Map My Tracks

Upload Wattbike sessions to Map My Tracks

We're always keen to add support for different devices or data types on Map My Tracks. So when one of the Team Map My Tracks riders from last year's London to Paris started using a Wattbike we jumped as the chance to add support for the Wattbike data files.

We are pleased to announce that from today all Wattbike users can upload their workout sessions direct to Map My Tracks.

It’s super simple to upload your Wattbike session data and once uploaded the activity viewer makes is easy to analyse the session data and keep track of your performance. To upload your session data to Map My Tracks

• first transfer your session to the Wattbike Expert Software from Wattbike’s on board computer;
• then use the Export to ACSII option under the File menu to export a .dat file of your session;
• and finally, upload the .dat file to Map My Tracks.

The .dat file can be uploaded manually just like any other file type (eg. fit, tcx, srm, gpx, crs) or through your personal Map My Tracks email dropbox as an attachment to an email.

In either case, the data is imported and available to analyse in detail in the activity viewer.

The activity viewer includes detailed analysis of power, cadence, heart rate.

For those that like to compare heartrate, power, cadence and more in one place then the cross data analysis lets you examine all the data together.

We hope you like the new addition. It would like to find out more about Wattbike and how it can help improve your fitness and riding then check out their website for more information.

Map My Tracks is 500,000 users strong and we’re celebrating with a give away

This weekend we’ll see the half a million^th user account created on Map My Tracks. That’s a big number and an equally big moment for us. This huge milestone has been fast approaching and we expect it to be reached over this weekend.

To the 500,000 people that have taken the time to use Map My Tracks we thank you half a million times. Your passion has driven our passion and has helped to make Map My Tracks the service it is today. You’ve biked, run, walked, sailed and skied hundreds of thousands of miles and burned just as many calories along the way. It’s quite incredible just how active you all are.

We can’t let this moment pass with celebrating which is why we’ll be giving away a spanking new Nexus 4 mobile phone to the lucky person that ends up as the 500,000th user.

We can’t be sure when we’ll breach the half a million mark but we do know it will be in the next couple of days so if you have friends who have yet to try out Map My Tracks then now a good time to invite them to join. Get them to download the app and register. You never, they might be the one!

With this milestone about to be breached it’s right that we take a moment to look back at what we have achieved. This past year has seen a lot of changes to Map My Tracks and there is plenty more to planned for 2013.

Some of our more notable achievements over the past year include:

• Android app launched
• Training plans launched
• Map My Tracks Ad Network launched
• Map My Tracks PLUS accounts launched

We can’t wait to welcome our 500,000th user. Who will it be? If it turns out to be you we’ll be in touch.

In the meantime, if you want to say Hi to the team or have any questions you can follow us on Map My Tracks - @Nick, @Rob, @Andrew and @GlynM.

Team Sky Launch New Training App Powered by Map My Tracks

The official Team Sky Cycling app for iPhone, which allows riders to record, monitor and analyse their training just like the pro riders, launches today.

Created in partnership with Team Sky’s official supplier, Map My Tracks, the free Team Sky Cycling app uses the latest in GPS live tracking technology to allow fans as well as Team Sky pro riders to track and share their rides live for others to follow on the web.

With the ability to connect to ANT+ devices such as SRM or Powertap power meters, riders will also be able to stream live power, cadence, heart rate, speed, elevation and other performance data to coaches via the Map My Tracks cloud network. Each heartbeat, pedal stroke, mile and watt produced can be monitored to provide riders, and coaches alike, with a unique real-time performance overview.

Map My Tracks’ training and fitness apps extend beyond individual rider solutions. Coaches, teams and sports event organisers can monitor, broadcast and share real-time biometric data from any number of participants in an event live on the web. From club rides to World Tour races, the Map My Tracks event app tracking get online fans closer to the action than ever before.

First launched in 2007, Map My Tracks has, for over five years, pioneered the use of mobile phones to record and stream live performance telemetry for sports like cycling and running. Map My Tracks has sports enthusiasts streaming activities live from over 190 countries and provides event organisers with live GPS tracking solutions for cycle races, sailing regattas and running events.

Fran Millar, Head of Business Operations, from Team Sky said: “Giving our fans access to training and tracking technology with Map My Tracks is a great way for them to get an insight into Team Sky and how our riders prepare throughout the year. The app also encourages riders of all levels to analyse and record their own data and then share their results with fellow cyclists.”

