Virtual Pacer

Former Member
Former Member
The Virtual Pacer data field helps you achieve your goals. Virtual Pacer shows all the information you need to cover the distance in the pre-set time. It's just as if you have your own personal pacer at your wrist.

You can get the Virtual Pacer here.



*********** Features ***********
- Allows you to set the required time and distance using the new App Settings features;
- Pace or Speed required to achieve your goal;
- Sliding bar showing you the percentage of distance covered;
- Option to change background color when you're behind;
- Shows achieved time, when finished.

Depending on the size you set the field, you can also have access to the following additional features
- Time or distance you're ahead or behind;
- Estimate of you end time;
- Remaining distance.

*********** Requirements ***********
Connect IQ version 1.2 or above

*********** Feedback and support ***********
Please consider this a beta version. I've tested this app successfully on Forerunner 920XT, Vivoactive and Forerunner 230, but since it's an advanced data field that's close to the boundaries of available resources, I'd like to do some more testing before I'll consider releasing v1.0. If you have any problems using this data field, please let me know.
General information about app settings can be found here.

*********** Version history ***********
v0.2: Included a lot of extra features, as described above.
v0.1: Initial version. Only shows required pace.

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Setting up your goal time and distance in Garmin Express

  • Go to "Manage Apps", a list of all your apps is shown;
  • Look for the Virtual Pacer data field and press the "..." besides the data field name, a page is shown where you can change the settings;
  • Change the settings to the appropriate values:
    • Distance: set the distance. The number is interpreted as Kilometers or Miles, depending on your device settings
    • Time (hh:mm:ss or seconds): Set the time in seconds or as mm:ss or hh:mm:ss.
    • Show Speed in stead of Pace: The data field shows required Speed if set to true, else it shows pace
    • Show ahead/behind as distance in stead of time: Show how much you're ahead or behind as distance if set to true, else as time
    • Switch background color when behind: If set to true, the background color changes if you're behind => This setting has been removed in version 1.0 and is always true.

  • Press "Save" to save the changes. The new values will automatically be send to your device.


I you want to check whether the new values are saved to your device, you can simply go to the settings page again. Garmin Express will always load the settings directly from the device.

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Setting up the zones in Garmin Connect Mobile

The following explanation is based on GCM for Android. GCM for iPhone should be (almost) the same.

  • In the menu go to "Garmin Devices";
  • Select your device from the list;
  • Select "Connect IQ Apps";
  • Select "Data Fields";
  • Select the Virtual Pacer data field;
  • Select "Settings" (if your device does not have Connect IQ 1.2 installed, you'll get a message "An error has occured");
  • Change the values (as described in the Setting up the zones in Garmin Express section above);
  • Select "Done" to save the values to your device


Same as with Garmin Express, you can check the settings by going to the Settings page again.
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 9 years ago
    If you display only one field, I would prefer to see “Behind / Ahead” field, rather then “Req Pace” field.
    This would help me on long runs when I want to run at a specific speed. I would not be obliged to switch between the standard “Virtual Partner” screen and 1 of the 4 user screens.
    Is this possible ?


    Technically this is possible. I prefer required pace in a single field, so adding this would mean adding an app setting. Unfortunately there's only so much memory to work with and there's currently not enough left to add such a setting. So unless connect IQ becomes more memory efficient or I'm persuaded to change the order by more people requesting this, I don't think I'll be able to change this shortly.
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 9 years ago
    Crash on FR 235

    Thanks for that racer because the FR 235 does not have one built in.

    1) I use FR 235 V3.30 and your latest version of today.
    2) I set 5 km 30 min speed instead pace and time for ahead and behind.
    3) It crashed at about 29min meaning you got the IQ sign with the little warning sign on the upper right corner.

    So it does not work, in your reviews is another user saying the same but he has another watch.

    In general it would be better you make an application and not a datafield, you could then ask for the distance and time in the application and it would not use up a complete datafield. Furthermore we can use only two IQ datafields.
  • Used it on another 10k race yesterday on my FR235 and it worked well, keeping me well informed after 4Ks that I wasn't going to be beat my PR, hehe...Oddly enough it crashed just at 10k per the GPS (the course was about 100 meters longer than the GPS calculation).
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 9 years ago
    I've just uploaded a new version of the Virtual Pacer, built with Connect IQ 1.2.3. This version further reduces memory consumption of the data field. The previous version sometimes crashed because it ran out of memory, especially on FR235 and Fenix 3. This problem should be solved with this new build.
  • Thanks, will update and report back if it happens again. Has it freed up enough memory to show HR by any chance ? ;-)

    EDIT - not sure if it's my setup but GE (4.1.16.0) crashes each time I try to change the goal time, was able to set it with GC fortunately.
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 9 years ago
    Has it freed up enough memory to show HR by any chance ? ;-)


    No, sorry, I'm still not planning to add HR to this data field.
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 9 years ago
    Crash on FR 235

    Went on a run today with your new version.

    As before:

    1) 5 km in 30 min, with no other changes.
    2) FR 235 with latest version 3.30.


    It crashed again after about 29 min (it seems afer the time no matter how many kilometers). So the freeing of the memory did not help.
  • Another 10k race yesterday with my FR235 me and no crash this time at the end, now the race was spot on 10k per the watch, unlike a bit more last week so that might explain it.
  • Former Member
    Former Member over 9 years ago
    Adjustment during a run

    Can the goal pace be adjusted during a run (like, for example, garmin's virtual partner - by holding a button) or can only be pre - set? Thank you in advance.
  • White / Black

    Is there going to be an option to set the background to white or black and keep it that way? Maybe just the color of ahead or behind could change instead (red / green / etc.). Thanks.