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

peterdedecker over 7 years ago

Released Peter's (Race) Pacer 4.5:
* Fixed potential 'Long' conversion problem when syncing settings through GCM
* Added support for Descent Mk1 device

Jasonl999 over 6 years ago

I am having a couple issues with the Vivoactive 3. When I go to the Run app and start a run, I can't see the initial screen (time of day, heart rate, gps strength). I just see a "Wait for GPS" screen that changes to "Press start".

But the bigger problem is that once I press start, the screen shows "Peter's (Race) Pacer) with a tiny little garmin connect icon, with no data at all. But I have figured out something interesting - if I stop the run, discard it, and then start another run, the field shows up perfectly fine every time. If back out of the Run app and come back in, same problem with "Peter's (Race) Pacer" text and a tiny icon but no data at all.

So there's something odd about the first time going into the Run app that the data field doesn't get loaded properly.

peterdedecker over 6 years ago

I am having a couple issues with the Vivoactive 3. When I go to the Run app and start a run, I can't see the initial screen (time of day, heart rate, gps strength). I just see a "Wait for GPS" screen that changes to "Press start".

The initial screen is actually there, but it's hidden on the vivoactive3 because on that watch the overlay screen covers the complete screen. (it's not under my control to hide that overlay screen). You could make a feature request topic in the vivoactive 3 forum with the request to hide the overlay window once gps position is acquired...

Alternatively (or in addition) you can also use the "app" version of my field where you will have the initial screen available: https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/e...c-9bd994080d4c

But the bigger problem is that once I press start, the screen shows "Peter's (Race) Pacer) with a tiny little garmin connect icon, with no data at all.

Is the tiny little icon a garmin connect iq icon or is it a little blue guy? (such as the icon of the app I linked to above?)

But I have figured out something interesting - if I stop the run, discard it, and then start another run, the field shows up perfectly fine every time. If back out of the Run app and come back in, same problem with "Peter's (Race) Pacer" text and a tiny icon but no data at all.

So there's something odd about the first time going into the Run app that the data field doesn't get loaded properly.

On which firmware are you? Can you check settings -> system -> about -> sw versions? (list all versions you see there)

Sometimes issues like these can also resolve themselves when you factory reset your watch to default settings (be sure to upload everything to garmin connect first as this action will wipe all user data from the watch).
To reset go to settings -> system -> restore defaults

Ratty365 over 6 years ago

Hi Peter,

I'm the chap that had an issue a few months ago with the App version whereby I used the App during my longest run, but the records for longest run/fastest 10k was subsequently not recognised on Garmin Connect or the watch.

You kindly filed a bug report on this here:

https://forums.garmin.com/forum/developers/connect-iq/connect-iq-bug-reports/1232812-watch-app-does-not-create-update-records

Looking through it and revisiting this ahead of another long race coming up, am I right in thinking that because I have an older watch (Forerunner 235), unfortunately any records set whilst using the App will not be saved/updated/recognised on Garmin Connect or the watch's records?

Appreciate the clarification and keep up the good work

peterdedecker over 6 years ago

Reading Brian's answer, it's indeed something that can not be implemented on the CIQ 1.x watches such as your Forerunner 235.

The Garmin Connect not updating the PR surprises me, I've posted a followup question in the bug topic.
But in case that would be the case, you should be able to fix that by going to Garmin Connect, open your activity and mark the activity as a PR (there's as small settings button in top right corner)

dannirr over 6 years ago

Peter

One all my watches (3), the settings option for your app has disappeared. Reinstalling makes no difference. Any idea?

peterdedecker over 6 years ago

there's currently a bug in the ios version of gcm, you can still access the settings you have to click on the thin line... (see attached image - login to forum account to view attachments)

alternatively you can also use Garmin Express from on your pc or mac

dannirr over 6 years ago

Thank you for your always speedy response Peter.

kolyan4ik over 6 years ago

Very nice app. But it would be great if You add possibility to to set custom fields as "Lap pace" - average pace of actual lap. Smooth pace not always works fine. Especially when running in thick forest or close to the high buildings.

peterdedecker over 6 years ago

Lap pace is already available, but due to tight memory constraints I can only enable this for Connect IQ 2.x devices. (there's only 16k available on Connect IQ 1.x devices in data field mode)

I assume you have a Connect IQ 1.x device? Use the "app version": https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/e...c-9bd994080d4c - lap pace will be available there, also on Connect IQ 1.x devices.