October
27
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COROS POD 2: A FURTHER STEP IN DATA ANALYSIS.
COROS POD 2: A FURTHER STEP IN DATA ANALYSIS. Our GPS WATCH section brings us today the launch of the new COROS POD 2, a lightweight and resistant accessory with which the American brand intends to collect data beyond those received by the GPS.
Watch COROS, COROS POD 2 and COROS Training Hub as a whole aims to provide us with all the necessary data to analyze and improve in our day to day.
COROS POD 2 REVIEW:
A FURTHER STEP IN DATA ANALYSIS.
In a very short time, the American brand COROS has positioned itself in the Top3 of gps watches in the world. With an aggressive marketing bet signing “the best runners in the world”, such as the current marathon world record Eliud Kipchoge using the COROS PACE 2, or the best mountain runner in history Kilian Jornet, who currently uses the COROS APEX PRO.
But not only have they excelled in their commitment to signings, but they have developed one of the best analysis platforms for runners and coaches, the COROS Training Hub, which provides us with an infinite amount of data to analyze and improve our performance. Of course, all this would not have been possible without first launching a series of robust watches, easy to use and with the best battery on the market.
COROS POD 2: MORE DATA AND MORE ACCURACY.
The COROS POD 2 is not only an update of the COROS POD, but goes further in data collection and analysis. A lightweight and waterproof accessory that you can attach to your shoe or waist for more accurate data in the race.
It incorporates optimized sensor hardware and intuitive software algorithms to measure running directly from foot or body movements, depending on where we place it. It is compatible with all COROS watches (except the PACE), but incompatible with the rest of the gps watch brands on the market.
POD 2: DATA SHEET
- Prize: 119€.
- Weight: 5,6 GR.
- Battery: Rechargeable lithium.
- Battery life: 28 hours of continuous operation – 50 days standby.
- Case material: Fiber reinforced polymer.
- Water resistance: 3ATM.
- Temperature resistance: from -10º to 60º.
- Connection: Bluethooth.
- Sensors: Barometric altimeter, thermometer, Geomagnetic compass, Accelerometer, Gyroscope.
- Dimensions: 27.1 mm (width) * 33.9 mm (length) * 8.6 mm (thickness).
CHARGING BASE: SHEET
- Weight: 17.6 GRAMS.
- Case material: Fiber reinforced polymer.
- Battery life: Capable of fully charging the unit.
- Battery: Rechargeable lithium.
- Charging Port: Type-C.
POD 2 COROS: THE CONTENT
We have received a unit of the COROS POD 2 ready to test. Inside the box we find, a POD 2 device, along with a charging base. USB-C cable to connect it to the network and some clips to place the POD 2 both on the shoe and on the waist.
It also incorporates a carrying case for care and storage. It incorporates installation manual and warranty information. At first glance, a box and a fairly careful design.
COROS POD 2: WHAT’S NEW?
POD (Performance Optimization Device). The COROS POD 2 is not a simple step meter. This accessory aims to solve the most common problems of GPS watch technology. Problems such as data delay, weak signal or satellite disruption. Using the COROS POD 2 together with the GPS watch, we will be able to improve the accuracy and sensitivity to the rhythm, collecting data directly from the foot or waist. The objective of POD 2 shall be to achieve:
- A more precise instantaneous rhythm
- More precision indoors
- Increased GPS accuracy
- Pace More precise effort
- Outside temperature control
Easy to pair with COROS watches, simply by connecting POD 2 to the COROS watch via Bluetooth, placing it on the shoe or waist and starting the activity. In short, the collection of much more data in the race to help us enter optimally in conjunction with the COROS Training Hub platform.
COROS POD 2: FEATURES
As we have already mentioned, one of the objectives of the COROS POD 2 is to improve the data we receive (both in the race and after the analysis in the application) in conjunction with our COROS watch. The synergy between the accessory and the watch will offer us certain advantages that we would not have if we run only with our watch on the wrist. Let’s see what are they
Greater accuracy at the current pace
One of the biggest headaches that runners have is to adjust the current pace of our clock. In my case, for training and races I prefer to check the pace of return, rather than the current pace, because this metric is usually not very reliable, since the clocks have a significant delay in the measurements of the pace in real time. The goal of the COROS POD 2 is to improve accuracy in these changes of pace thanks to the accelerometer built into POD 2.
The watch will receive data directly from POD 2 to adjust and improve the current rhythm data. POD 2 eliminates pace lag (about 10 seconds caused by GPS clocks) that triangulate a location via satellites hundreds of miles away. With the built-in pace alert, the COROS watch paired with POD 2 will ensure a more accurate reading that we can use both in training and running, even at times when there is no GPS signal.
Indoor or treadmill career
COROS assures us that with POD 2 we will obtain a more accurate detection of the rhythm even indoors by measuring the exact distance traveled. The logarithm it uses is based on tracing the movement of our foot through space in an XYZ plane, the POD 2 is automatically calibrated to calculate the stride and distance that has been run both indoors (treadmill, indoor track) and outdoors. So we can also deactivate the GPS and we will obtain a fairly accurate reading, measures that we will surely check for you during our thorough test. Will it be as accurate as the brand tells us? We’ll tell you
Greater accuracy and consistency in cities
I recently ran the Bilbao night marathon, I was quite surprised by the distance that my GPS gave me, but not only that of my COROS Vertix, but also that of other brands such as Garmin or Polar. Interestingly most watches gave an extra 1k-1’5k. After talking on social networks with different people, some told me that in the area the GPS signal was not good, because there were interference and so on.
