Clean and configurable running data field, also friendly for other sport activities

Dual behavior

Running Partner and Sports Partner are both the same data field, but appear as different applications in the Garmin Store.

You can use them together in the same activity to have more information in two data screens. Just do the following (this is an example):

• • Select the desired activity App (for example Run) and go to its data screens settings menu.

  • Set Running Partner as the first data screen (single field layout, then choose the Running Partner ConnectIQ field).

  • Set Sports Partner as the second data screen (single field layout, then choose the Sports Partner ConnectIQ field). 

  • Configure each data field  with the desired information. For example:

    • Running Partner: instant data (distance, heart rate, last lap time, current lap pace, current 5sec. pace).

    • Sports Partner: summarized data (distance, average heart rate, average pace, average cadence, training effect, total paused time).

  • Tip to differentiate both data fields in the same activity:

    • Check the Switch background color option in one of the configured data fields.

    • The screen where you've checked that option will use the opposite background color to display the information.

• • Layout number [+]

    • • Layout to use when applying the selected layout command.

      • If no layout number is selected then the current settings will be applied.

      • The layout number it is shown in green during the entire activity (on the right side of the screen).

      • To avoid displaying the layout number just do the following:

        • Select none (-) as layout command and as layout number.

        • Apply (save) the current settings.

  • Layout name [+]

    • • Layout name that is shown before starting the activity.

      • To avoid displaying the layout name just do the following:

        • Select none (-) as layout command and clean the layout name.

        • Apply (save) the current settings.

Lap related options

• • Automatic lap message duration (s) [+]:

• • • Number of seconds to display the easygoing lap message each time a lap is generated attending to the lap control setting.

    • This message includes the following data:

      • Lap average data: cadence (up/left), pace (down) and heart rate (up/right).

      • Depending on the Lap option setting:

        • If Lap option is set to By distance (or All) and Lap distance (m) has been reached:

          • Lap label: KM/MI or the specified distance in meters (for example: 100m).

          • Lap number.

        • If Lap option is set to On button press (or All) and LAP button has been pressed:

          • Lap label: LAP button press count.

          • Distance in KM since the last LAP button press.

    • IMPORTANT:

      • The activity Auto Lap feature should be deactivated to avoid having the two messages, this one and the one generated by the Auto Lap activity.

• • • • This is just a message.

      • Only the laps generated by the Auto Lap activity will be recorded in the FIT activity file.

Interval timer [+]

• • The interval timer options allow to simulate intervals by using the interval timer field INTER..

  • The INTER. field will display the current time of the interval and the number of completed intervals in the field label.

  • Auto-restart interval [+]: automatic restart of the interval when it reaches the interval duration.

  • Interval duration (s) [+]: interval duration in seconds.

  • Interval timer field label:

    • • INTER.: when the Interval timer has not been selected in the On lap button option.

      • Otherwise, when selected, N is the number of completed intervals:

        • • ( N ): if Auto-restart interval is unchecked.

          • (( N )): if Auto-restart interval is checked.

  • Behavior when Interval timer has been selected in the On lap button option:

• • • 1. The initial value is the configured interval duration (from 60  to 300 seconds).

      2. When LAP button is pressed the interval timer starts the countdown.

      3. When the timer reaches zero (light+sound+vibration):

         • It displays for 5 seconds the average pace of the interval.

         • It reverts and counts forward.

      4. When the timer reaches the interval duration counting forward (light+sound+vibration):

         • • It displays for 5 seconds the average pace of the interval.

           • If Auto-restart interval is checked, it restarts the countdown for a new interval.

           • Otherwise it keeps counting forward.

• • • • If you press the LAP button while the current interval value is lower than the configured duration, then the interval timer will stop.

      • If you press the LAP button while the current interval value is greater than the configured duration, then the interval timer will start a new interval countdown.

Manual distance synchronization [+]

• • When unchecked (this is the normal and most common scenario):

    • • Both DISTANCE and DISTANCE (manual sync.) fields will display the same value: the distance recorded by the device.

