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GAP (Grade Adjusted Pace)
Rating
GAP (Grade Adjusted Pace) converts your actual pace on an uphill or downhill section into an equivalent pace on flat ground, reflecting the actual effort involved.
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Grade adjusted pace
In detail
Running uphill at 5:30/km requires significantly more energy than 5:30/km on flat ground — GAP translates this into an understandable figure: 'as if you were running on flat ground at pace X.' The calculation is based on a model of running energy expenditure depending on gradient (Minetti's methodology, 2002 — the same one used by Strava).
How to use it
On long climbs, rely on GAP or heart rate rather than the 'raw' pace shown on your watch — otherwise it's easy to burn out trying to hold a flat-ground pace where it's physiologically impossible.