After using the inclinometer for a while, it became apparent that the functionality was too basic. I extended it, so the unit tracks maximum pitch and roll values seen, displays the pitch and roll direction and can perform calibration on demand, so the unit does not have to acquire its orientation each time it is started up. I also built a better enclosure for it.

The Racket plot package produces interactive snip% objects which allow zooming of the plot area. While this is a cool and sometimes useful feature, the functionality is hard coded in the plot-snip% class inside the package. I extended the package to allow the user to customize the interactive features of the plot, to display additional information when the user hovers the mouse over the plot.

To modify one of the Racket built in packages, a local copy of the package has to be set up first. This is a surprisingly complicated task and I spent more time on it than I would like to admit. To save future me and others some time, I wrote up a set of instructions on how to do it.

I paid $600 for my Garmin FR920 GPS watch, and since I got it, I bought six pairs of running shoes totaling $1124 and went to the swimming pool 153 times: at approximately $5 for a swim session, this is $765 spend on swimming. While the FR920 cost more than a single pair of running shoes or a single swimming session, it actually comes out as cheaper to own than the previous two.

It is no surprise to anyone who tried to run in the heat that it is harder than when the outdoor temperature is more pleasant. But how much harder is it, and how can this be quantified? With summer in full swing in the southern hemisphere, I decided to take a look at how running is affected by temperature.

My brother-in-law got himself a 4WD and wanted an inclinometer module to display the roll and pitch of the vehicle while going on his adventures. I build one using an Arduino Nano and an accelerometer module.

My Garmin FR920 watch keeps track of running form related measurements: Cadence, Stride, Ground Contact Time and Vertical Oscillation. Given that I collected a lot of data during my last Marathon training, I decided to have a look at how running form changes as I get more tired during a run.

I needed a way to measure fatigue as it accumulates during a running session. There is no actual “fatigue” measurement that I’m aware of, so I had to find a substitute.

I bought a bike trainer last June for indoor riding during winter (which in the southern hemisphere is in July and August.) and I decided to write virtual ride simulator to use it. The simulator would follow a predefined course on the map: the current position would advance based on the speed received from the trainer, and the application would control the resistance based on the slope at the current location.

In June 2017 I completed my second Marathon. While the time was not what I expected, I still managed to get a sub 4 hour time, earning a yellow ribbon finishers medal. Let’s look at some statistics from my training for this race.

ActivityLog2 is a program that can analyze data recorded by fitness devices such as swim, bike and run sessions. It can be used as a training log and to gain insights about your training using reports and trend charts.