I’m posting this blog post both on my personal blog and my technical blog because the subject matter crosses over both topics. Since I started back into running often I have been obsessed with tracking the distances that I’ve been running and the times and figuring out my pace. I like doing this because it helps me see the progress that I’m making.
Since my new Blackberry has so many additional features (other than just being a phone) like allowing me to watch video, listen to the radio, listen to MP3’s, get directions on a map and update facebook (amongst other things). I had been reading about all the cool GPS devices that attach to your shoe or wrist that allow you to track your pace and map your routes automatically and then upload them to a website. However, many of these devices are several hundreds of dollars. So, I decide that I would look for an application that would allow me to use the GPS functionality of my blackberry to do the same thing.
My search uncovered several applications, but two of them actually had free trials that I could download and test during my real work outs. The two that I downloaded to try were RoadrunnerGPS (http://www.roadrunnergps.com) and AllSport GPS by Trimble Outdoors (http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/). On the immediate surface one of the main differences between the two are the price. RoadrunnerGPS is a single purchase of $4.99 while the AllSportGPS is a monthly subscription of $5.99.
As the name implies the AllSport covers not just running but cycling, hiking, mountain biking and walking. They both upload their data to a website which you can log into and review the data. One of the advantages of the AllSport is that even after the data has been uploaded to the website you are still able to review the data on your Smartphone, while the RoadrunnerGPS “loses” the local data once it’s been uploaded to their website. Both applications gather very similar data, however and are joy to use for data geeks like me.
The AllSport has a 7 day trial while the Roadrunner has a 14 day trial. So, I will have to get busy with the testing the AllSport.
More to come later.