Hi Everyone,

The climb rate is the average number of metres climbed per mile of the run.  We calculate this by dividing the total climb for the whole route by the length of the route.  The total climb is the sum of all the climbs along the route at 0.1 mile intervals, so not the same as the highest point mimnus the lowest.  Using 0.1 mile intervals avoids misleading climb rates caused by adding up lots of small variations in elevation over short distances.

I guess the reason why we set it up as metres per mile and not feet per mile is that the elevation data we use to do the calculations is provided in metres.  We use miles as our default unit for distance across the site.  If you view the Hill Profile for a route you have the option to select the choice of units so can find out the climb rate in feet per mile or metres per km there if you wish.

I hope that helps explain the background to this!

John

Beer then wine you'll feel fine, wine then beer you'll feel queer.....supposedly!

Back on topic, yes, we seem to have mixed our metaphors and I'm sure there is a good reason .....and when i've thought of it I'll let you know :)

As for Dave's mind bending post ...yes, an average over the whole run.

Daves Pythagoras Theorem for dummies. Same as you shouldn't mix grape and grain, hic!!

I confuse myself sometimes... then again, I'm easily confused!

Wow Dave, I had to read that three times before it made sense...but I think your right!

That's a bit of a mix of units, isn't it?

Shouldn't it be either feet (or yards) per mile or metres per kilometre?

Is it highest point minus lowest, divided by total distance, in other words an average for the whole route? Or does it somehow represent the steepest climb on the route, and if so how long does the climb have to be to register, as a very steep climb over a very short distance could distort the picture? Actually, I've convinced myself that it must be an average!

Thanks for the responses guys, it makes sense now and yes it is a hilly run but a great challenge and a fantastic feeling when completed, although completely shattered!

Thanks Andy!

A bit of a difference between 21/100m and 21/1600m...

I still suffer though whatever the reality...

Sorry Mike, not quite right. The climb rate is in metres or metres per mile. On the saved routes page a climb rate of 21 is not a percentage but 21 metres per mile over the run. The percetage inclines are very small but believe me 21 metres a mile is quite a hilly run.

A 21% incline would be 600 odd metres per mile and unrunnable :). Very rarely a fell run in the lakes or Scottish mountains etc. might approach 100m per mile and we would categorise these runs as extreme.

Rugbygirl

My understanding is as follows:

Think of 100m flat then 21% means you rise (or fall) 21m over 100m.

That I know from experiendce is steep, my sharpest hill around here is 17% using the GRG measurements while a run along my local canal barely registers.....

Hope this helps