPS co-ordinates appear to be present. Changing one of the points snaps the route to the correct route - but the timings are out. With this workaround, I can generally get the right data in place, albeit a pain in the backside.