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jogging route calculator

Internet applciation that let's me measure the distance of my regular jogging route.
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I'm a bit of a competetive personalitly, so I competetive love ball sports. However, sometimes, when I can't find anybody to play squash, volleyball or soccer, I love to go for a run. In all the places I have lived so far, I've always had my usual loop. But I never knew what distance I actually covered, only an average time.

So here's my halfbaked idea: A website that let's me configure my route on a map, and then tells me the distance. A cool website would offer a 3d simulation of a run, and the user would click "right here", "left there" as the simulation moves on. In the end you get the distance and an optional altitude profile. After that a virtual trainer appears on screen, and tells you what speed you need to run to burn so-and-so many calories, the equivalent of so-and-so many cans of coke, hamburgers, chocolates...

Sorry, gone to far. But I'm still interested in what distance I'm covering. Anybody up for building that?

PS. I know those dumb wheelie things for maps exist, but I hate them (and I don't have one, either).

nick!, Jan 17 2005

Microsoft Streets and Trips http://www.microsof...treets/default.mspx
[Size_Mick, Jan 17 2005]

Google Earth http://earth.google.com/
A 3D interface to the planet [Minimal, Nov 28 2005]

Another Google Solution http://www.tobyk.com/maps/
Very useful. [lostdog, Nov 28 2005]

Gmaps Pedometer http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/
This does what you are talking about but not the altitude and calorie analysis. It's a hack on Google Maps. [shoesuntied, Nov 29 2005]

Baked. This does the Calorie calculation too. http://www.walkjogrun.net/
Plus you can save and share routes in your area. [Galbinus_Caeli, Jun 19 2007]

[link]






       Hmm, there are already many ways of achieving this (the wheelie thing you mentioned and pedometers that clip on to your socks come to mind), but I haven't come across anything that would give you the option of going on a virtual run while sitting down eating a burger. You could set it up so that if you tell the software what you're eating, it will choose a route that will burn off that exact amount of calories. You can learn the route while eating your lunch, then run it later. Have a fattening all-butter croissant, then go explore the neighbourhood.
wagster, Jan 17 2005
  

       I could be wrong but I think software like MS Streets and Trips can do the route distance thing. However, since I don't own this software, or anything like it, I'm not 100% sure that it actually allows you to program in your own routes, but it'd be pretty gay if it didn't. See link.
Size_Mick, Jan 17 2005
  

       You could find the simplist web based GIS program and map it.   

       This way your elevation changes will be figured into your route as well.   

       Web based GPS trip software on a palmtop while you run?   

       Pedometer that you get in a box of Special-K?
Giblet, Jan 18 2005
  

       This would be a good add-on to mapblast.com or yahoo maps. These services will tell you how long a route is, down to a tenth of a mile, but only for computer-generated routes. (+)
robinism, Jan 18 2005
  

       baked, baked, and double-baked... I have a garmin etrex vista GPS, and the software for it allows route creation (auto-routing, or you can click intersections, addresses, etc to manually make the route) and calculation (and it generates turn-by-turn directions), or you can carry the gps with you and run the route first, and measure the track log. The MapSource program even estimates the time based on a custom speed profile. You can input your average jogging (or driving, or biking...) speed, and when a route is created, it estimates the time it takes to traverse it based on distance.

edit
just realized - that's not wed-based. D'oh!
roleohibachi, Nov 27 2005
  

       Use Google Earth.   

       Its free software from Google (See link)   

       Providing it has a high-res map of your area, It has a mesurement line that you can overlay over your route. It even has altitude information. OK so it's not high-res enough to be a full-bake of your idea, but I am sure it will get higher res as time goes on....   

       I love Google Earth btw...If anyone has not tried it, I highly recommend it. You can fly to anywhere on the globe, swoop along valleys and over the major cities of the world. It's just an amazing, incredible experience....
Minimal, Nov 28 2005
  

       What WOULD be good is if you could enter you post-code, what speed you want to go, and for how long, how often you want to stop for coffee breaks(You can tell that I don't take running seriously) etc.. and have it compute the best route for you. Sorta like Autoroute but for the jogger.
stestagg, Nov 29 2005
  

       Great idea, just used the Gmaps Pedometer on my jogging route home. If this could be implemented with the whole 3D visuals it would be amazing. Perhaps also a cross implementation with the Google Cycle could be devised.   

       Bunnage.
theleopard, Jun 19 2007
  
      
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