Track and Field On Your Phone

Over time I've seen quite a few apps on my Android phone (I have not yet joined the Dark Side!) for Track and Field.  Some of them are useful, some aren't.  So I thought I would introduce a few and see what everyone else thinks.

First up, in keeping with the idiot theme I so often promote, there's Track and Field For Idjits (free) from Snapstorm Technologies.  This one has "everything you need to know" about rules and such for all the events.  It even includes some history and vocabulary.

Track and Field Cipher (free) from Michael Westbrook has some cool calculators for metric to English measures, corrected time calculators for the 100M and 400M, a chronometer and especially a convertor for indoor track conversions.  This will convert undersized tracks and over-sized tracks to 200M tracks as well as banked tracks to un-banked tracks. (It won't convert the times in the old Ice Palace to normal temperature tracks, however!)

VO2 Max Calculator (free) from mobsea will determine your value using standard protocols and an easy one mile jog. This is especially useful for old, out-of-shape types like me to keep us humble and depressed.

Pace Convertor (free) from Martin van Zullekom will determine training paces and projected race times, which always seems to be the most talked about item on LetsRun.com.

My Marathon Pacer (free) will annoy you with beeps and such during your marathon or half-marathon so that you can hit your goal time, or just be driven mad by the constant beeping, ...WHY WON'T IT JUST STOP?

Pole Vaulter Companion  (free) by Stabby Software will convert the metric heights to the English heights and also the standard adjustment measurements for the metric disabled.

RA Podcast (free) is an app with podcasts from the Runner's Academy.

Athletics Assistant (free) from Philipp Laibacher is a calculator for all the Multi-Events for both men and women, while Decathlon Calculator from KKK Development/University of Ulm just does the decathlon.

There are also a lot of games, which I stopped playing in 1985 at the tail-end of the great era of pinball arcades.  The old table top Track and Field was great and there are many similar phone apps.  Deluxe Track and Field (free and $2.42) from Sunlight Games has 11 events and several levels and should keep those waiting for a plane interested for quite a while.

And for those paying attention still, there are hundreds of stopwatch/chronometer apps.  Which one have you found to be the best?  Coach Groves would reject them all for the old-fashioned chronometer around his neck.