Garmin Live Track

Originally posted by Jayabusa

I have an 810 and was thinking of using the Live Track feature during this weekends Rev 3 Quassy Half so the wife is not waiting around during the bike leg. Has anyone used this feature during a Tri? If so, How did you set it up before hand? I have used it during training rides but never in a race.

USAT (USA Triathlon) Official Ruling on using LiveTracking during events:

I reached out to USAT Commissioner of Officials Charlie Crawford late last night to get some clarification on the allowances of a device such as the Edge 510/810 with LiveTracking enabled with a cell phone. I outlined four scenarios. Some of them cover the Edge 510/810, and others cover future scenarios that the Garmin team could enable down the road.

Here’s what I asked:

“1) Using a cell phone to provide one-way live tracking of a rider (i.e. location/speed/distance/HR/cadence/etc…). Scenario: Cell phone sits in jersey or saddle bag and passively provides location info to family and friends.

2) Using a cell phone to provide two-way communications between an athlete and someone outside the race (i.e. text messaging/phone calls). Scenario: Rider pulls out cell phone and texts/calls others.

3) Using a cell phone in conjunction with a bike computer on handlebar (i.e. a Garmin unit) to provide one-way live tracking of a rider. Scenario: Rider has cell phone in jersey or saddle bag, which communicates wirelessly to their bike computer on handlebar. Communication is one way, transmitting position/athlete data from bike computer to phone to friends/family. No inbound communications.

4) Using a cell phone in conjunction with a bike computer on handlebar to provide two-way communications (i.e. Coach could send message to rider to ‘rider harder’, without athlete having to touch cell phone, via bike computer on handlebar). Scenario: Rider has cell phone in jersey or saddle bag, which communicates wirelessly to their bike computer on handlebar. Rider is streaming ride data in real-time, and friends/family/coaches can communicate back to rider, which appear on screen in front of them (not on cell phone in saddle bag).”

Here was his response:

“The answer to questions 1-4 are all “Not Legal.” We have made exceptions to the “carry” rule only to allow someone to make an emergency call while off the bike or not making forward progress on the run. Modern smart-phones are also personal audio devices and are forbidden by Articles 3.4i, 5.8, and 6.3.” – Charlie Crawford, January 6th, 2013.

Originally posted by jblamb1401

USAT has verified several times that merely having a smartphone on your person or on your bike is a violation.

edit: .. regardless of its intended/actual use.

Originally posted by siouxcityhawk

I used the "MyAthleteLive" program at IMAZ and I wasn't in violation of any rules, that I know of.

Must be a little different twist though.

 

Originally posted by jennifer_runs I realize that is the rule- I was just wondering if someone could explain to me what the reason is for this. I guess there doesn't have to be logic behind it.

Originally posted by axteraa

How is an official to know how exactly you are using the phone?  It would be a nightmare to enforce so I suspect they just ban it outright.

Originally posted by axteraa

How is an official to know how exactly you are using the phone?  It would be a nightmare to enforce so I suspect they just ban it outright.

Originally posted by axteraa

How is an official to know how exactly you are using the phone?  It would be a nightmare to enforce so I suspect they just ban it outright.