Welcome to the 21st Century! No need to carry a card around and use ancient pin punches to record the controls you visit - let your mobile phone or GPS do it for you.
MapRunF is the latest version of the MapRun application. Available on both Android and iPhone mobile devices, this application provides you with the ability to run our courses (and courses set up by others) without stopping at controls. As you approach a control, your phone beeps to let you know you've arrived. Use the paper map to navigate and the phone to record your progress. Easy!
So why MapRun?
First - Install MapRunF on your phone
Download MapRunF app from the Apple Store or Google Play Store. If MapRun is already installed on your phone please update to version 4.7.2+42 or higher.
Accept prompts for notification and location
Enter your details into the MapRunF app (name, postcode etc). All details are required.
GPS/Location Services must be enabled. The location permissions for MapRun should be ALWAYS / ALL OF THE TIME.
MapRun must have permission to use Location Services and save files on your phone.
Battery Saving/Power Settings - turn optimisation OFF. In low power or battery saver mode the phone will turn the GPS off.
Background Running - allow MapRun to run in the background. This is generally set in "Settings > Apps > ... MapRun", but is different on different models and versions of Android/iOS.
The horizontal bar at the bottom of the screen tells you if MapRun is getting GPS locations. If it's GREEN all is OK. If it's RED, MapRun is not getting GPS data. If it's YELLOW/ORANGE you're somewhere in the middle.
If your track has wild changes - shown by straight lines as the GPS jumps from one point to another - it means that the GPS is getting reflections from nearby buildings.
You can reduce these by giving your GPS a better view of the sky; think about how you carry the phone. Consider using a wrist or shoulder holster. Newer phones have more sensitive GPS units and don't seem to be affected as much as older units.
Are you sure you're in the right place?
Does your phone indicate that you pressed the start (i.e. S1). If you don't press START, no controls will be recorded.
Check your phone - we leave Show Current Location Red Dot ON - see where the dot is in relation to the control.
If you're close to the control and it still doesn't beep, just move on. Let the people at the finish know and they can fix it for you. Alternatively, you can select HITMO (Hey, I think you missed one), set the range higher (say 50m) and submit a revised entry.
Print a copy of the map.
Charge your phone; make sure your power saving mode is not turned on.
(Optional) Load the event before you leave home:
Click SELECT EVENT then “Victoria” followed by “Run Free” and then "SAR". Select the course name from the list in the next section below.
If you downloaded the event at home you can now click GO TO START.
Otherwise, Open the MaprunF App and:
- click EVENTS NEAR ME
- select your course: most courses have the name of the map followed by Junior, Walk or Run.
- Click GOTO START
If you're near the start, the phone will beep or vibrate and the event timing will commence.
If it doesn't beep, look at the phone. The little red dot is you, the triangle is the start location.
As you visit each control, the phone beeps and the control turns green. The phone display shows the number of controls visited and the last control number.
You will get a beep for the Finish control - F goes green.
If you have an internet connection the results should automatically upload to the MapRun server.
If the phone is still asking you to upload Results, check that your mobile data is turned on.
You can then view all scores and/or results (tracking, splits, rate, distance, etc.)
MapRun results can also be found at http://maprunners.weebly.com/results.html
More information about MapRun Results and what they all mean can be found in this document produced by Ed Bucknall.
If you have a Garmin watch that supports apps, you can leave the phone in the car and run with just the watch. It's worth noting that many people have had problems getting the watch to work initially, but once they do it seems to work reliably.
INSTALLATION FROM A DESKTOP
Connect watch to a PC via supplied cable
o If not already installed, install Garmin Express
o Start Garmin Express and press ADD A DEVICE
o It detects your watch and sets it up. It should sync with the device
o Press the 245 Music button (or whatever watch you have)
o The resulting screen has 4 options - I pressed IQ APPS
o I scrolled down to the bottom and there was MapRunG - I selected it and followed instructions
But if it's not there...
o Click bottom right - GET MORE APPS
o In the webpage that pops up, there is a search box.
o Search for MAPRUNG
o ....and install it
INSTALLATION THROUGH A SMARTPHONE
You need to have the Garmin Connect and the Connect IQ Apps installed on your phone
o In the Garmin Connect app, click the hamburger menu (three bars)and select Garmin Devices
o If the watch is not there, press Add a Device
o The app should detect the watch; select it if shown.
o Then select Connect IQ Store from the menu and either select MapRunG from the apps displayed or search for it as above.
USING THE WATCH FOR THE FIRST TIME
Many of us were confused initially and struck issues on our first use. Try the watch out on a practise event first.
On Phone
o Select Event - as above
o Press Send Event to Garmin Watch (if this is not visible, then press Options and settings and set Garmin Watch Mode to ON (i.e. Green) . Note that the app requires the serial number of the watch - the app displays this if it can't connect properly.
o Press OK
On Watch
o Press and Hold Start/Stop button - a list of apps is displayed
o Use the scroll down button (bottom left) to scroll down to MaprunG
o Press the Start/Stop Button to load MapRunG
o Course Info is displayed - it identifies the watch, the course you selected, course type etc.
o Press Start/Stop again - it displays Go to Start
On Foot
o Move to the start control - it beeps/buzzes it beeps and displays "Control S1 punched"
On the watch
o As you reach the control - it beeps and displays "Control xx punched"
o When done, head back to the Finish
o As you hit the finish, it will buzz and display a menu with two options - Finish and Continue - Press Start/Stop button to select Finish
o It then beeps and displays "Control F1 punched" and flips to "Finished <Course Name> in mm:ss with xx controls"
On the Phone
o Press Show Results
o Press "Get Track from Garmin" - it shows the "latest track" . Note that as you wander back to your car, the watch connects to the phone and uploads to the Garmin website. The transfer and processing of the track may take 2-3 minutes. If the track displayed is one of your previous runs, it is likely that this is what is happening....just wait a minute or two and try again.
o Press "Use this Track"
o It displays a white square with "Processing..." then flips to Results screen/map
o Press All Results - if your score is not there, use manual upload
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