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

vumad over 7 years ago

I've been using this Data Field for a little over a week and it has to be best thing that has landed on my wrist since I bought my latest Garmin (630). I've used the DF both in races (with manual lap corrections) and on training runs (auto lap on). I find it to be far better than the multiple standard Garmin data screens that I had previously been using.

I'd like see a few small tweaks considered for addition to the DF in a future update:
1) Toggle the background and foreground / font colours when the average pace falls behind the target (just like Garmin's Virtual Partner screen). This tweak would I suspect be very useful to those who suffer from red-green colourblindness and may not easily be able to distinguish the green 'AHEAD' and red 'BEHIND' indicators.
2) It would be useful if the middle left field could display Cadence - this would be helpful both on training runs and particularly towards the end of races when you are tiring.
3) Were a bold font to be used on the top and bottom lines of the display then the details would be easier to read.

Thanks for a great app / data field.

peterdedecker over 7 years ago

Thanks. Glad you like the data field!

Regarding your questions:
1/ Would it help if I make the BEHIND text white color on red background?
2/ I added cadence to version 4.2 but this is only available for connect iq 2 devices. On connect iq 1 devices like your 630 I don't have enough memory. Once I sync the functionality towards the app version https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/ea97af1f-1e5d-4541-820c-9bd994080d4c you'll be able to enjoy cadence there though on your device. [I'm in the middle of tweaking the lap screen so it might take me some time before I release the updated "the app" version]. Either way check it out as it provides extra functionality for your 630.
3/ I don't have enough memory to add a custom font and the system fonts are as they are [I can't bold the font]

dannirr over 7 years ago

Hi Peter,

I never could get the mixed units to work properly on your screen - so instead I went back to all imperial units for the Berlin Marathon. While I wasn't able to correct laps very often (only at 10 and 20 miles as that corresponds well to km's) - the app was fantastic. Kept me on pace perfectly. Thank you very much. For races, so you suggest auto lap off?

peterdedecker over 7 years ago

Ah then at least 2 of my apps were running in Berlin ( Mickelin01 used Peter's (Hi Vis) Pacer in Berlin) :)

Auto laps on or off doesn't matter, just make sure that if autolaps are on that your lapsize in the configuration of Peter's (Race) Pacer matches the lapSize of your autolap.

Regarding the mixed units, have you tried the "TestForDannirr" app I uploaded a few posts above?

ferbpen over 7 years ago

Auto laps on or off doesn't matter, just make sure that if autolaps are on that your lapsize in the configuration of Peter's (Race) Pacer matches the lapSize of your autolap.

Now I'm curious. Using the datafield quite long now but ever had the autolap off. Does it correct the lap size also with autolap on?

E.g.
1.) if I press Lap on 950m measured distance I would receive a new Lap and the distance is corrected to 1km, right?
2.) If the 1k-autolap occured and I press Lap at -let's say- 1050m, the old Lap is deleted and is corrected with my manual pressing? Do I have 2 Laps then in my fit-file? (one auto-1k and one manual at 1050m)

That means I could leave autolap always on, even in races? Should have digged more into your manual I think....

This sunday I would like to test your datafield together with the Hi-Vis during a Marathon.... I will tell you my experience...

peterdedecker over 7 years ago

Yes you can leave autolap on during races (in my races I always do).
In this post I explain what routines the lap button press does: https://forums.garmin.com/forum/developers/connect-iq/connect-iq-showcase/149939-data-field-peter-s-race-pacer?p=1228578#post1228578

as to your questions:
1/ yes
2/ laps can not be deleted, so you have a lap at 1000 and the next lap will be 50 long.(so yes 2 laps in the fit file)

Enjoy the marathon on sunday!

peterdedecker over 7 years ago

Released Peter's (Race) Pacer v4.3:
- Partial rewrite to reduce memory consumption
- Default target distance is now set to marathon
- Made text color of HR and Behind text white when there is a dark background

Released Peter's Pacer (The App) v3.0:
- Synchronized sources with Peter's (Race) Pacer v4.3
- Redesigned lap screen
- Added option to enable/disable beep/vibration
- Added option to set vibration strength
- Added support for Vivoactive
- Implemented hr sensor reading explicitly
- Round pace instead of truncating the pace (eg 5k in 25:03 will now show as 5:01 pace)

Example of redesigned lap screen on the FR735XT:

Apuleio over 7 years ago

Hello Peter, I just updated my FR230 with the newest version of your data field.
Since than, the data field does not work anymore, the watch shows an exclamation mark.

Cheers,

Apuleio

peterdedecker over 7 years ago

Can you connect your watch via usb and send me the ciq_log.txt file from in the folder garmin/apps/log folder
Also let me know the options you have entered in the Peter's (Race) Pacer settings.

In addition can you also delete the app and then reinstall the app and see if it then still crashes.

Apuleio over 7 years ago

I just sent log file and screenshots with my options to your email.

Cheers.