New map service

I remember the day when I if I wanted to know how far I ran, and it wasn't on a track, I would reset the odometer in my car and drive it out. Occasionally as I got older I would use a hiking GPS and my mtn. bike. I wasn't until I got sponsored by Polar Heart rate monitors in 2006 that I truly fell in love with what technology had done with distance measuring with their accelarameter footpods. Garmin came along and while I am only familiar with the product, its at a whole 'nother level with GPS mapping.

As a side benefit to all this technology I became a big fan of Gmaps Pedometer online. I can zoom into wherever on Earth I am starting my run and using a series of waypoints map out with decent accuracy the distance of the route I would like to go. Using the Hybrid or Satellite views I could see side roads, trails and street signs.

I haven't had need of that program for a long time, almost a year. When I came back to it recently I found that it had been changed. The Gmap program now only travels down the middle of main roads. I can't click on a trail or side path and measure distance. THAT SUCKS.

Clicking around alternate sites, I lucked upon the USA Track & Field website and their mapping program is what Gmap used to be. LINK HERE

If you are at all interested in pre-mapping a run or ride, heck even a point to point swim, give this program a chance.