      • The distance recorded by the device  will be used to compute any data related to the  pace, speed, estimated time, etc..

      • The label for the DISTANCE (manual sync.) field will appear as .KM. or .MI. (i.e. surrounded by two dots).

• • When checked:

    • • The DISTANCE field will display the distance recorded by the device, as usual.

      • The DISTANCE (manual sync.) field will initially display the distance recorded by the device, but each time you press the LAP button the DISTANCE (manual sync.) value will be computed by taking the distance recorded by the device rounded to the nearest current Km/Mi in that moment.

      • The DISTANCE (manual sync.) field value will be used to compute any data related to the  pace, speed, estimated time, etc..

      • The DISTANCE (manual sync.) field will display different labels and values attending to the LAP button press actions:

1. LAP button has not been pressed:

• • • • • • Label: (KM) or (MI).

          • Value: distance recorded by the device.

2. LAP button has just been pressed:

• • • • • • Label: ((.KM.)) or ((.MI.)).

          • Value: distance recorded by the device rounded to the nearest Km/Mi.

          • You have 20 seconds to press the LAP button again to remove the rounding operation and get back to scenario #1 (no LAP button press).

3. LAP button was pressed 20 seconds ago or more:

• • • • • • Label: ((KM)) or ((MI)).

          • Value: distance rounded to the nearest Km/Mi when the LAP button was pressed plus the distance recorded by the device since that moment.

Fat/Carbohydrates options

• • These are global options, common to all layouts.

  • Fat/Carbohydrates calculation method

    • Heart rate zones:

      • Based on the user's profile heart rate zones, with linear interpolation used to improve accuracy.

      • Heart rate zones fat consumption percentage:

        • Z0=100, Z1=100, Z2=80, Z3=50, Z4=20, Z5=0

      • When set, Fat/Carbohydrates labels use YELLOW background color.

    • VO2 Maximum:

      • Based on an estimation of the VO2 Maximum value.

      • User profile gender is used to select the proper formula.

      • When set, Fat/Carbohydrates labels use GREY background color.

Activity power options

• • These are global options, common to all layouts.

  • IMPORTANT:

    • No HRM strap is required.

    • User profile weight and height are necessary to perform the calculations.

    • I've set the default values for these options after field testing on a really soft hilly area. Nevertheless:

      • You may adjust them if you train on a hilly area, but be aware that fine tuning will take you time.

      • You're welcome to share me your settings in case you  find out that they work better that the default ones so I can include them in this documentation.

  • Power calculation method

    • Running:

      • Based on the grade %, speed, weight, height, etc.

      • When power calculation method is set to Running, labels for activity power data use RED background color.

    • Cycling 1:

      • Based on the grade %, speed, weight, height, etc.

    • Cycling 2:

      • Based on the grade %, speed, weight, height, etc.

    • Note: when power calculation method is set to Cycling 1 or Cicling 2, labels for activity power data use BLUE background color.

  • Use SPD.s for power calculation:

    • When checked the value of SPD.s (last s seconds average speed) is used for activity power calculation.

    • Otherwise, the value of SPEED is used for activity power calculation.

  • Power zones (minZ1 minZ2 minZ3 minZ4 minZ5 maxZ5):

    • User defined power zones to display activity power information in color.

  • Run/Walk transition (km/h):

    • When speed is lower than the specified value, activity power calculation parameters are adjusted according to a walking activity.

    • Otherwise, activity power calculation parameters are adjusted according to a running activity.

  • Error and variance for altitude (5.0 0.3):

    • Error and variance used to filter altitude data for the calculation of the grade % and for the activity power calculation algorithm.

  • Error and variance for distance (2.7 0.3):

    • Error and variance used to filter altitude data for the calculation of the grade % and for the activity power calculation algorithm.

  • Wind factor (if negative then estimate):

    • This is just a BETA version. I haven't tested it seriously.

    • Default value is 0.28 (tail wind). If user sets a negative value, then the data field computes an estimation based on weather conditions, so the device requires weather capabilities, it has to be connected to the mobile phone and the mobile phone has to be connected to the Internet.

