WatchApp: pmTriathlon

Former Member over 10 years ago

pmTriathlon

pmTriathlon is a multi-sport app for triathlons. Designed to record a swim, a cycle and a run, with a transition inbetween (although the transition doesn't seem to create a FIT file, I'm assuming this is something to do with ConnectIQ).

IMPORTANT NOTICE
All this application does is start and stop events in the order that you do them in a Triathlon. This application has no control over data accurracy, that's handled by the watch. The swimming discipline seems to suffer the most problems.

These issues might be down to running on a Vivoactive (or other likewise watch); so if you're super-serious about your Triathlon data, you might want to consider a better watch designed for triathlons.

If you're happy with getting times as a minimum, then you'll be okay with this app.

Usage
Once started, the GPS will try and connect, the red bar above and below the phase chevrons indicates GPS signal, and will turn yellow or green when a signal is acquired.
To start your triathlon, press the "Enter" button (physical button on the right side of the vivoactive). Press this at the start and end of each discipline.

Press the button a final time at the end of your triathlon, and you will be presented on-screen with the total time, with phase split times.

Onscreen Data
Currently the only information available to display are:

Event (Total) Time
Discipline Time
Pace (time per mi/km based on watch setting)
Distance (mi/km based on watch setting)

Watch Support
It has only actually been tested on a Vivoactive, but should support all square screen watches

Downloads
https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/e68063aa-d8b9-4801-9a26-633619f72a9a

Source Code
https://github.com/pmprog/pmTriathlon (MIT Licence)

History
v1.0
Initial Release

v1.1

A settings menu is now available in the pre-event screen by pressing the menu button. At the minute, the only option you are able to change is whether you are doing a Triathlon, Reverse Triathlon, or a Duathlon (Run/Cycle/Run); The data fields will hopefully get added soon
The screen is now locked during an event, and the only buttons that should do anything are the Power button (for enabling the backlight) and the Record button (for advancing)

Former Member over 10 years ago

App was approved, and the link has been updated

Former Member over 10 years ago

So does this app track the swim with gps ie suitable for openwater triathlons, or does it effectively use a method similar to the standard swim app, ie suitable for pool based triathlons

Former Member over 10 years ago

So does this app track the swim with gps ie suitable for openwater triathlons, or does it effectively use a method similar to the standard swim app, ie suitable for pool based triathlons

I'll be honest, I don't really know. There aren't any "settings", you just start a recording for a "swim", and the watch takes care of everything else.

I would hope that if the GPS is connected at the time, it'd use that, but I can't be certain

Former Member over 10 years ago

I don't know if "Jens2s" who wrote the review on my app comes on here, but if they do, please can they let me know what firmware version they were using on their watch, and what was actually happening?

I've had no such crashes, and I've physically tested it on a Vivoactive.

Former Member over 10 years ago

Is there any chance if creating an app for a reverse tri (run/bike/swim)?

Former Member over 10 years ago

I did a practice tri around my neighborhood yesterday just to get a feel for the app. Overall very impressive. Nice work.
One thing that I noticed that could be improved is when biking the app still shows pace (min/mi) instead of speed (mph). If possible it would be better to switch to speed when biking and pace when running. I don't think most people care what is shown when swimming.

Former Member over 10 years ago

Sorry for the delay in replying. I did my triathlon recently, then was away for a holiday

Is there any chance if creating an app for a reverse tri (run/bike/swim)?

It should be, I'll see if I can muster up some time.

I did a practice tri around my neighborhood yesterday just to get a feel for the app. Overall very impressive. Nice work.

Thanks.

One thing that I noticed that could be improved is when biking the app still shows pace (min/mi) instead of speed (mph). If possible it would be better to switch to speed when biking and pace when running. I don't think most people care what is shown when swimming.

I've had a couple of requests to show different data. I'm afraid it only shows the pace (even in the cycle) because that's just what I measure myself with even on the bike.

My main problem is time, I don't have much of it at the minute, which is why it's just got what I use; but hopefully I'll be able to find a bit of time and make the app a lot more configurable.

gubrist over 10 years ago

does this app track the swim with gps for openwater triathlons

Did somebody try it out, meanwhile: does it measure the openwater distance?

Former Member over 10 years ago

Did somebody try it out, meanwhile: does it measure the openwater distance?

A few people have used it (myself included) - if you read one of the reviews on the app Kevin086 had a successful openwater swim; however there's a couple saying they've had problems with locking up/crashing. My tri had a pool swim, and that portion of my tri recorded 22yd as my swim, which is clearly wrong, but got everything else correct.

Unfortunately, all you do is tell the watch to "start recording" and "stop recording", you don't really control what it records, so there's not a vast amount I can do, which is disappointed. There's also no real details on how to work with swim events so it could be I've initialised it wrong (after all, you don't specify pool length or anything)

All I can suggest is maybe try it during training, and see if it looks right.

If you do experience any lock ups or crashes, please post back here

gubrist over 10 years ago

If you do experience any lock ups or crashes, please post back here

Thanks, I had a swim today in the lake.
After 20 minutes the swim part and the whole pmTriathlon App stopped without touching the Garmin vivoactive. Getting out of the water, the Garmin vivoactive was back in the watch page.
The postive thing is, that the swim was recorded and afterwards uploaded to Garmin Connect. Distance indicated was 1.5 km but is was max. 800 m. (I do not know yet if/how vivoactive can measure the open water distance.)