Running laps on deck 4

peachygreen

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Jul 15, 2008
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2 questions - maybe 3

1 How long is a lap on the Wonder?
2. Any suggestions for keeping track of your laps
3. What do you find to be the best time to run?

Bonus question - I have a Garmin forerunner 220 which has the built-in accelerometer. If I turn off the GPS to use the cadence tracking will it still try to use the GPS? I've only ever used that feature inside on the dreadmill so I'm not sure if it tryst to override that.
 
I believe the track on the Wonder is 1/3 a mile.
I couldn't run the track when we were on the wonder as I had surgery on my Achilles a few month earlier, and only could walk it, so I could easily just keep count on laps in my head, but a pedometer may work to keep track of approximate distance run.
I was walking it early morning around 630 or 7 and it was clear except for a couple people jogging. I think people were either still sleeping or eating breakfast.

No clue about the garmin. I think a pedometer would work...
 
I used my Nike app ( phone in airplane mode) and just had it on the treadmill setting. It worked great and was accurate. I still mentally counted the laps. I LOVE running deck 4 between 6:30-7:30 am. It's not very busy yet then.
 
There's a weird spot on the port aft side of the ship (i think) where it gets kinda cool, not sure if they're venting cool inside air out in that area or something. But it's nice and refreshing when you pass by that spot... Well, it was when I was onboard, as it was hot, humid and sticky even at 630-7 in the morning...
 

2 questions - maybe 3

1 How long is a lap on the Wonder?
2. Any suggestions for keeping track of your laps
3. What do you find to be the best time to run?

Bonus question - I have a Garmin forerunner 220 which has the built-in accelerometer. If I turn off the GPS to use the cadence tracking will it still try to use the GPS? I've only ever used that feature inside on the dreadmill so I'm not sure if it tryst to override that.

As previously mentioned, 3 times around deck 4 is one mile. One silly way to keep track is to keep pennies (or something like) in your pocket and switch to the other pocket for each lap.
 
You can turn off the GPS in the garmin settings. You can get a cadence sensor on your shoe that will work to track your miles on the garmin.
I'm looking forward to my time running on the ship. We leave in October.
 
We were on the Magic in early December and DH was training for the Dopey at WDW. He was on a strict training plan, so he "had" to do a 19 mile training run on our sea day. He ran on the track (same size as the Wonder) for 3 1/2 hours! :crazy2: He had his Garmin on, but it's not accurate at all (because of the ship moving), some miles it showed him running 20 mph! (He wishes!). If you get the foot pod, that should keep track for you. I would recommend running early in the morning when everybody is still asleep.
 
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I think there were letters indicating the muster drill stations. I think I picked the one closest to my room and then counted each time I passed it.
 
I think there were letters indicating the muster drill stations. I think I picked the one closest to my room and then counted each time I passed it.

Thanks for that idea. I never thought to look at the letters. I get myself confused about which side I'm on vs which side I started on, and have a hard time keeping track of where to count a lap completed. Starting / ending at a letter sounds easier to remember.
 
I ran on the fantasy this past cruise and found myself getting confused where i was with each lap. It really took a very concentrated effort to keep my bearings. I also found that three or more mornings it was way too windy to tackle running on deck and had to head to the gym. But it was very windy our whole cruise, so I know thw conditions vary.
 
After 13 DCL cruises I always start my walk (crazy runners!! :) ) on the Starboard side of the ship at the forward doors / elevators. I keep track of how many times I enter the "tunnels" (forward and aft parts of the ship) - so it's half laps that I count. I found that it's really easy to let your mind wander and loose track of time, where you are at, etc while walking the deck while at sea - ISN'T IT GREAT ::yes:: ::yes:: :yes::
 
I just decided last cruise to run for a set amount of time, rather than distance. My speed is pretty consistent (slow) so I know about how far I run in a half hour or hour. I have to be a little flexible on board or I would go crazy just trying to figure out my caloric intake everyday!
 
Here are my answers to your questions;

1. 3X around equals a mile (Wonder & Magic)
2. I tried using my Garmin once but the GPS received interference from the front and rear of the ship. Since that experience I use a manual lap counter, clicker or tally counter as some people might call them which I hold in hand that has a loop for my finger. Check out amazon for various models. Personally I prefer the manual over the electronic version.
3. Best time to run is early morning and I mean early. I was training for a marathon when on a particular cruise and had a running schedule to keep. During one day on a cruise I had to run 15-miles so in order to avoid the people I started my run around 3AM.
 
I was on western Fantasy 1/18-1/25. I found the bet time to run on Deck 4 to be right as ship docks at port. I ran on a sea day and it was really hard running into the wind as I ran toward back of ship and actually felt quite a bit of sea spray as well! Good news was wind was at my back half the time! On port days it was awesome.
 
I was on western Fantasy 1/18-1/25. I found the bet time to run on Deck 4 to be right as ship docks at port. I ran on a sea day and it was really hard running into the wind as I ran toward back of ship and actually felt quite a bit of sea spray as well! Good news was wind was at my back half the time! On port days it was awesome.

I don't think I can do that on the Wonder as they close the Bow tunnel when docking due to the docking proceedures and location of for lack of better term tie down ropes and anchors etc.

My Garmin has a built in accelerometer so you don't have to add a separate foot pod. I just wasn't sure if the GPS would try to take over when I Turn off the GPS. I suppose I should try it out one day. It is fairly accurate on the treadmill at the gym. Close enough that if I lose track of laps it should keep me honest.

I'll have to look into a counter of some sort. I'm not scheulded to hit serious mileage on the cruise (long run should be 6-8 miles) but I could easily lose track of laps when 3 laps equal a mile. It should be nice to run through the inside passage though.
 
And on the silly side... DH and I like to run and/or walk laps during cruises, ideally aiming to get 5k in every day in one mode or the other... We use the trick mentioned above of picking a letter for a muster station, often near where you enter the 'tunnel'. But the part where we got silly on our last trip was that we would count off the laps in the voice of the Count from Sesame Street :rotfl2:. It helped us remember the laps, because yes, we definitely had to work to not lose track.

And as aside note, I use a Fitbit that tracks the number of flights of stairs I climb - well the Fantasy had some rough waves during sea days last March break, and I was registering approx 200 flights of stairs a day thanks to the rise and fall of the deck:confused3
 

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