WatchOS 9 beta... anyone try the new running features?

[msackey]

Also, wouldn't it be nice if there were a way to order these Race Routes? After the latest update, I have suddenly many more Race Routes appear, many which are variations of the same thing and is hard to distinguish one from the other without a really close look at the map. I wish we could:
a) name the routes
b) sort them by mileage
c) sort by date last ran
d) sort by distance from current starting point

But at least I can delete some Race Routes!

 

[Akrapovic]

Interesting.

Have you run the alternate as an open for at least 2, but preferably 3 times? I believe last time I checked, documentation from Apple said that one has to run the same route twice before it shows up as a Race Route. In my experience, it seems to be that I have to run the route at least 3 times before it can be a Race Route.

I'll try again soon. I have a big feeling the reason the modified routes aren't showing up is they are too close to the old routes, despite being far enough away to fail when running them.

If I could delete the routes successfully and then re-run them and re-calibrate it, it'd be fine.

Edit: On the latest beta i can't delete routes at all?

 

[msackey]

I'll try again soon. I have a big feeling the reason the modified routes aren't showing up is they are too close to the old routes, despite being far enough away to fail when running them.

If I could delete the routes successfully and then re-run them and re-calibrate it, it'd be fine.

Edit: On the latest beta i can't delete routes at all?

Hmm...I'm not sure that it is because the routes are too similar to the old one that prevents them from showing up. I had an experience in which I deviated from the route and that deviation replaced the original Race Route. I wrote it up in a rather long post (probably too long) in this same thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...he-new-running-features.2347459/post-31925396

 

[xDKP]

Wow that sounds weird. But for a lot of city runs, this could be a very realistic scenario with construction work etc.

I really hope the route selection and especially the custom workout (for interval running) comes to the iPhone menu instead of only being possible to setup on the watch. I am making quite a lot of different intervals with warm up, variations and 20K long runs with progressive speed etc. - would make it a lot easier to setup on the phone

 

[NME42]

Good news. Apple expands Track Recognition Mode to more countries:

Apple Watch Running Track Mode Expands To More Countries

A quick post for today as Apple has expanded their Apple Watch running track mode to more countries. This mode will automatically detect the running track as you step onto the track, offering to enter/trigger track mode (assuming you’re in

www.dcrainmaker.com

– Australia
– Germany
– Canada
– Italy
– UK

Love it. Want to go to a track next wednesday.

 

[msackey]

Good news. Apple expands Track Recognition Mode to more countries:

Apple Watch Running Track Mode Expands To More Countries

A quick post for today as Apple has expanded their Apple Watch running track mode to more countries. This mode will automatically detect the running track as you step onto the track, offering to enter/trigger track mode (assuming you’re in

www.dcrainmaker.com

– Australia
– Germany
– Canada
– Italy
– UK

Love it. Want to go to a track next wednesday.

That's awesome!! I think you will love it!

Also, how did this happen without any news about it when WatchOS 9.2 was released?

 

[NME42]

That's awesome!! I think you will love it!

Also, how did this happen without any news about it when WatchOS 9.2 was released?

As the feature is already available in US I guess Apple only needs to do something centrally.

Edit: as the article says, the reporting of a track is available in Fitness app. Just checked.

 

[msackey]

@NME42, when the feature was released, it was only noted to be available in the US and no mention of it coming soon to other countries (or am I recalling incorrectly?). So I was surprised the feature was not noted when it expanded to other countries.

Indeed, I would think that this is not dependent on the Watch software so much as dependent on a centralized database of athletic tracks.

 

[NME42]

Indeed, I would think that this is not dependent on the Watch software so much as dependent on a centralized database of athletic tracks.

Yes, that is what I think too.

Interesting to read how the watch caches the locations of the tracks depending on where you charge it.

 

[msackey]

Interesting to read how the watch caches the locations of the tracks depending on where you charge it.

Yes, that's totally new to me. I had been wondering whether the watch stores all that track data locally for all tracks in the US, etc. It would seem to be an enormous amount of data. I also wondered how DCRainmaker got that information!

 

[NME42]

I also wondered how DCRainmaker got that information!

He has very good contacts to all vendors of sports gadgets. If they want to distribute information he has a broad network.

Checked Apples site: not updated yet. 😎

 

[xDKP]

Wow this is actually faster rollout than I thought it would be. This seems to be good news for the rest of Europe at least. Fingers crossed!

 

[msackey]

@NME42, when the feature was released, it was only noted to be available in the US and no mention of it coming soon to other countries (or am I recalling incorrectly?). So I was surprised the feature was not noted when it expanded to other countries.

Indeed, I would think that this is not dependent on the Watch software so much as dependent on a centralized database of athletic tracks.

This just occurred to me: it wouldn’t be out of the question if in a generation or so of WatchOS that track detection becomes a subscription option, you think? Maybe it’ll become a Fitness+ service. Yuck. I’d hate that. I hate almost any subscription service.

 

[NME42]

This just occurred to me: it wouldn’t be out of the question if in a generation or so of WatchOS that track detection becomes a subscription option, you think?

No, don‘t think so. Too little user base and too much anger when Apple would try.

Btw: there is now one feature left, DCR (somewhere) reported. I recall something like an online track correction feature. Whatever the idea behind is, but it sounded interesting.

 

[msackey]

No, don‘t think so. Too little user base and too much anger when Apple would try.

