Decided it was probably best to start a new thread for this. Please give your experiences and what you think are the pros and cons for the different tools.
mapmyrun
google earth
gmap pedometer
america's running routes
others?
Original Post
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MapMyRun.com - Pros: I can share my login credentials with someone, and we both can edit the map. A single location for a current map. A course can be marked as Private, so only I can see it; it can be marked "Accessible", so only people with the link can see it; then, when the course has been paid for, I can make it Public, so anyone can search and find it.
I can then download a GPX file to put on my Garmin Oregon GPS, and follow the course as I ride. No printed map necessary. I
Cons: Some people feel it is hard to work with, but that is the case with any program.
GoogleEarth: Cons: Must send KML files to anyone that wants to see the course. It does not show split locations, I believe. I believe you cannot make a path "Public", so it can be linked to in a Website. May be able to embed a link to the file in GoogleEarth, but that means someone must have installed GoogleEarth on their computer.
Pro: KML file can be placed in a shared DropBox folder, so anyone can get to a current version.
Just my bias.
I can then download a GPX file to put on my Garmin Oregon GPS, and follow the course as I ride. No printed map necessary. I
Cons: Some people feel it is hard to work with, but that is the case with any program.
GoogleEarth: Cons: Must send KML files to anyone that wants to see the course. It does not show split locations, I believe. I believe you cannot make a path "Public", so it can be linked to in a Website. May be able to embed a link to the file in GoogleEarth, but that means someone must have installed GoogleEarth on their computer.
Pro: KML file can be placed in a shared DropBox folder, so anyone can get to a current version.
Just my bias.
Google Earth Pros:
1) No ads.
2) Route management. You can store your routes in a hierarchical system of folders and sub-folders just like you store your files on your computer. And your routes are stored on your computer, not someone else's server.
3) Ability to display multiple routes at the same time, with checkboxes to turn them on/off.
4) Because it is an application on your computer rather than a web application, there is instantaneous and continuous response to mouse actions.
Google Earth cons:
1) No direct way to share routes if the other person doesn't use GE. My solution for this is to take a screen shot of the map and send the RD the picture. There is a way to share an interactive map that requires more than one step, but I usually don't bother with it.
2) No map view, only satellite. Not sure why they don't provide this.
3) As Duane mentions, no automatic splits created.
1) No ads.
2) Route management. You can store your routes in a hierarchical system of folders and sub-folders just like you store your files on your computer. And your routes are stored on your computer, not someone else's server.
3) Ability to display multiple routes at the same time, with checkboxes to turn them on/off.
4) Because it is an application on your computer rather than a web application, there is instantaneous and continuous response to mouse actions.
Google Earth cons:
1) No direct way to share routes if the other person doesn't use GE. My solution for this is to take a screen shot of the map and send the RD the picture. There is a way to share an interactive map that requires more than one step, but I usually don't bother with it.
2) No map view, only satellite. Not sure why they don't provide this.
3) As Duane mentions, no automatic splits created.
On GE:
I'm just curious why Mark wants a map view, I mean how would you use that if they had it?
I find myself turning "roads" on and off, mostly leaving road names off so that I can see better but sometimes turning them on to find a location or get oriented.
I agree that screen shots are a good way to talk to a non-GE user.
A great advantage of GE is how you can measure lines or paths in a wide choice of units.
gmap-pedometer
I find this really useful, and also easy to send maps back and forth since you don't have to download anything. Multiple modes of viewing are nice (but honestly I mostly use satellite and occasionally hybrid).
New users of gmap-pedometer need to remember to turn the route drawing to "manual" not "automatic" and also to zoom in really closely.
Here is a gmap of a route "run" by kids in the school where I teach. Sort of a fitness challenge, we have a quarter-km track so we counted laps and kilometers, gave little prizes and plotted our progress in "running across the country". "Run Across the Country" I guess this just shows that you can take one of their maps pretty far.
Cons for gmap-pedometer: 1. no easy way to measure short distances like 100 feet from a landmark; 2. Sometimes I get asked for username and password, I haven't figured out why that happens (only on my computer at work I think).
Other programs:
I haven't used other programs enough to comment. Some people like "Runningahead", but I don't know the pros and cons.
I'm just curious why Mark wants a map view, I mean how would you use that if they had it?
