concrete
06-09-2007, 01:21 PM
An Aggie I work with showed me a web site that the runners (and perhaps bikers) on the forum may find interesting...
America's Running Routes from USA Track & Field.
It uses Google Maps to allow you to map out a running route. Map your route with this tool and it will tell you the distance. It also gives total climb and total elevation changes.
You can save your route to their database for others to see, and you can check out and rate routes others have saved.
Overall it's a pretty neat little tool.
I didn't notice directions, so I'll offer some in brief:
* Zoom in to the desired level. You can start by entering the city name or zip code and then use the zoom tool (on the left side of the map) from there. (I recommend zooming in fairly close to improve the accuracy of your route map and the distance calculations.)
* You can also reposition the map by clicking without releasing the mouse button, and dragging in the desired direction.
* Once you have the map zoomed and positioned where you want it, click (and release) on the map where your route starts. The tool will put a "Start" marker there.
* Now continue clicking along your route. Each subsequent click will extend the route to that point and will place the "Finish" marker there. (Of course, you can reposition the map or zoom in and out as needed.)
* If you make a mistake, you can use the "Undo" button to remove the last point added.
* By default, the tool will place mile markers along your route as you create it. There is a radio button to change this to km markers or to turn off the markers (including start and finish). Turning them off can be desirable as you draw so the Finish marker isn't in the way. You can turn them back on when you're done.
* If your route is out-and-back, then you can click the "Out & back" button when you've drawn the "out" portion of your route; the tool will automatically place the finish marker at the start marker and will calculate the distance accordingly.
There are over 250 saved routes for Fort Worth. Several that start downtown, like the "Roy Pope 10" or the "Museum 5". A "Tacos and Cold Beer" route that starts around TCU. Someone has added some of the Cowtown Marathon routes. Plenty of variety.
Some are bound to be bicycle routes. Like perhaps the 28.57-mile "Scenic Route for Coffee" that goes from Richland Hills through North Richland Hills and Blue Mound before heading south to finish on Camp Bowie at Fairfield, at "the best coffee house in DFW Metro Plex". Actually, maybe that's a route for an Oldsmobile. After 28 miles of running or pedaling (with 1,051 feet in total climb), I don't think coffee is going to do it for me. Not even Kona.
http://www.usatf.org/routes/
America's Running Routes from USA Track & Field.
It uses Google Maps to allow you to map out a running route. Map your route with this tool and it will tell you the distance. It also gives total climb and total elevation changes.
You can save your route to their database for others to see, and you can check out and rate routes others have saved.
Overall it's a pretty neat little tool.
I didn't notice directions, so I'll offer some in brief:
* Zoom in to the desired level. You can start by entering the city name or zip code and then use the zoom tool (on the left side of the map) from there. (I recommend zooming in fairly close to improve the accuracy of your route map and the distance calculations.)
* You can also reposition the map by clicking without releasing the mouse button, and dragging in the desired direction.
* Once you have the map zoomed and positioned where you want it, click (and release) on the map where your route starts. The tool will put a "Start" marker there.
* Now continue clicking along your route. Each subsequent click will extend the route to that point and will place the "Finish" marker there. (Of course, you can reposition the map or zoom in and out as needed.)
* If you make a mistake, you can use the "Undo" button to remove the last point added.
* By default, the tool will place mile markers along your route as you create it. There is a radio button to change this to km markers or to turn off the markers (including start and finish). Turning them off can be desirable as you draw so the Finish marker isn't in the way. You can turn them back on when you're done.
* If your route is out-and-back, then you can click the "Out & back" button when you've drawn the "out" portion of your route; the tool will automatically place the finish marker at the start marker and will calculate the distance accordingly.
There are over 250 saved routes for Fort Worth. Several that start downtown, like the "Roy Pope 10" or the "Museum 5". A "Tacos and Cold Beer" route that starts around TCU. Someone has added some of the Cowtown Marathon routes. Plenty of variety.
Some are bound to be bicycle routes. Like perhaps the 28.57-mile "Scenic Route for Coffee" that goes from Richland Hills through North Richland Hills and Blue Mound before heading south to finish on Camp Bowie at Fairfield, at "the best coffee house in DFW Metro Plex". Actually, maybe that's a route for an Oldsmobile. After 28 miles of running or pedaling (with 1,051 feet in total climb), I don't think coffee is going to do it for me. Not even Kona.
http://www.usatf.org/routes/