Building an interactive map for safe running in Cebu

As part of our focus on safety in CebuRunning.com, we are building an interactive map that will contain safety information that concerns runners. Although I will maintain the map, I intend to seek the help of members of Cebu’s vibrant running community in keeping it updated with crucial information.

The map, with the permanent address www.ceburunning.com/runsafe, will contain such data as areas where runners are robbed or attacked. It will also indicate which parts of Cebu runners should avoid for being unsafe, especially at night.

To view the data, click on the icons on the map.

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How to measure running routes using online tools

“WAS that really 10 kilometers?” the girl in Nike LunarLites asked a male runner trying to catch his breath, “it felt like it wouldn’t end.”

The girl ran about 11 kilometers in what seemed to be her first 10K.

In the absence of a local certification body, you just take organizers’ word that their race routes really are the distances that they announce these to be.


MEASURING ROUTES WITH GOOGLE MAPS. Google Maps allows you to draw a line on its street, satellite and terrain maps to measure distances. CLICK ON PHOTO ABOVE TO VIEW LARGER IMAGE.

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Red Cross Humanity Race routes shorter than announced

When you run in tomorrow’s 1st Red Cross Youth Cebu Humanity Race, keep in mind that it is a charity event. You’re running to help an important organization that has been at the forefront of providing medical assistance throughout the world.

If you’re running to set a personal record, you’ll be disappointed.

The routes of the Red Cross Humanity Race are shorter than what have been announced. The 5K race route as indicated in the map that came with the registration form is actually just 4 kilometers, based on Google Maps data (see image). The 10K route is just 7.6 kilometers.

Measuring Red Cross Humanity Race route using Google Maps NOT 10K. The “10K” route of tomorrow’s Red Cross Humanity Race is actually just 7.6 kilometers, according to Google Maps data. CLICK TO ENLARGE.

If you’re using a GPS device in tomorrow’s run, I’d appreciate feedback on the actual distance of the routes. (Update: Runner Joe France Rodriguez Cañizares said his Garmin GPS watch indicated the 10K route to be only 8.89K.)

It may sound nitpicking—all this fuss on the actual distance of the routes for a charity run—but exact measurements of race courses are very important. Most runners do not compete with other runners, they compete with themselves. They want to continually set personal records. But to be able to gauge whether they have gone faster, they should be told the correct distance of the races they are running.

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Google Wave a great tool for organizing group runs

When Google announced a new communication and collaboration platform in May called Google Wave, people immediately signed up to be waitlisted for invitations to the beta or test version of the platform.

Google Wave is e-mail, instant messaging, wiki and collaboration platform combined. It’s been described as what e-mail would have looked like if it were invented today.

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Planning your long run, measuring distances with Google Maps

The long run, according to US Olympian Jeff Galloway, “will help you more than any other component of your training program.” It is an integral part of marathon and endurance training. But how do you plan and measure your long run route without having to go out and use an odometer, pedometer or global positioning system (GPS) device?

It’s easy. Use Google Maps.

google-map-running PLANNING, MEASURING LONG RUN ROUTE. Google Maps allows you to plan ahead and measure your running routes. Above is the route I planned for our two-city long run this Sunday, Nov. 1. Click on photo to view larger image.

Google Maps offers two tools that allow you to trace a route on a map, satellite image or a composite of the two, and then measure its distance. To use the tool, log into Google Maps using your GMail account and then click on My Maps and then choose Browse Directory.

You will then be presented with several add-ons to your Google Maps account. You can either pick Distance Measurement Tool or Area and Distance Calculator. I’ve long been using Area and Distance Calculator but I recently tested Distance Measurement Tool and found it to be better. Click on the Add it to Maps button below the tool area.

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