Forerunner Software

On Sat, 25 Sep 2004 17:15:50 +0200, Traveller ® <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Since a couple of month I'm using the Forerunner. It's a nice piece of
electronics, but the software that Garmin supplies isn't exactly top.
I've been searching on the net but I mainly came across mapping
software.

What I'm looking is mainly software to analyze my run(s). Anyone out
who has come accross this kind of software?

You might take a look at the Yahoo Group Garminf. It's farly active.

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/garminf/
D. Wells

[email hidden]
Remove the numbers to mail me. Include the text "gore-in-2004"
(without quotation marks) to ensure you make it past the spam filter.

Traveller ® said:

Since a couple of month I'm using the Forerunner. It's a nice piece of
electronics, but the software that Garmin supplies isn't exactly top.
I've been searching on the net but I mainly came across mapping
software.

What I'm looking is mainly software to analyze my run(s). Anyone out
who has come accross this kind of software?

Analyze your runs ??? To what end ? Or is the said analysis the end and the
running the means ? Don't you have something better to do ?

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi
http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Donovan Rebbechi said:

Traveller ® said:

Since a couple of month I'm using the Forerunner. It's a nice piece of
electronics, but the software that Garmin supplies isn't exactly top.
I've been searching on the net but I mainly came across mapping
software.

What I'm looking is mainly software to analyze my run(s). Anyone out
who has come accross this kind of software?

Analyze your runs ??? To what end ? Or is the said analysis the end and the
running the means ? Don't you have something better to do ?

yes. deleting this mail.

de groeten,

martin

http://home.planet.nl/~usa

snip..

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

What I'm looking is mainly software to analyze my run(s). Anyone out
who has come accross this kind of software?

You might take a look at the Yahoo Group Garminf. It's farly active.

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/garminf/
D. Wells

tx, useful link!

de groeten,

martin

http://home.planet.nl/~usa

Traveller ® said:

Since a couple of month I'm using the Forerunner. It's a nice piece of
electronics, but the software that Garmin supplies isn't exactly top.
I've been searching on the net but I mainly came across mapping
software.

What I'm looking is mainly software to analyze my run(s). Anyone out
who has come accross this kind of software?

Do you not want mapping software? Analyze your runs in what way? Here's
what I do (not sure if this is what you want to do):

Download the tracks from Forerunner to PC using G7ToWin
Save the tracks as a trk file
Import the trk file into MapSource

Since MapSource is not directly compatible with the Forerunner, you have to
use another program (G7ToWin) to convert the file to a trk file so that
MapSource can interpret it

G7ToWin is free from http://www.gpsinformation.org/ronh/g7towin.htm. You
can also convert the files to text files and import it into a spreadsheet.

Phil M.

--
"Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make
them all yourself." ­Martin Vanbee

Let's pretend I'm a hungry hyena, and you're a bone.
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Phil M. said:

Traveller ® said:

Since a couple of month I'm using the Forerunner. It's a nice piece of
electronics, but the software that Garmin supplies isn't exactly top.
I've been searching on the net but I mainly came across mapping
software.

What I'm looking is mainly software to analyze my run(s). Anyone out
who has come accross this kind of software?

Do you not want mapping software? Analyze your runs in what way? Here's
what I do (not sure if this is what you want to do):

Download the tracks from Forerunner to PC using G7ToWin
Save the tracks as a trk file
Import the trk file into MapSource

snip....

I've got serveral routes that I run and I want to keep track on my
progress. f.e what's my speed between point 1 and poit 2, how long
did I need for route 1 the last five runs.

I mean, the info is there (at least visible in the forerunner) but
when I look in the logbook it seems to be disapeared. I want the info
exported to Excell or something like that.

de groeten,

martin

http://home.planet.nl/~usa

Traveller ® said:

I've got serveral routes that I run and I want to keep track on my
progress. f.e what's my speed between point 1 and poit 2, how long
did I need for route 1 the last five runs.

I mean, the info is there (at least visible in the forerunner) but
when I look in the logbook it seems to be disapeared. I want the info
exported to Excell or something like that.

