GPS files for last years TNF100

[Regan]

Is there anyone out there who run TNF100 last year and mapped it with a GPS?

If so, would you be willing to share/email/upload the GPX file to view on Google Maps?

Would be greatly appreciated.

[Gary]

I don't have gps files but I've put together a kml file based on the course maps to use in tracking myself during the event. (I'll carry a SPOT satellite tracker)

You can see this on Google Maps at http://www.manonfire.co.nz/events/the-northface-100

I've also made a Google Earth flyover video of the course which is on the same page.

Hope others find them useful.

Gazza

 

[Regan]

WOW......that is awesome, to say the least!

The fly over will be such a huge help in working out what gear to leave at certain check points. Cheers.

I'll also be carrying a SPOT tracker (don't train without it now) just so my wife can see roughly where I am on the track and judge when to meet at the next checkpoint. They're a fantastic idea.
Will also be tracking with my Garmin Forerunner.......battery lasts for 20hrs so hopefully finish before then haha

Cheers for the info Gary, greatly appreciated.

[Gary]

Regan, and anyone else who will have a SPOT tracker, if you would like your location overlaid on a Google Map of the course, rather than the shared map that Spot do, please get in youch with me at gary@imapping.co.nz.

An example of what it looks like is at http://www.manonfire.co.nz/events/cape2cape/course

For those without a SPOT I have a system that I set up for Oxfam Trailwalker in NZ that plots tweet locations on the course map, either from geolocated tweets or from extracting the milage from the tweet text.  See http://www.wherearewe.co.nz/index.php/twaack.html for info on this.  If there is enough interest in this I can set up a pge for TNF.

Gazza

[Dean]

Hi Regan and Gary ... thanks for the great info on the Spot Tracker.  Just a couple of questions:  Once purchased (unit approx $200) what are the extra costs for service etc?  Seems that it's about $100+ a year for GPS, plus an extra $50+ for tracking ... is that right??

cheers,
Jaci & Dean

[Gary]

Hi Jaci & Dean,

Yep, that's approximately right.  I paid $164 for the basic service plus tracking but I can't tell if that was USD or NZ peso.

Gary

[Regan]

Hi Gary, I'm not quite sure what you mean.....the SPOT tracking tracks on Google maps!?!......the tracking is not as accurate as my Garmin (but it naturally doesn't offer live tracking), the SPOT must only send a signal every few minutes or so!?!


Jaci/Dean, Gary is right, if you go to www.findmespot.com it has a rundown of the services offered......basic service and then tracking service is all you need. The fees should be roughly the same $ value as here in Oz plus or minus a few bucks.
Well worth having, it's a peace of mind for myself, my wife and all my family knowing that this little device can send a distress message and exact location should I ever need to..........I was out by myself a little longer than usual the other day and thought would be a good idea to send a 'Check/ok' message to my wife so she didn't start worrying......I asked her when I got home if she was worried at all and she said the message had put her mind at ease.
I can forward to you the email that is received when you check in if you like? I'll send it so you can get an idea what information you get.
The messages are restricted to a certain number of characters so short and brief is best, it' a good idea to school any recipients of the messages meaning too.

I watched the movie '127 Hours' recently and couldn't help think to myself "I bet he wished he had a SPOT".....if only they were available then!

[Gary]

Regan,

Take a look at http://www.manonfire.co.nz/events/cape2cape/course to see how I can take the SPOT location and overlay it on a map of the course.

The SPOT tracking is once every 10 minutes and it can take several minutes to come through, and some do get lost, so yeah it isn't as good as Garmins or other cell phone based tracking services but it does what it is supposed to do pretty well I think.

I haven't seen 127 Hours but from the shorts I did see he was stuck in an place that a SPOT wouldn't have been likely to see the satellite.  It would have helped once he got out though.

[Regan]

Hi Gary, I had a look at the map initially but didn't quite understand what you had done.....silly me, musta been looking at it with blinkers on!

Sooo...the way I understand it now is, you set up a link to a google map with the track already overlayed on top of it. As you progress along the track the SPOT updates your location on that map rather than the SPOT google map which doesn't have the track overlayed........does that sound right? : |

[Gary]

That's right Regan.

I'm going to set up a page on ManOnFire for TNF to show my location and I can easily add other SPOT users to it. All I need is the url to your shared map from the SPOT site.

Gary

[Matt]

For a bloke that has never been to the Blue Mountains, never run an ultra and never knew such things existed I can say that this 'flyover' is the greatest bit of technology. It really does give me an accurate idea of what the terrain is like (although I'm sure the hills look even bigger from ground level).

Thanks for sharing this with those of us less technically savy. I'm sure I'll watch it over and over again. Great effort and all the best for the event.

Matt.
Run Strong, Run Long.

[Gary]

Thanks Matt,

I'm not going to see the area till the day before TNF so it will help me visualise it too, although part of me thinks I'd be better off not knowing what I'm getting into!!

Hopefully by this time next week I'll have my first ultra under the belt, the 60km option at the Tarawera Ultra in Rotorua next Saturday.

Gazza

[Regan]

Hi Gary, I've just sent you an email with my SPOT shared page link. Thankyou so much for the offer.

I've watched your flyover now a few times and it's just adding to the element of excitement every little part of this race and planning is bringing!

Cheers,
Regan.

[Isobel]

So does anyone have a GPS file I can upload to my Garmin??
Thanks, Izzy

[Kristan]

Hi Izzy,

I just sent you an email with my attached Garmin TCX file from last years NF100.