If you're into virtually any type of aerobic sport, a GPS device can provide an excellent way to monitor your workout in real time, but it can also be your entry into a new world of digital training analysis. By uploading your data to an online service, you can store, view and share data in ways that can help you improve, and enjoy your sport. Here's how to use MotionBased, a best-of-breed online service that will automatically keep a detailed training log for you based on uploaded GPS data and will provide an array of data viewing and sharing options.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: 20 Minutes
Here's How:
- Start a free account at MotionBased. Download and install the MotionBased agent. Even though MotionBased is completely Web browser-based, you will need a way to extract data from your GPS device and upload it to MotionBased. Here is the Apple version of the MotionBased agent.
- Track an activity, such as a run, bike ride, or hike on your handheld or sports/fitness GPS device.
- Open the MotionBased agent. Select "Synchronize activities" to transfer data from your GPS device to your PC. This usually takes less than 30 seconds. A nice feature: the MotionBased agent stores data locally and will save it until your are connected to the Internet -- a plus for someone who is traveling and not connected at the time.
- When connected, data from your activities gets sent to the MotionBased inbox. The inbox summarizes the activity, including date and location, and stages it for transfer to more analysis. While in your inbox, name the activity, categorize it, and personalize it before it goes into the digest. Select private or public for your activity.
- The digest is your online training log, and is the center of MotionBased activity. Activities are listed by date, and you can sort by column headings.
- Click on the activity name in the digest to display a map. You will see a map of the route and core metrics, such as time, distance, speed, elevation gain, and heart rate if you used a heart rate monitor. This area will also show the weather for that location, date and time. MotionBased downloads weather data and automatically places it in your log for you. You can see more detail by clicking on individual metrics.
- The map player features a moving dot that retraces your workout and lets you pause at any point to check out the stats. You can even race a pair of dots that represent your workout, or others' workouts.
- View routes and maps that were publicly posted by others around the world. You can even download these routes and place them into the memory of your GPS if you want to try same route.
What You Need:
- GPS device that can export data to a personal computer.
- MotionBased Agent software installed on your PC or Mac
- Free or paid membership to MotionBased.com