Using G7ToWin (see my original post) you can save your tracks as a csv
file, then open it with Excel. The Forerunner's onboard software is
manipulating that raw data (a function of latitude, longitude, altitude vs
time) to give you what you see on the Forerunner screen. Since you'll only
get the raw data imported into your spreadsheet, you'll have to work on
formulas that will take that data and give you speed, etc. If you're good
with Excel, you might be able to get the results you want.

Phil M.

Phil M. said:

Traveller ® said:

I've got serveral routes that I run and I want to keep track on my
progress. f.e what's my speed between point 1 and poit 2, how long
did I need for route 1 the last five runs.

I mean, the info is there (at least visible in the forerunner) but
when I look in the logbook it seems to be disapeared. I want the info
exported to Excell or something like that.

Using G7ToWin (see my original post) you can save your tracks as a csv
file, then open it with Excel. The Forerunner's onboard software is
manipulating that raw data (a function of latitude, longitude, altitude vs
time) to give you what you see on the Forerunner screen. Since you'll only
get the raw data imported into your spreadsheet, you'll have to work on
formulas that will take that data and give you speed, etc. If you're good
with Excel, you might be able to get the results you want.

Phil,

thanks again. this is very useful!

de groeten,

martin

http://home.planet.nl/~usa

Quoted message said:

In article said:

Traveller ® said:

What I'm looking is mainly software to analyze my run(s). Anyone out
who has come accross this kind of software?

Quoted message said:

Analyze your runs ??? To what end ? Or is the said analysis the end and the
running the means ? Don't you have something better to do ?

If you don't want to run with a GPS or race with a HRM, then don't. Just
because someone else does, doesn't make them any less of a runner.

I've run with both a GPS and a heart rate monitor at various times. But I
don't devote a great deal of time and effort to "analyzing" my run(s), and I
really don't understand what purpose it would serve.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi
http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Traveller ® said:

Donovan Rebbechi said:

Traveller ® said:

Since a couple of month I'm using the Forerunner. It's a nice piece of
electronics, but the software that Garmin supplies isn't exactly top.
I've been searching on the net but I mainly came across mapping
software.

What I'm looking is mainly software to analyze my run(s). Anyone out
who has come accross this kind of software?

Analyze your runs ??? To what end ? Or is the said analysis the end and the
running the means ? Don't you have something better to do ?

yes. deleting this mail.

Before you run away crying, I'm genuinely curious -- what purpose does the said
analysis serve ? And what are the pitfalls of not analyzing ones runs ? I run
70 miles a week, and I analyze very little of it, so I'm concerned that I may
be making a grave error of judgment by just going out and running, without
doing the proper analysis.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi
http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Traveller ® said:

Phil M. said:

Traveller ® said:

Since a couple of month I'm using the Forerunner. It's a nice piece of
electronics, but the software that Garmin supplies isn't exactly top.
I've been searching on the net but I mainly came across mapping
software.

What I'm looking is mainly software to analyze my run(s). Anyone out
who has come accross this kind of software?

Do you not want mapping software? Analyze your runs in what way? Here's
what I do (not sure if this is what you want to do):

Download the tracks from Forerunner to PC using G7ToWin
Save the tracks as a trk file
Import the trk file into MapSource

snip....

I've got serveral routes that I run and I want to keep track on my
progress. f.e what's my speed between point 1 and poit 2, how long
did I need for route 1 the last five runs.

The pace/splits of your training runs are a very poor progress metric. Most
people who get too caught up in their times for training runs end up doing
their training runs too fast. It goes something like this:

desire to progress
=> desire to improve on the progress metric (training run performance)
=> desire to complete training runs faster
=> running training runs too fast.

Better to measure your progress by doing interval work, or entering races,
where going faster really does imply progress.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi
http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Donovan Rebbechi said:

I'm concerned that I may be making a grave error of judgment by just
going out and running, without doing the proper analysis.

Somehow I find that hard to believe. Are you trolling? ;-)

Phil M.

On Sat, 25 Sep 2004 21:19:55 +0000 (UTC), Donovan Rebbechi

snip...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

If you don't want to run with a GPS or race with a HRM, then don't. Just
because someone else does, doesn't make them any less of a runner.

I've run with both a GPS and a heart rate monitor at various times. But I
don't devote a great deal of time and effort to "analyzing" my run(s), and I
really don't understand what purpose it would serve.