Btw: there is now one feature left, DCR (somewhere) reported. I recall something like an online track correction feature. Whatever the idea behind is, but it sounded interesting.

Oh the track correction feature is already there.

Once the track run has been recorded, go to Fitness app on the iPhone, navigate to the record for that workout, in the map section go to Show More, then hit the icon that looks like a comment with an exclamation Mark inside. From there you can report:
Lane county is wrong
Track shape is wrong

It’s more of a reporting mechanism.

 

[NME42]

On my long run today, I came across a running track and of course tried the track feature. Track was not recognized but I think this is correct.
It is 400m and has a standard shape. But it is a dirt track with no lane markers.

 

[msackey]

On my long run today, I came across a running track and of course tried the track feature. Track was not recognized but I think this is correct.
It is 400m and has a standard shape. But it is a dirt track with no lane markers.

Oh, yeah I think dirt tracks are not recognized. I believe only synthetic tracks of Olympic regulation.

 

[xDKP]

On my long run today, I came across a running track and of course tried the track feature. Track was not recognized but I think this is correct.
It is 400m and has a standard shape. But it is a dirt track with no lane markers.

The dirt tracks are so bad ass - remind me of the ones in Kenya where the best in the world train

 

[NME42]

The dirt tracks are so bad ass - remind me of the ones in Kenya where the best in the world train

So true. Once did a 3000m race (my only one ever) on such a dirt track (in German "Aschenbahn", roughly translated as "track of ashes" ) and the days before the race it was heavily raining and the track was really muddy. Loved it.

We have a lot of these tracks here in my area, I would guess more than these plastic tracks. Typically around soccer fields.

 

[msackey]

Well, y’all definitely more hardcore than I am! Lol. I do not like running in mud. I’m fine running on trails as long as the surface isn’t rocky and full of roots — and no mud!

 

[xDKP]

Well, y’all definitely more hardcore than I am! Lol. I do not like running in mud. I’m fine running on trails as long as the surface isn’t rocky and full of roots — and no mud!

Mud is also a bit over my edge - but dirt tracks are cool

 

[NME42]

Mud is also a bit over my edge - but dirt tracks are cool

Absolutely. And I wrote "muddy" and not "mud".

But love cross country races too, but only in spikes or good trail running shoes.

 

[xDKP]

Absolutely. And I wrote "muddy" and not "mud".

But love cross country races too, but only in spikes or good trail running shoes.

I’m more of a road racer myself - good even paths can be great but racing for me is on the streets of amazing cities - live that there is options though

 

[NME42]

I’m more of a road racer myself - good even paths can be great but racing for me is on the streets of amazing cities - live that there is options though

I am a road racer too. But can really recommend doing some cross country races when you prepare for a spring marathon. Good workout and helps strengthen your body.
But we are a slight bit off topic now .

Some questions about track recognition mode: what does the "lap alert" feature mean in practice? Is it additional to the laps I programmed in a structured workout, meaning it alerts every 400m? And where is the lap start/finish?

I programmed a 10x400m workout for this week and I want to do it on a "real" track. My warmup is open and my idea is to start the workout exactly at the lap track marker. So when running on lane 1, I should exactly hit the marker every round, correct?

 

[msackey]

I am a road racer too. But can really recommend doing some cross country races when you prepare for a spring marathon. Good workout and helps strengthen your body.
But we are a slight bit off topic now .

Some questions about track recognition mode: what does the "lap alert" feature mean in practice? Is it additional to the laps I programmed in a structured workout, meaning it alerts every 400m? And where is the lap start/finish?

I programmed a 10x400m workout for this week and I want to do it on a "real" track. My warmup is open and my idea is to start the workout exactly at the lap track marker. So when running on lane 1, I should exactly hit the marker every round, correct?

I thought I knew what lap alerts were but as I looked deeper into it, I think I don’t have the full picture. What Watch records both Laps and Intervals. Intervals are the distances recorded per your workout. Laps I believe is 400m or less if your recovery or workout is less?

But I think I can answer your other question about how to mark where to start. You don’t have to start exactly at the official track marker (e.g., sometimes depending on how the wind is blowing I may want to start somewhere else). Wherever you start will be the place where the marker will be counted for the distances you cover during your workout and recovery/jogs.

It also means you don’t have to be precise where you start, although as a habit I try to be because Rather than relying on the watch to tell me when I have completed a distance I just rely on the marker. My former track coach used to tell us to RUN THROUGH the marker because so many are prone to starting to slow down as we arrive at the marker. Just run through it like the marker was far ahead of the official marker because you don’t want to slow down ahead of the marker!

Here‘s a small example (truncated) of what the workout records for the following workout:
3 x 1200m, 3 minute recovery between intervals; then 3 x 200m, 1 minute recovery between intervals

I have a suggestion for your first time using the track detection feature. Create a fake and short workout just to test all the functions you want to get a sense of how to use the feature.

You could do, for example:
2x 250m, 150m recovery jog between intervals
1x 400m, 200m recovery jog

See what it records and see what you need or don’t need to press.

For me, my warm-ups are always Open (no time and no distance limit). When I’m ready, I get to the marker, then I press the Action button to indicate my workout has started and then I basically don’t need to touch any more buttons for the entire workout / recovery session. My last part is the Cooldown which I also include but is Open (no time and no distance limit) so to end the workout I either press two buttons to pause the workout and then press End.

Hope this makes sense.