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.
  • Hi again Peter, I'm able to get into the link now, so no need to email me. Trang

  • Peter, I tried both the race pacer data field and the hi-vis data field today on a run and ran into some problems with both. I'll post hi-vis questions on that forum. For the race pacer, I got IQ! error message. I input settings (on my FR235) for a 4.5 mile run, as:

    Lap size: 1609
    Target distance custom
    Custom distance: 7240
    Target type: target pace
    Target pace: 10
    Show on top middle: Perfect pace
    Show on Row 1 left: Perfect pace
    Show on Row 1 middle: Smooth pace (10 sec)

    I did have the data screen in 1 field layout, and tried it in both 1st and 2nd screen positions, and neither worked.

    Not sure if I did something wrong?

    Thanks, Trang
  • if target type is target pace then you need to specify it as a pace value in minutes/mile so for example type something as 6:21

    if you wish to specify the target as a speed then you need to set target type to"target speed" (...but on the forerunner 235 the option target speed is not available in the Peter's (Race) Pacer data field due to memory limitations, the option has been made available in the "app" version though, see the app "Peter's Pacer (The App)" )
  • Thanks Peter. I'll try that. I meant to enter target pace as 10 mins/mile, so will change that to 10:00.
  • Hi Peter,

    (first, excuse my english... I'm french...).

    I use your Data Fields, it's great !

    But, I use it today for first time, and I have a difference of 2 km between the distance of the data and the real garmin value at the end of the run. I don't use the button LAP during the session because I have no km indication...

    Do you know the origin of the problem ?

    Thanks !
  • I can read French (I'm not great at writing in French though), but anyway if you feel more comfortable writing in French, feel free to do so, I'll keep answering in English though ;)

    Do you have the auto lap function turned on on your watch?

    What is the size of the auto-lap on the watch and what is the size of the lapsize in the settings of Peter's Race Pacer? (this needs to match, otherwise distance corrections will be executed at every auto lap which would explain for the difference you see)

  • Ah yes... ! It will be the right answer ;)
    Infact, auto lap was 5 km for the watch, and 3 km for the DF !
    I try it perhaps next week after correction !

    Thanks for your quick answer !
  • Hi Peter, I'm finally getting the hang of using your pacers - have been trying Race Pacer both data field and app, as well as Hi-Vis. They all work great and now I just need to decide which to use for my marathon coming up.

    The one question I still haven't figured out is what exactly does ahead/behind mean? For example, one run my ETA showed 2 mins behind, but the ahead/behind showed 60 seconds. Does that mean I'm 60 secs behind the target pace (vs target finish time since it didn't add up), or something else? (this was on the data field, but I am seeing similar on the app & Hi-Vis too). and my watch is an FR235.

    Thanks, Trang
  • The ahead/behind shows your ahead/behind right now.... the eta shows your estimated ahead/behind at the end of the race.

    As an example if your target is to run 10k in 1 hour and you're currently at the 5k point in 29:30 then your ahead time will be 30 seconds and your eta will be 59 minutes.
  • Thanks. That explanation really helps. I'd like to make a multiple-app/DF donation - what is the best way to do that?