Waypoints [+]

• • These are global options, common to all layouts.

  • IMPORTANT:

    • This is an experimental feature.

      • It can be useful in activities where a set of locations has to be reached (e.g. geocahing, hinking routes, etc.).

      • BACKLOG:

        • Display a message (similar to the lap message -see the Lap related opions above-) when the waypoint is reached.

    • It allows you to use a list of waypoints data to build up a kind of route to follow.

    • Waypoints screen layout:

      • UP: current waypoint number and total number of waypoints.

      • MIDDLE: waypoints identifier (blinking) plus route as a set of points and straight lines.

      • LEFT: small compass pointing towards the next waypoint.

      • DOWN  (blinking): straight (partial and total) distance of the waypoints. The partial distance is the accumulated straight distance from the initial waypoint to the last reached one.

      • First waypoint (blue), last waypoint (red), reached waypoints (green).

    • Waypoints data format:

      • JSON format, where:

        • "n": waypoints identifier.

        • "p": array of waypoints as a set of latitude ("a") and longitude ("o") coordinates.

      • Due to web response size constraints of the devices, please stick to these suggestions:

        • Do not use more than 6 decimal positions for latitude or longitude.

        • I've tested lists of up to 42 waypoints but I do not recommend you to abuse due to such amount of waypoints is not readable on the small device screen and additionally it may not be downloadable due to the device memory limits to process HTTP responses.

      • Example:

{ "n":"ex2", "p":[ {"a":"40.464783", "o":"-3.353300"}, {"a":"40.463650", "o":"-3.349650"} ] }

• • Waypoints downloading tips:

    • In order to download data from the Internet URL, the device has to be connected to the mobile phone, and the mobile phone has to be connected to the Internet. Otherwise the device will not be able to dowload the waypoints data.

    • Once the device has been able to download the waypoints data, it will save the retrieved information on the device itself, so you will not need the Internet connection anymore (unless you want to download other data).

    • While the device has pending data to download from the Internet URL, a small green rectangle is drawn on the left/middle side of the screen.

    • As soon as the device has been able to donwload the data, this small green rectangle will disappear; if  this small rectangle becomes red, or if it does not disappear in about 5 minutes, it indicates that the device has problems to download the information. In such case do the following:

      • Test the Waypoints URL by using a Web browser on a computer.

      • Verify the sintax of the JSON data you've defined by using  a JSON editor. Check that it satisfies the JSON structure described above.

      • Check that the device is conected to the mobile phone and that the mobile phone has Internet connection.

      • If the three previous steps are correct:

        • Set the Main screen option to Data fields.

        • Set one of the data fields to Current waypoint.

        • Check the error code displayed by the Current waypoint data field and try to fix the issue.

        • If you cannot solve it you can contact me by using the Contact Developer link.

    • Error codes:

      • • -999: no data retrieved from the URL.

        • -888:  identifier "n" not found on the retrieved data.

        • -777: array of points "p" not found on the retrieved data.

        • -666: sintax error on the set of retrieved waypoints data.

        • Other common HTTP response error codes: -403, -404, -500, etc..

• • Use Tempe sensor:

    • This is a global option, common to all layouts.

    • It allows to obtain the temperature from the Tempe sensor instead of using the device on-board sensor.

    • Label:

      • T (ºC or ºF): temperature  from the device sensor.

      • sT (ºC or ºF): temperature  from the Tempe sensor.

      • ...T (ºC or ºF): trying to obtain the temperature from the Tempe sensor (meanwhile the device on-board sensor temperature is shown).

    • Tempe data refresh rate is slow (1-2 min).

    • Tempe sensor detection may take a while. It's recommended to pair the sensor before using the data field.

    • IMPORTANT:

      • Battery saving:

        • Uncheck the Tempe sensor option if you do not display the temperature information.

        • In case you use Running Partner and Sports Partner in the same activity I suggest you to only check the Tempe sensor option in the field where you display the data from the Tempe sensor.