Nick Tatt, founder of Map My Tracks said: “We have worked hard with Team Sky to ensure the Team Sky Cycling app is easy to use and will help people with their training.”

Tatt continued: “The app takes advantage of our very latest live tracking technology which lets friends and family follow a rider’s progress live and comment on their performance as they hit the climbs. With the addition of live heart rate, power and cadence it makes the Team Sky training app an obvious training accessory to take on any ride.”

To download the free Team Sky Cycling app, please visit the App Store or search ‘Team Sky Cycling’.

For Android users - TeamSky.com has been better optimised for mobile web browsers so you can always keep up to date with the team and the training portion of the app by Map My Tracks can be downloaded from Google Play.

Map My Tracks Tour of Britain Challenge

We are proud to be a part of the 2012 Tour of Britain, with the job of making the race fully trackable live and online for the first time! We're tracking the peloton's progress every step of the way, allowing fans and spectators to follow the race online or via the Map My Tracks App.

To celebrate this we’re offering a fantastic opportunity to win a genuine IG Markets Gold leader’s Jersey, signed by the overall winner of the 2012 Tour of Britain!

To be in with a chance of winning all you need to do is log a ride on Map My Tracks anytime from now until the September 26, 2012, then share your ride on Twitter using hashtag #ToB.

Participate in the Map My Tracks Tour of Britain Challenge

To participate in this challenge simply upload evidence of your ride to Map My Tracks and then share your ride on Twitter adding hashtag #ToB.

The Map My Tracks Tour of Britain Challenge is free to enter and open to anyone that has a bike and can upload their rides to Map My Tracks. To qualify, rides should be shared between Wednesday 12th September 2012 and Sunday 24th September 2012 and shared on Twitter with hashtag #ToB.

Rides can be uploaded and shared directly from a Map My Tracks mobile app, imported from Garmin devices or any device that outputs a GPX file which can be manually uploaded to the Map My Tracks website. You’ll need a free account on Map My Tracks to participate so if you don’t have one already sign up now.

The winner will be chosen at random and announced on Tuesday 25th September 2012. We’ll be making sure that only cycle rides are taken into account so don’t be tempted to jump in the car instead.

Get started

To participate make sure you:

• Have a Map My Tracks account. It’s free so sign up now.
• Upload and share your ride on Twitter using hashtag #ToB on the end of the Tweet.
• And finally, get riding!

Good luck to everyone. Stay safe on the roads.

Map My Tracks becomes Official GPS Tracking Supplier for The Tour of Britain

Map My Tracks will be the official GPS Tracking Supplier for The 2012 Tour of Britain. For the duration of the event, Map My Tracks will be tracking the race live and broadcasting the riders’ progress for spectators to follow online, on tablet devices and on mobile phones.

Map My Tracks will be the official GPS Tracking Supplier for The 2012 Tour of Britain. For the duration of the event, Map My Tracks will be tracking the race live and broadcasting the riders’ progress for spectators to follow online, on tablet devices and on mobile phones.

Starting from Ipswich on 9th September, The Tour of Britain is the UK’s largest professional bicycle race and is one of the highlights of the British sporting calendar, being the country’s largest free-to-watch live sporting event.

The Tour of Britain will feature eight stages in 2012, with each expected to draw huge crowds following the excitement of this year’s summer of cycling. Organisers anticipate the event to be the hardest yet, with a challenging set of stages ensuring that the winner of the IG Markets Gold Jersey won’t be decided until a spectacular final stage in the Surrey Hills.

With such a close finish expected, Map My Tracks will be an essential tool for fans and spectators to stay up to date on the riders’ real-time progress over each of the stages.

Mick Bennett, Tour of Britain Race Director, said: “We are looking forward to working with Map My Tracks who will be taking the online tracking of this year’s Tour of Britain to a new level.  Online tracking is a key part of our website during the race week, allowing spectators at home or work who can’t get to the side of the road the chance to be a part of the race virtually. 

He continued: “With in excess of a quarter of a million unique visitors to our website during the eight days of the race, the Map My Tracks live tracking will ensure spectators can keep up-to-date with where The Tour is at any time.”

Nick Tatt, Founder of Map My Tracks, said: “We’re really excited to be supporting such a prestigious event in this year’s cycling calendar and can’t wait to see what action The Tour of Britain will provide. The Map My Tracks Event Tracker will really give online spectators a feel for what the riders will be experiencing over the eight days and road-side spectators can use it to monitor the progress of the approaching pro riders.”

