Wash-Park-Run-Web

Wash-Park-Run-Web
Originally uploaded by runtherockies.

Google Maps and You

As a runner you want me to tell you what's cool and new in the running community and hopefully as much as I can about the Front Range running culture. This, my friends is the newest old news: Perhaps you've heard of Google. (The Starbucks of Search Engines) One of the niftyest tools for runners out by big "G" is Google Earth. You can measure your runs using the Tools>Measure>Path[tab] function.

Once you get over the novelty of the fact that you have a real, live satellite at your every command, you realize that planning training and run distances is a piece of cake. Just measure them out, like I did on this run to Washington Park from my apartment.

What this image doesn't show is that a dialog box appears as you are drawing the path, updating the actual mileage. For this run, it was exactly 6.79 miles. Kinda puts that last, hard .09 miles in perspective for you. In any case, check it out and ditch your clunky heart rate monitor/GPS/calorie counter/breathalizer wrist watch, and run like no one's watching.