COROS assures us that this problem will be eliminated using POD 2 since this accessory is created to automatically correct all these GPS interruptions thanks to the data collected by several of its internal sensors. Connected to the clock will improve the consistency of data on the road and adjust rhythms and distances much better.
Image recorded during testing of the COROS test equipment
One of the metrics used lately by many runners is Running Power, a concept “brought” from cycling. COROS wants to go a step further by creating a new Effort Pace metric (which we will talk about in detail later) that simply will not indicate how hard you are working when you are on uneven ground. With instant data entry from POD 2, the Effort Pace will be much more accurate making it 5 times more sensitive than standard GPS, so we can make split-second decisions and better analyze the overall effort once a workout is over.
And more…
POD 2 includes a thermometer to record temperature readings during the race. With a weight of only 5.6 g, we can wear it both in the shoe and in the waist during training and races whether we are running on asphalt or mountain, it also supports temperatures from below zero to high temperatures (14 ° F to 140 ° F / -10 ° C to 60 ° C), and water resistant up to 3 ATM. In addition, using the intelligent detection of the position of use (shoe or waist), POD 2 provides key metrics that we can analyze in the COROS Training Hub so that we can improve running technique and make the necessary adjustments.
- Left/right balance
- Ground contact time
- Stride height
- Stride ratio
COROS EFFORT PACE
Previously we have presented the new metric of COROS, the Effort Pace, a metric that seeks to better measure the effort in the race. Along with the creation of COROS EvoLab to obtain personalized information about physical fitness and the COROS Training Hub, which we have already talked about on several occasions, this metric will help us improve the data already given by the Running Power that according to the COROS work team had certain limits that the metric could not overcome.
Within a firmware update to be released alongside the COROS POD 2, the Effort Pace will be available to all COROS users. Metric easier to understand, more actionable and more complete compared to Running Power to measure our effort in the race. COROS will keep wrist-based running power in its current form, but will shift its focus to developing Effort Pace as the metric of the future.
Power vs Pace
One of the bases of training for any type of runner has always been Heart Rate and Race Pace, however in recent years the concept of Running Power has been taken by many of these runners as a more sensitive and effective metric to align the effort of runners on uneven surfaces (climbs, descents, etc).
Using the Running Power mountain runners for example we can have more information to know how to face the slopes of a route and to be able to plan both training and race strategy. But from the COROS research team, they have identified multiple areas of improvement/concern around Running Power that we detail here.
- Running Power is a concept that comes from cycling, but does not share the same calculations. Cycling power measures the actual force the rider exerts on the pedal, but running power is simply an estimated number based on a handful of data points from the watch’s sensors. As a result, running power is not universal. Each brand has a different algorithm to estimate running power, making it difficult to compare between different platforms.
- Running Power is a difficult metric for most runners to understand. Even for those who understand power, the question “How much faster will I run if I increase the power by 25 watts? “, will differ greatly from one athlete or around another. To introduce advanced career training to a wider audience, the industry needs to lower the technical learning barrier.
- Running Power is not customized. For example, let’s say you’re the best uphill runner on the planet. While you may be able to run at 300 watts uphill for 1 hour, you may also have trouble replicating this same power on flat terrain. Runners have different strengths and weaknesses that make them unique. Running power measures your performance in absolute terms, but is limited by understanding how you perform in different conditions and environments.
Due to these limitations that the COROS team sees in the Running Power, it was decided to create the Effort Pace.
Effort Pace
With the launch of the new COROS POD 2, the current Adjusted Pace metric will be renamed Effort Pace. From now on, runners will see on their wrist a rhythm that accurately represents their true effort. Combining our watch with POD 2, the COROS team ensures that the Effort Pace metric is extremely sensitive and accurate. The GSP-based pace has a delay because the distance between the clock and the satellites is more than 10,000 miles.
With POD 2, the watch will communicate directly with the accessory for quick data collection and visualization by obtaining data that reflects effort in near real time The Effort Pace algorithm will be updated using a custom formula for the runner through the COROS EvoLab system and its history determining the performance in different conditions. The algorithm will learn the runner’s strengths and display them through the personalized Effort Pace (update that will be available in the coming months).
The COROS Training Hub will help along with the Effort Pace so that athletes/coaches can analyze and create more specific workouts. As the Effort Pace develops, it can be used as part of the Structured Training Planner feature. Pairing with POD 2 will not change the wrist-based running power of COROS since POD 2 does not contribute to any power calculation. After the firmware update, the data fields related to the running power on the COROS watch will be replaced by the Effort Pace. If users want to keep data related to running power, they can manually add it back through the COROS app. The compatibility of COROS with the Stryd in-race power meter does not change.
FUTURE
The COROS sports science team will incorporate environmental factors into the Effort Pace algorithm in the future, such as temperature, humidity and altitude, among others.
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