Data Data Data

I have been busy playing with GPS watches lately (I will write up more about those in a few days). But, because I have been running with different watches which all use different backends and data formats, I had to find a way to get that data into central locations (Strava and MapMyRun). Having the data easily sent to other places outside of Strava and MapMyRun without effort was something that I was looking for also – but, it had to be effortless or else I would not do it.

A long time ago, while looking for a running app for my iPod touch 5th generation, I stumbled on an app named iSmoothRun which uses the accelerometer in the iPod to track my runs on the treadmill. It works brilliantly and one of the big benefits to the app is that it can upload to many different backends: Nike+, Garmin Connect, Suunto Movescount, Strava, RunKeeper, DailyMile, Fitbit, Training Peaks, Dropbox, and more.

What I did not realize was that it could also import runs via Dropbox. To import, put a supported file in Dropbox under Apps/iSmoothRun/Import. Launch iSmoothRun and go to the Log tab at the bottom and click the Import button at the top left (it looks like a cloud with a down-arrow). If your file is valid (I use TCX files), it will import the run into iSmoothRun.

What is even better though, is that after importing the run, I can export the run to the different backends. Click the run to export, then click the export button on the bottom right (it looks like a cloud with an up-arrow). Select the sites to export to and iSmoothRun will send the run over to those sites.

Quite a neat feature that I had seemingly overlooked for the year or so I had been using iSmoothRun.