First launched in 2007, Map My Tracks has pioneered the use of mobile phones to record and stream live performance telemetry for sports like cycling and running. Map My Tracks has sports enthusiasts streaming activities live from over 190 countries and provides event organisers with live GPS tracking solutions for cycle races, sailing regattas and running events.

Tatt added: “Live tracking is at the heart of what Map My Tracks does and while cyclists may have used the Map My Tracks app on their phones to record their own rides, the online Event Tracker takes this a step further, providing a complete overview of The Tour of Britain 2012 and the progress of the pro riders.”

The Map My Tracks OutFront app for iPhone and Android will be used to track the pro bunch throughout the Tour of Britain. The App can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play and used on any ride to track and analyse every detail including speed, heart rate, cadence, power and elevation gain. Ride data can be synced online for further analysis or to share and compare with friends and family.

More on how to follow The 2012 Tour of Britain online.

Map My Tracks OutFront for Android joins the set

Map My Tracks, the outdoor social network for sports enthusiasts, have released an Android version of their already very popular iPhone App, which has received a five star rating on the Apple iTunes App Store.

The Android app turns a smartphone into a portable and live GPS tracker, which plots your progress and keeps track of data such as distance, average speed, elevation and calories burnt.

Live tracking is at the heart of what Map My Tracks do and they have made sure that OutFront for Android can easily be used to broadcast a rider’s progress in sportives or simply to keep friends and family updated on progress. For riders that don’t want to broadcast live, the app records each activity to the phone, which can be shared on Map My Tracks, Twitter or Facebook.

“Our aim has been to make it super simple to get started and use the app,” said Nick Tatt, founder of Map My Tracks. “A lot of effort has been put into making sure that users of the app can quickly get to the features they need, as we know riders have very little time right before setting off on a ride. It just takes two taps to get started and the app does the rest.”

The Android app includes support for certain Bluetooth heart rate monitors while the iPhone app supports a range of ANT+ devices to monitor heart rate, cadence and power sensors, allowing for further analysis after your ride. The app and online community allows users to follow their friends as well as explore routes by other Map My Tracks users, so you never run out of ideas of places to cycle.

With the addition of Map My Tracks for Android to the existing suite of apps it makes Map My Tracks the only viable live tracking solution for mass participation events.

First launched in 2007, Map My Tracks has pioneered the use of mobile phones to record and stream live performance telemetry for sports like cycling and running. Map My Tracks has users streaming activities live from over 190 countries and provides event organisers with live GPS tracking solutions for cycle races, sailing regattas and running events. 

The free version of the Map My Tracks for Android is available to download from Google Play, and allows one activity to be stored on the phone at a time, meaning activities need to be synced to your online account after each ride. For just 69p, Map My Tracks OutFront Pro allows hundreds of rides to be stored.

Tour de France 2012 stage routes

The toughest race of the pro cycling season, Le Tour de France, is just a few weeks away and this year Map My Tracks has plotted each of the 3,479 kilometres.

This year the 99^th edition of the Tour de France starts in Liège, Belgium on June 30 and is made up of 1 prologue and 20 stages.

If you were ever in doubt about the shear effort required to complete the race then take a look at the stand out profile of stage 16. At 197 kilometres long it’s not the longest stage in the race, that’s stage 18 at 222 kilometres, but stage 16 takes in two hor category climbs and two category 1 climbs. The riders pass over the Col d’Aubisque (5600ft), Col de Tourmalet (6940ft), Col d’Aspin (4860ft) and the Col de Peyresourde(5180ft)!

The full set of stages include elevations profiles and those tough enough to try there are TCX, GPX and KML files available to download to so you can ride the stages.

• Prologue: Liège > Liège
• Stage 1 - Liège > Seraing
• Stage 2 - Visé > Tournai
• Stage 3 - Orchies > Boulogne-sur-Mer
• Stage 4 - Abbeville > Rouen
• Stage 5 - Rouen > Saint-Quentin
• Stage 6 - Epernay > Metz
• Stage 7 - Tomblaine > La Planche des Belles Filles
• Stage 8 - Belfort > Porrentruy
• Stage 9 - Arc-et-Senans > Besancon
• Stage 10 - Macon > Bellegarde-sur-Valserine
• Stage 11 - Albertville > La Toussuire - Les Sybelles
• Stage 12 - Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne > Annonay Davezieux
• Stage 13 - Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux > Le Cap dAgde
• Stage 14 - Limoux > Foix
• Stage 15 - Samatan > Pau
• Stage 16 - Pau > Bagnères-de-Luchon
• Stage 17 - Bagnères-de-Luchon > Peyragudes
• Stage 18 - Blagnac Brive-la-Gaillarde
• Stage 19 - Bonneval > Chartres
• Stage 20 - Rambouillet > Paris Champs-Élysées

Latest improvements: tablet browsing, event tracker, heart rate and power zones

We like to keep a constant flow of new features here on Map My Tracks. Most are developed as a result of feedback from our users and others fit nicely into our long term plan to make sure Map My Tracks is the best sports community available.

