I’ve been an avid Zwift cyclist for a long time, and I also run approximately 20 km every week. However, during winter, I lose a lot of training time due to bad weather or the lack of motivation to go out and run in the rain, layered up in jackets and sweaters. This has made me more interested in taking my running indoors using Zwift.
I’m seeking advice on the best way to measure my performance in Zwift as accurately as possible. Here are a few questions I’m hoping to get help with:
Connecting to Technogym Excite Run: The treadmill I use at my gym is a Technogym Excite Run. Unfortunately, I do not have access to its app store, as it’s managed by the gym. Are there any alternative ways to connect directly to this treadmill with Zwift? If anyone has experience with this specific model, I’d love to hear how you set it up.
Using Garmin Heart Rate Monitor Pro plus: I own a Garmin Heart Rate Monitor Pro, which I’ve read can connect to Zwift. How well does it work for running in Zwift, and is it a good option for accurate performance tracking?
Foot Pods: If the above options don’t work, I’m considering using a foot pod. Which foot pod would you recommend for the most accurate tracking? I’ve heard about options like the Zwift RunPod, Stryd, and Garmin pods, but I’m not sure which one to choose.
Looking Ahead: Wahoo Treadmill: I’ve also started to look into the Wahoo treadmill as a potential future option. If anyone has experience with it, I’d love to hear your thoughts on how well it integrates with Zwift.
I’m really looking forward to hearing your advice and learning from your experiences. Thanks in advance for your help!
I just have one question. Do you use a Garmin watch??
If so, all you need to do is, go to virtual run.
You can use your phone, or tablet to run Zwift. In the pairing screen, just open up virtual run on your watch. And pair. You are good to go.
That’s what I do, when I’m running. It’s a bit of a pain, calibrating your watch, to the speed of the treadmill. But that’s a whole different problem.
Thank you for the suggestion! I’m curious to hear about others’ experiences connecting a smartwatch, like a Garmin, to Zwift for running. How accurate do you find it for speed and cadence? Does it require frequent calibration, and is it reliable in the long term? I’d love to get some insights before fully committing to this method.
I am probably not the best person to answer this. I’m just teaching myself to run, trying to learn a few tricks along the way.
I would suggest going to Facebook and join Zwift runners. Stephen Cousins is very knowledgeable on the subject. Maybe just post your question there. Pretty sure, you will get some good advice. Cheers, good luck
I will tag @stuartmiddlecoate into your question. He runs lots. Not sure what kind of setup he has, but I’m sure it’s, top notch
Yesterday, I had my very first Zwift running experience, and I must say, I absolutely love the concept! Zwift running has so much potential, and I can already see how it could transform my winter training routine. Running indoors while still feeling connected to a global community is just amazing.
That said, my first attempt wasn’t without its hiccups. I used my Garmin HRM-Pro for tracking, and while Zwift showed I had run 5 km, the treadmill indicated over 7 km. On top of that, I noticed a mismatch in speed readings. Zwift showed I was running at 9 km/h, but my heart rate was in the 170s, which felt more like I was running much faster.
I’m curious if others have encountered similar issues with speed or distance discrepancies. Is it just a matter of calibration, or should I look into other tracking methods? Despite these small challenges, I’m really excited to keep exploring Zwift running and improving the setup.
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and tips!
I’ve been using a Fenix 7 for treadmill running with my Adidas T19i treadmill. The Save and Calibrate option works for aligning Garmin and Treadmill speed, though I do sometimes have to adjust things depending on my running speed.
My HR/Power figures for indoor and outdoor running are pretty much the same so I’m happy with the reported speed of the treadmill.
I use the forerunner 965. Virtual run setting. I have callibrated it a couple times. It seems to work really well, if I keep my speed slow. Once I start to do harder efforts, it’s way off for a bit. Then it seems to adjust. It might be a me problem.
I noticed that, if I concentrate on my arm movements, I can pretty much, get my avatar speed to match the treadmill speed.
It would be so much easier if I could just set the belt, and not worry about it. Scared to take a drink of water, stupid avatar might stop. Lol
It definitely screws up its speed for a few seconds
Today, I did another test run using my Garmin Tactix as a sensor and my HRM Pro. What continues to inspire me is the comfort and convenience of running with Zwift. It makes indoor running so much more engaging and creates high expectations for the future of virtual training.
However, during this run, I noticed some significant discrepancies between the data from my treadmill and Zwift. On the treadmill, I never went below 10 km/h, yet in Zwift, my pace consistently ranged between 7.8 and 9.5 km/h. By the end of the session, the treadmill recorded a distance of 8.80 km, while Zwift showed only 6.69 km.
There are a few factors I need to consider:
Uncalibrated Watch: My Garmin Tactix hadn’t been calibrated yet, which could explain some of the inconsistencies.
