Most of modern active sporty people use at least some of many available sport tracking devices or services. Being that dedicated devices like Garmin, Suunto or Polar or their software equivalents Runkeeper, Endomondo, Strava or Velo Hero. All these gadgets and apps provide track recording including processing data from various external sensors, calculating statistics, data export to various formats or web services.

As you surely know, Locus Map, besides its robust map and navigation capabilities, offers many of above mentioned sports tracking features too - it records tracks and data from external sensors of heart rate, speed or pedaling cadence, it offers detailed statistics, it can also audio-coach your training. One thing that is so far missing is its own web interface where it is possible to store, present and share your sports activities with your friends. We don't deny we would like to have such an interface and that we'll once build it but before it happens we offer connection with already working and well established projects - your sports activities recorded in Locus can be quickly and comfortably exported to world wide servers Strava, Runkeeper, Velo Hero, Ride With GPS and others.

Which service is the best?

Thorough analysis of all sports websites would cost us much time and many pages of text so we'll get by with only brief introduction of the most favourite ones. Each of us prefers something different - somebody likes detailed stats, somebody has many buddies on the server, someone else is a geek who needs a lot of gadgets... Locus Map cooperates with following (besides others):

Runkeeper evokes an idea that it can be used just for monitoring your running workouts but as well as other services it enables you to share all of your sports activities. If you track was somehow recorded with mistakes you can easily edit it in Runkeeper.

[caption id="attachment_9813" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Track detail with simple stats and charts[/caption]

Strava is a technically advanced service full of fancy gadgets. We have written about the possibility to display their global heatmap in Locus. Strava offers many options of monitoring your activity connections with other sportsmen, it isn't limited by classic means of social networks communication. For instance, their "Fly-by" feature is very interesting - you can play animation of your activity in relation to activities of other sportsmen nearby:

[caption id="attachment_9812" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Fly-by feature in action - the animation reveals en-route activities of several sportsmen at once on a map and a chart[/caption]

Velo Hero is a choice for those who like simplicity without complex website environment:

[caption id="attachment_9810" align="aligncenter" width="600"] VeloHero dashboard - beauty in simplicity[/caption]

How to export from Locus?

Each of above mentioned services can be found in the selection of the track export format.

1. open the track detail screen and tap the export icon in the bottom bar
   
2. select Export
3. tap the icon of default export format (GPX when using Locus for the first time)
   
4. tap to select the service
   
5. each service requires its own login - it's necessary to sign up before this on their websites. Parameters of the export may also vary. For example Runkeeper enables to detect pauses in the activity, Strava differentiates between private and public activities etc.
   
   
   

What to do if I use service that is not supported by Locus?

A typical case is Endomondo. This widespread service, unfortunately, doesn't provide API, i.e. it's not possible to connect it to a third party app - Locus.

[caption id="attachment_9814" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Endomondo is a featured sports server but it doesn't provide connection to other applications.[/caption]

That's why it's necessary to use services of Tapiriik.com - the website was created upon demand of many active people who have their friends scattered among many various sport-community servers and who don't want to bother themselves by laborious exporting their activities manually on several sites individually. Just register, select your websites to connect and Tapiriik synchronizes all your activities among them.

[caption id="attachment_9809" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Tapiriik can synchronize whole range of sports servers and services[/caption]

If you want to use quality maps, reliable navigation and sports activity recorder with the option of presenting them online, it's not necessary to stuff your phone memory with dozen apps. You'll get by with Locus Map.

Článek Locus – a partner of worldwide sport trackers se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.

We have mentioned once that it's possible to display Strava Global Heatmap in Locus. Anyway, we haven't mentioned how to do it. You see, this option isn't included right in the main menu - you have to dig a bit deeper in its advanced features. Displaying of the heatmap involves option to add a custom online map and map overlay function.

What the heck is heatmap?

Strava Global Heatmap is created by all tracks recorded by all users of Strava application and uploaded to its internet database - via mobile app, smart watches or imported from various sporttesters. The more is the track used, i.e. run or ridden, the thicker or more colorful is the line on the map - that's where it really boils. Of course there are more heatmaps differentiated by the sports activity - cycling or running. The heatmap is a valuable source of information and inspiration for your next trips or, on the other hand, warns before too crowded areas.

How to get this custom online map?

Detailed instruction how to prepare such map can be found in the advanced section of Locus manual. It's not much fun and few common Locus users would go into it - therefore we're going to offer you a ready-made map straight away and advise how to activate it:

• first of all, download this file >> (EDIT: and edit it according to these instructions >>)
• unpack it to Locus/mapsOnline/custom folder in your mobile or tablet with Locus
• a new folder named Strava containing two maps - Global Heatmap Biking and Global Heatmap Running - appears in your Map manager Online tab

[caption id="attachment_8895" align="aligncenter" width="350"] Strava heatmap without background map[/caption]

That's it, Strava heatmap is activated. As it contains just the track lines, it's necessary to display it over another "normal" map. That can be accomplished by the Map overlay function:

How to lay one map over another?

• select any background map in your Map manager - online or offline
• select Map overlay in main Menu > More functions
• tap SELECT and choose one of the Strava heatmaps from the Map manager Online tab
• set maximum opacity by the slider
• set blend mode according to your background map - select e.g. ADD in case you use satellite map that is usually a bit darker

  [caption id="attachment_8900" align="aligncenter" width="350"] settings of the map overlay[/caption]

And that's all, Strava Global Heatmap displays in Locus. Enjoy!

[caption id="attachment_8897" align="aligncenter" width="350"] satellite map of Salzkammergut with Strava Biking Heatmap[/caption]

Článek Strava Global Heatmap in Locus? Why not? se nejdříve objevil na Locus Map - mobile outdoor navigation app.