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

It times fine in the lake (results after N=1 tests)

For a certain value of "fine."

I did a short lake swim today; timing was fine. GPS was running, but unless I didn't notice jumping on shore and jogging for a bit, the accuracy was a little low. The 0.42 mi it recorded was a good bit farther than I could have gone in 11 min. But it did record and did make a file I could look at which was approximately correct.

1. Is there a way to pause?
2. I tried it in a pool swim. Actual distance 400 m but it told me 0.43 miles. Anyone else try it yet?

Former Member over 10 years ago

1. Is there a way to pause?

No, why would you want to pause mid-race?

2. I tried it in a pool swim. Actual distance 400 m but it told me 0.43 miles. Anyone else try it yet?

When I did my triathlon, it was an outdoor pool swim, and gave me a very inaccurate swim of 22 yards when my swim was actually 500m. Unfortunately, I don't know why this is wrong, and ConnectIQ doesn't give me any "options"... :(

Former Member over 10 years ago

Update on app

Just a couple of thoughts here,
First, the update worked great. Did a tri Sunday with no crash of the app! In regards to the GPS tracking on the swim, this is a garmin thing and nothing to do with the app. I used to use a 310XT for triathlon. It worked great, but in regards to GPS tracking on the swim it was always way off. When looking at the map on garmin connect afterwards it always looked as if I wandered all over the swim venue. I'm sure this is a function of losing and reconnecting the GPS signal.
Lastly, unless you are a speedster I would only recommend the Vivoactive for Olympic distance or less. I did a half iron yesterday with a fully charged watch. I did the race in 6:40. The watch died at mile 12. (It recorded everything before that perfectly)
To the developer, great job! Great app!
I hope this info helps other users.

Former Member over 10 years ago

Just a couple of thoughts here,
First, the update worked great. Did a tri Sunday with no crash of the app! In regards to the GPS tracking on the swim, this is a garmin thing and nothing to do with the app. I used to use a 310XT for triathlon. It worked great, but in regards to GPS tracking on the swim it was always way off. When looking at the map on garmin connect afterwards it always looked as if I wandered all over the swim venue. I'm sure this is a function of losing and reconnecting the GPS signal.
Lastly, unless you are a speedster I would only recommend the Vivoactive for Olympic distance or less. I did a half iron yesterday with a fully charged watch. I did the race in 6:40. The watch died at mile 12. (It recorded everything before that perfectly)
To the developer, great job! Great app!
I hope this info helps other users.

Thanks for that feedback. My tri was a sprint, but it's nice to know what sort of life you can get out of it

Former Member over 10 years ago

Swim Portion when Indoor?

I used it at my recent triathlon, cycle and run worked great. Swim was indoors and had the proper time but no data otherwise. Is this expected behaviour for an indoor swim? Garmin version is 3.10.

Nikeow over 10 years ago

Good question. but since it's indoors.. there would be no GPS hence no distance.
Per DC Rainmaker, http://www.dcrainmaker.com/2015/04/garmin-vivoactive-in-depth-review.html the VA supports swimming - but if not mistake, from Garmin SDK, not much is there for swimming..

http://developer.garmin.com/downloads/connect-iq/monkey-c/doc/frames.html#!Toybox/Activity/Info.html

Former Member over 10 years ago

I used it at my recent triathlon, cycle and run worked great. Swim was indoors and had the proper time but no data otherwise. Is this expected behaviour for an indoor swim? Garmin version is 3.10.

Yes and no. It's not what it should do, but it's what I've come to expect it to do.

but if not mistake, from Garmin SDK, not much is there for swimming..

Yeah, there's no swimming examples, there's no way to set pool sizes, and even the FIT event file doesn't have the swimming icon. Unfortunately, there's absolutely nothing I can do about this at the minute, and it's a shame.

Blackpud over 10 years ago

New screen lock works great

Thanks for your time implementing the screen lock, I used the app to record my lake swim and it worked as intended (albeit overestimating the swim distance due to gps scatter). I'm very happy though as now I have very basic open water swim recording making it a valid replacement for my fenix 2.

All I need to do is then delete the extra activities in Garmin connect when I'm not doing a full triathlon!

It would be great if you could possibly create a separate app just for open water swimming ie. The same app renamed and without the transitions and bike and run. Just for simplicity and to avoid the garmin connect work apres swim!

Brilliant, you are doing Garmins work for them!

Is there any way to increase gps sample time to reduce the track inaccuracy at all?

Matt

Former Member over 10 years ago

Yes and no. It's not what it should do, but it's what I've come to expect it to do.

Yeah, there's no swimming examples, there's no way to set pool sizes, and even the FIT event file doesn't have the swimming icon. Unfortunately, there's absolutely nothing I can do about this at the minute, and it's a shame.

Is it possible to have a "pool swim" option to disable GPS just for the first event? The Vivoactive does track pool swims with the accelerometer which could be a cool feature.

Former Member over 10 years ago

Pure open water swim app?

Hi,
I really like this app but since me and my wife right now are focusing on open water swim I would love if you could develop a pure swimming app.