Incorrect Weight in Zwift: My weight in Zwift is still set to 92 kg, even though my current weight is closer to 82-85 kg. This might be affecting speed calculations.
Inclines in the Route: The Zwift route I chose included hills and inclines, which introduced varying gradients into the run.
Now, I’m left wondering: Am I misinterpreting the data, or should I continue searching for a more accurate way to measure my virtual speed? If anyone has advice or insights into resolving these issues, I’d greatly appreciate it. For now, I’ll keep exploring options to improve the accuracy of my Zwift running setup.
Ah. My own treadmill actually communicates directly with Zwift for reporting speed, so I don’t get those discrepancies. It’s still necesary to calibrate my Fenix if I want that to match the Zwift/Treadmill distance though.
If I’m on another treadmill, then I usually have to calibrate the watch before saving to Connect. Once I’ve done that (and assuming that I run at approximately the same speed each time) the treadmill distance and Zwift distance will be close enough. IIRC you need to do a 1 mile run in order to be able to calibrate. I would do that asap and then see how far out the figures are the next time.
Today, I went for another test run with Zwift. After my previous session, my Garmin prompted me to calibrate it, and I made sure to input the correct distance from the treadmill. However, during today’s run, I still noticed a discrepancy: the treadmill recorded 6 km, while Zwift showed only 4.5 km.
I remain enthusiastic about Zwift running—it’s an amazing platform that makes indoor running much more engaging—but I find it frustrating that I can’t seem to find a solution for these speed and distance differences. Accurate training is especially important to me during the winter months when I rely on indoor sessions to maintain my fitness.
My ultimate dream is, of course, a treadmill that automatically and accurately reports speed and distance directly to Zwift. To those in the community: what model of treadmill are you using that can do this?
Additionally, as I mentioned in my first post, I’m eagerly awaiting detailed reviews of the Wahoo KICKR Run. It sounds like a promising solution, but until then, I’m exploring other options.
Would the Zwift RunPod resolve this issue? I’m not too concerned about the cost, but I’d love to know if it’s a reliable option for accurate speed and distance tracking. If anyone has experience with it or other solutions, I’d greatly appreciate your input.
I’m fairly new to this but I’m using an Adidas T19i. It connects to Zwift using Bluetooth. My Garmin watch provides HR and Cadence.
Calibration accuracy seems to be very dependent on speed. For instance, if I calibrate my watch after running at a steady 6k/min pace and do the same on the next run, it’ll be within 0.2% of the treadmill (maybe 150m after 10km). However, changing speed, or doing fast/slow intervals and that variance will increase and might be 10%.
You should really reach out to @Run.10K.Every.Day
He knows tons. He will definitely get you pointed in the right direction. A wealth of knowledge.
Stuart reached out to you, a couple posts ago.
Thank you for the recommendation. I really appreciate it! I did notice Stuart’s earlier message, but I was wondering if it would be possible to get advice here on the forum itself? I don’t use Messenger much, so this would be a bit easier for me. Thanks again for the help!
Technogym Excite Run - I have the Trendmill but can’t find a way to connect to Zwift via Bluetooth.
I have not yet found a way to connect with Anti Plus.
Foot pods.
Zwift pod is good, but I think you have problems with it because you said your gym uses technology gym equipment. From my experience, Zwift pod doesn’t have good Bluetooth and may find out it would drop out
Polar foot pod
It is a good foot pod that is better than the Zwift pod, but the speed sometimes recorded is faster than Trendmill.
Stryd pod
I’m currently using it. It records lower speeds than the Trendmill, and some adjustments are needed in the Zwift app to match the treadmill speed.
It is a good pod for both gyms and outdoor running.
Watches that connect with Zwift mostly are under the speed shown on the treadmill, and some adjustments in Zwift need to match the treadmill speed.
To be fair, there’s no such thing as a truly accurate foot pod for treadmill running because on a foot pod, speed is primarily a function of both cadence and stride length. On a treadmill, you can maintain the same speed with varying combinations of cadence and stride length (or the other way around), which makes accurate measurement challenging. That said, the Garmin HRM-Pro Plus does a decent job, and its running dynamics data—such as cadence, stride length, and vertical oscillation—is excellent for both indoor and outdoor runs (also it’s cost effective for been a HR monitor). I typically use a Runn sensor for my treadmill pace, but during vacations, I’ve used the HRM-Pro Plus, and it works fine as long as you’re mindful of your running gait while calibrating it and running.
Thank you for the responses! It’s been a while, but I’ve done a fourth test since then. This time, I noticed the wrench icon when connecting my sensors, and for the first time, I was able to calibrate the HRM-Pro Plus. It made a real difference! Now I feel like I’m running a bit faster on Zwift compared to the treadmill.
It’s been great for interval workouts!
How many times should I calibrate it to get even more precise results?