We’ve been busy behind the scenes developing some key new features that include better mobile browsing, full support for heart rate and power zones, new effort scores and loads of event tracking features. We’ll summaries the main features starting with mobile browsing.

Better tablet browsing

There has been a dedicated mobile version for a while now and it a great way to browse your profile in a mobile browser. With more people browsing the Map My Tracks on tablet devices we wanted to make sure that commonly used pages were nice and slick for these screen sizes.

We’ve tweaked the activity page to optimise the layout for tablets. This makes it super simple for coaches, friends and family to follow a person’s workout in real-time. It’s a great tool to remotely monitor their progress, speed, heart rate and power all in real-time.

Heart rate and power zones

Personalised heart rate and power zones can now be set up. Once set, each activity that includes heart rate or power data uses the zones to give you more information about the time and effort in zone. Zones are a great way to measure your training progress and provide an invaluable metric to monitor.

If you are not using heart rate or power in your workout then we would recommend that you start. The Map My Tracks app supports the Wahoo Fitness range of sensors and makes it easy to record (or broadcast live) your heart rate. For the cyclists out there that ride with power meters our app can also be used in conjunction with the Wahoo Fitness sensors to record (or broadcast live) power data.

Heart rate and power zones are a Map My Tracks PLUS feature so upgrade now to take advantage of this new feature.

Effort score

Along side the new heart rate zones we have also added a new effort score for each activity that includes heart rate data. The effort score is a measure of how much work you’ve done for each activity.

Map My Tracks scores the effort made for each activity by analyzing heart rate. The harder you work, or the longer go, and the effort score goes up. Take it easy and the effort score goes down. It’s to compare your activities with your training buddies.

The Effort Score is based on the intensity, derived by heart rate, and the duration of the activity. Map My Tracks automatically score any activity that has personalised heart rate zones and heart rate data is available. To have your activity effort scored first set up your heart rate zones and ensure you record your heart rate during your activities

Event tracking tools and features

We’ve been busy enhancing the range of features that event organiser can take advantage of to broadcast their event live. New to the Map My Tracks Event Tracker is more control over creating races, enhanced elevation profiles, route markers and much more. This round of changes provides event organisers with more control over how each event is presented and makes it easier to manage races and events.

We hope you like all the new features across the site. There’s are loads more in the pipeline and we’ll let you know as soon as they are ready to use.

Be the first in line for Map My Tracks OutFront for Android

Don't wait longer than needed to be told about the official Map My Tracks Android app. Sign up now to get a email alert once the app is ready to download.

We’ve been working on the Android app for some time but it’s close to being ready. To be fair it has taken us longer than we would have liked but we but we wanted to make sure that the Android app was just as good as our iPhone app.

Map My Tracks OutFront for Android will include live and recorded activity tracking, comprehensive stats analysis, activity history, following of friends and much more. The app is tightly synced with a person’s website profile and allows a two way sync to make it easy to keep track of all your workouts.

We still have some features to finish so it won’t be ready for a few weeks but if you’d like to hear from us once it launched sign up now.

Planned maintenance

On Monday April 16 we will be carrying out some planned maintenance to upgrade servers at our data centre.

The maintenance will result in two periods of down time across Monday. The first will be from 00:00 (BST) for no more than one hour. In reality it will probably be for only half an hour while hardware changes to the server infrastructure and made. After this first period all systems will be back online.

The second period of maintenance is planned for 10:00 (BST) and will last for up to four hours.

The website, live tracking and API requests will all be interrupted during these maintenance windows.

We realise that this will caused some inconvenience to our users but this maintenance is necessary in order to cater for our growing number of users and their associated data. The steps that we are taking at this time will ensure that we are able to scale up as new users begin using Map My Tracks.

We will be keeping everyone updated throughout Monday through Twitter.