Data Field: Peter's (Race) Pacer

This is the support Thread for the Data Field Peter's (Race) Pacer.

Setup Guide with pictures: http://starttorun.info/peters-race-pacer/

Download
https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/23ea0301-30c6-4c33-b4ef-63e2b5394e76

Summary
Peter's (Race) Pacer resolves 2 issues for me when I'm running a race:

Before the race starts I want to see the time of the day (How long till the race starts?)
I often pace marathons and it used to be doing mental math all the way, now this is no longer necessary as I can fully depend on the average pace/speed, because this data field allows to correct the distance at the kilometer / mile marker by simply pressing the LAP button

While the data field's primary intent is to race races, you can also use it to run laps around the track, just set the lap distance to 400 meters and press the lap button as you cross the line!...

Intro
In it's full glory this data field uses about 24kb which is too much to run on the older devices. To enable using the data field on older connect IQ devices I've stripped some functionality from these older watches in order to let them operate within the 16kb limit that Connect IQ 1.x allows. (Items marked with (*ciQ2) are only available on the high memory watches (high memory watches are FR735xt, fenix chronos & fenix5 variants))

The data field is fully functional as is, yet donations are encouraged on the watch by a small encouragement text.

Usage
Before starting the race an initial data screen is shown (* cIQ2), this screen shows you the following data

Time of the day
Current heart rate (+ zone indication)
Configured Settings Summary (Change these settings in Garmin Express or in the Garmin Connect Android App)
Battery Percentage Remaining
Gps Signal Strength Indication

After pressing the START button the race timer will start and a new data screen will be shown, this data screen will show you the following information:

top middle configurable field: current heart rate / average pace / average speed / perfect pace / perfect speed (*)
row 1 left configurable field: average pace / average speed / current heart rate / perfect pace / perfect speed
row 1 middle configurable field: speed, smooth speed (5s average), smooth speed (10s average), pace, smooth pace (5s average), smooth pace (10s average)
time ahead / behind
race timer
(adjusted) distance covered (see adjusting distance explanation below)
estimated time of arrival

After Activity in Garmin Connect (*cIQ2)

When you opt to record the ahead Time to the FIT track an extra graphic is shown in Garmin Connect

Perfect Pace / Perfect Speed
This field recalculates as you run and gives you the pace you need to run to arrive at the finish with 0 seconds behind / ahead (eg if you run a 10k race and want to arrive in 1 hour (avg pace=6:00min/km), currently you're at the 7k point in 41:30, which means you're 30 seconds ahead, the perfect pace will thus show the value 6:10 (min/km) as you can run the next 3k 10 seconds slower to still get in time at the finish line)

Distance Adjustment
When you press the LAP button the on screen distance is adjusted to the nearest LAP SIZE (eg 5.31k will be adjusted to 5k if the lap size is 1000 meters).
When you press the LAP button by mistake you have 30 seconds to undo the last correction (just press the LAP button again)

When you miss a mile/kilometer marker, don't worry DO NOT PRESS THE LAP button and wait for the next kilometer/mile marker and press the LAP button there.

Adjusting the distance has no influence on the recorded distance (In Garmin Connect when you come back home you will see the real recorded GPS distance, yet of course you will be able to determine based on the lap marker postions where the LAP markings really were)...

Recommendations

Train with the data field before you race with it so you're used to the layout!
Have a backup second datascreen layout, in case the field crashes you can switch to the native data screen layout
If you have a Connect IQ 1.x device consider the application option to enjoy all features of Peter's (Race) Pacer: https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/ea97af1f-1e5d-4541-820c-9bd994080d4

Tested on real FR735XT, all other devices were tested in the simulator.

Top Replies

All Replies

webvan over 7 years ago

Any scoop on what these "other things" are ? ;-)

I think it currently strikes the right balance between info/legibility. The time ahead/behind is the clear "eye catcher" with its color coding and the other fields (except the top/bottom ones on my FR235 but it was a lot better on the F5) are there if need be without having to change pages. Lap Pace in the middle field would be a nice option if memory allows.

peterdedecker over 7 years ago

lap pace (and lap speed) is one of the things that's planned for an upcoming release, but I'm also working on some other connect iq projects (not race related)

peterdedecker over 7 years ago

The past weekend I had to pace a marathon in 4 hours, I can confirm that the combination of auto-laps and manual lapping works well.
The graphic below shows the information that's record to the FIT file (time ahead/behind) during the race, the arrows inidicate where I did a manual lap press to correct the distance.

(In the excitement of the nearing finish (38k+) my pace was a bit too hard, but I could keep the group together and it delivered my followers a better time in the end, win win situation :))

Paul1477 over 7 years ago

When chosing pace as a field in the datafield; would this be instance pace from the footpod (when connected) ?

If so I assume it's better to use this instance pace from the footpod over 10s smooth pace ?

peterdedecker over 7 years ago

Yes speed/pace would come from the footpod in that case.

Personally I don't have a footpod and also don't use smoothening because I like instant feedback. From running experience I know when the speed shown on the watch is in the ballpark range I expect it to be or when it's off. Smoothening the speed/pace can be a great help though if you're less experienced in feeling what the current speed/pace is as smoothening takes inaccuracies out of the equation by taking the average speed/pace over the period of 5s (or 10s). You have to try what works best for you and how you feel the most comfortable. (try it during a training run!)

It is true that (normally) in the case of a (well calibrated) footpod the speed shown on your watch should be more accurate (and have less inaccuracies than when depending on gps speed), so indeed I'd expect that smoothening should be less necessary when using a footpod.

Eccoci over 7 years ago

Cadence

I haven't tried it yet, but it looks like a very useful Data Field, Peter.
One question: any plans to add "cadence" as one of the optional fields to display?

peterdedecker over 7 years ago

I'll add it to my todo list to add cadence as an option (likely only for the high memory watches).

Eccoci over 7 years ago

Thanks Peter. Good job! I just made a donation.

peterdedecker over 7 years ago

Released Peter's Pacer (The App) v1.4:
* added the possibility to auto-lap @ lapSize

Dunder2004 over 7 years ago

Auto-lap on the app version

Hello Peter.

Further to our email exchange I am happy to confirm that the auto-lap did function properly after uninstalling/reinstalling the app.

With that said, the beep/vibrate alerts sounded/felt even softer than they normally do, which on the FR235 is already puny. I expect that the app has no impact on these alerts and that I am imagining something but I thought I would mention it just in case it is something you have control over.

Thanks again.