I find myself turning "roads" on and off, mostly leaving road names off so that I can see better but sometimes turning them on to find a location or get oriented.
I agree that screen shots are a good way to talk to a non-GE user.
A great advantage of GE is how you can measure lines or paths in a wide choice of units.
gmap-pedometer
I find this really useful, and also easy to send maps back and forth since you don't have to download anything. Multiple modes of viewing are nice (but honestly I mostly use satellite and occasionally hybrid).
New users of gmap-pedometer need to remember to turn the route drawing to "manual" not "automatic" and also to zoom in really closely.
Here is a gmap of a route "run" by kids in the school where I teach. Sort of a fitness challenge, we have a quarter-km track so we counted laps and kilometers, gave little prizes and plotted our progress in "running across the country". "Run Across the Country" I guess this just shows that you can take one of their maps pretty far.
Cons for gmap-pedometer: 1. no easy way to measure short distances like 100 feet from a landmark; 2. Sometimes I get asked for username and password, I haven't figured out why that happens (only on my computer at work I think).
Other programs:
I haven't used other programs enough to comment. Some people like "Runningahead", but I don't know the pros and cons.
Bob,
Sometimes it's nice to get rid of all the clutter in the satellite view and take a look at where you are with the map view. The other reason I'd like a map view is for the screen shots I send to the RD. I think they are more used to seeing maps in map view, so they would like it better. Not a big deal though.
Does anyone know if mapping websites besides mapmyrun and google earth allow you to import and export routes (gpx or kml format)?
Sometimes it's nice to get rid of all the clutter in the satellite view and take a look at where you are with the map view. The other reason I'd like a map view is for the screen shots I send to the RD. I think they are more used to seeing maps in map view, so they would like it better. Not a big deal though.
Does anyone know if mapping websites besides mapmyrun and google earth allow you to import and export routes (gpx or kml format)?
I have always used Google Earth, and been quite satisfied with it. It's not as handy using Windows 7 as it was with Windows XP, but I prefer it to the other alternatives.
The measurement tool is great.
I really love being able to zoom in to the roads and be able to see the corner and edges well.
The measurement tool is great.
I really love being able to zoom in to the roads and be able to see the corner and edges well.
gmap-pedometer allows you to export in gpx.
Bob,
What about importing into gmap-pedometer?
What about importing into gmap-pedometer?
Good question, Mark. Apparently others are asking the same thing:
chat about importing into gmaps
chat about importing into gmaps
Isn't America's Running Routes essential Gmaps Pedometer w/ a USATF "skin" over it?
I think you could argue that ALL of them are google maps with a "skin" over it.
What features each skin has is important though.
What features each skin has is important though.
Another useful tool can be found with Bing Maps: the "Bird's Eye" view option. I like to check my map directions with Bing images in general because they use different aerial photography than Google. I find Bing has mostly if not all its imagery taken from winter photography. In an area like the greater D.C. region, where trees often obscure roads and paths in GMap or G.E. images, Bing reveals the route with greater clarity. The "Bird's Eye" view adds some perspective, which I find useful, too. Unfortunately, its measurement tool is essentially worthless except for estimating driving distances.
That's good to know about Bing using winter imagery. That reminds me of a situation around the Pentagon: some years ago they did a major rerouting of Route 110 which involved reconfiguring parking lots and so on. I THINK this was already underway on 9/11.
Anyway, for 3 to 5 years after the reconfiguration happened, Google Earth was using the old aerial picture, taken before they started in on changing the roads. I've always wondered why that happened-- I had the feeling that other nearby places were being updated but not the immediate Pentagon area. However Bing maps were showing the new roads during that time.
Anyway, for 3 to 5 years after the reconfiguration happened, Google Earth was using the old aerial picture, taken before they started in on changing the roads. I've always wondered why that happened-- I had the feeling that other nearby places were being updated but not the immediate Pentagon area. However Bing maps were showing the new roads during that time.
The service plaza on the Detroit side of the Ambassador Bridge was under construction for several years. Google would not update the imagery until the construction was complete. Apparently it's a policy.
In most urban areas, you can look at historical imagery in GoogleEarth, just by going to View>Historical Imagery. This lets you see pictures from the past (slider in upper-left corner of imagery). Many of these are winter images, also.