So why use them at all?

de groeten,

martin

http://home.planet.nl/~usa

snip...

Quoted message said:

Before you run away crying, I'm genuinely curious -- what purpose does the said
analysis serve ?

Oh my, my. If this is the only thing you can contribute to my
question take one of the green pills; they really calm one down.

de groeten,

martin

http://home.planet.nl/~usa

Traveller ® said:

On Sat, 25 Sep 2004 21:19:55 +0000 (UTC), Donovan Rebbechi

snip...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

If you don't want to run with a GPS or race with a HRM, then don't. Just
because someone else does, doesn't make them any less of a runner.

I've run with both a GPS and a heart rate monitor at various times. But I
don't devote a great deal of time and effort to "analyzing" my run(s), and I
really don't understand what purpose it would serve.

So why use them at all?

Here's one example of how I've used a GPS -- there's a route my training group
runs in the trails. I can go for a run with the group, use the GPS to map the
route, so I can run that route on my own in future. Or use the GPS as a
navigation tool. Or even use it to get an approximate measure of milage (though
this isn't even all that good for this, because a guesstimate is usually pretty
accurate)

Heart rate monitors ? I use heart rate based training on tempo runs,
especially during winter when I don't have measured courses to work with.
Usually, I'd do the run on a track and monitor pace carefully, but if there's
no good measure of distance available, I monitor heart rate. One can do
similar with interval training. Generally, I'd prefer to do speed work on a
track but it's not practical in winter when the tracks are all snowed out. I
also used the HRM on easier runs during injury rehab, to prevent myself from
pushing too hard in training. Likewise, one can also use them during tapering
for similar reasons -- to avoid pushing too hard during a training period that
requires a backoff.

But the idea that a typical training run requires "analysis" is ridiculous.
Just get the miles/time in, at a conversational pace, that's about all there
is to iit. If want to do analysis for its own sake, out of scientific curiosity
or something, knock yourself out with it, but it's not going to help your
running.

Cheers,
--
Donovan Rebbechi
http://pegasus.rutgers.edu/~elflord/

Don said:
<< But I
don't devote a great deal of time and effort to "analyzing" my run(s), and I
really don't understand what purpose it would serve. >>

....whatever...

_______
Blog, or dog? Who knows. But if you see my lost pup, please ping me!
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HREF="http://journals.aol.com/virginiaz/DreamingofLeonardo">http://journal
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<< Oh my, my. If this is the only thing you can contribute to my
question take one of the green pills; they really calm one down. >>

Oh, no, that's overkill.
Just come over here, sit down.
Now, tell me, what's up with Bill?
Grrl or boi? By the way, seen my hound?

_______
Blog, or dog? Who knows. But if you see my lost pup, please ping me!
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HREF="http://journals.aol.com/virginiaz/DreamingofLeonardo">http://journal
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In article said:

Quoted message said:

In article said:

On 2004-09-25, Traveller ® <[email hidden]> wrote:
> What I'm looking is mainly software to analyze my run(s). Anyone out
> who has come accross this kind of software?

Quoted message said:

Analyze your runs ??? To what end ? Or is the said analysis the end and the
running the means ? Don't you have something better to do ?

If you don't want to run with a GPS or race with a HRM, then don't. Just
because someone else does, doesn't make them any less of a runner.

I've run with both a GPS and a heart rate monitor at various times. But I
don't devote a great deal of time and effort to "analyzing" my run(s), and I
really don't understand what purpose it would serve.

I really don't understand how you can't think of any possible reason
that someone might be interested in analysing their runs. I think
that you think that your choices in running are "the one true way"
much like someone decides that the missionary position is the only
way to have sex.

Anyway, if you need a reason here's mine: I do all my easy runs
at 140bpm. My pace varies from about 8.5 minute miles to nearly
10 minute miles depending on my state of fitness, overtraining,
recent speed work. I do identical out and back runs and the return
half varies from being identical to the outgoing half time, to a
couple of minutes slower. I find this information more useful than
just knowing I'm running at a conversational speed.

If I run a 5k time trial at an average heart rate of 170bpm, and
another one a week later, 30s slower at 168bpm, with a personal
best time when I had 175bpm average, then that just might tell me
I'm not trying hard enough rather than am unfit. Maybe.

Paul