Typical Organiser Workflow

This guide walks through a realistic SummitGPX workflow for race organisers: prepare a GPX file, check it, publish it, share it with runners and keep it up to date when the course changes.

Use this as the main route management checklist, then follow the linked pages for detailed instructions.

1. Create an Event

What you do: Create an event from the dashboard and add the event name, location, description and dates where useful.

Why it matters: Every SummitGPX route belongs to an event. This keeps multiple race distances, course versions or event years organised in one place.

Best practice: Use event names runners and team members will recognise. If you manage several races, keep naming consistent.

Detailed guide: Your First Route.

2. Import the Route File

What you do: Choose the GPX, KML or FIT file for the route and import it into the correct event.

Why it matters: SummitGPX reads the course line, calculates statistics, checks elevation, prepares terrain data if needed and creates the hosted route page.

Best practice: Use the final intended course file where possible. If a GPX came from another planner, run the GPX Health Check workflow before import.

Detailed guide: Importing Route Files.

3. Run GPX Health Check and Resolve Issues

What you do: Use the Free GPX Health Check to validate the file before uploading, before replacing a route and before publishing the final public route.

Why it matters: Health Check can flag invalid GPX structure, low point counts, large gaps, duplicate points, missing elevation and elevation spikes before runners try to use the file on Garmin, Coros or Suunto watches.

Best practice: Treat warnings as review prompts. If repair is available, check the repaired GPX on the map before using it as your official route file.

Detailed guide: Using GPX Health Check in SummitGPX.

4. Generate or Verify Elevation

What you do: Review the route elevation profile and route statistics after upload.

Why it matters: Elevation affects ascent totals, runner expectations and route planning. SummitGPX keeps useful original GPX elevation or generates elevation from terrain data when the source file is missing or unreliable.

Best practice: Check for unrealistic ascent, flat profiles or obvious spikes. If terrain data needs preparation, allow the route import to complete before publishing.

Detailed guides: Elevation Profiles and Understanding GPX Elevation Data.

5. Import Checkpoints from GPX Waypoints

What you do: If the uploaded GPX includes meaningful named waypoints, SummitGPX can import suitable ones as checkpoints on Pro accounts.

Why it matters: Imported waypoints can save time when aid stations, water points, summits, cut offs or crew points already exist in the planning file.

Best practice: Review imported checkpoints before publishing. SummitGPX ignores generic navigation points, but organisers should still remove anything runners do not need.

Detailed guides: Checkpoints and GPX Waypoints Explained.

6. Add or Edit Checkpoints Manually

What you do: Add or edit the route point name, type, marker style, icon, short label, Location and details. Choose whether each point should appear on GPS/watch downloads and select an appropriate device point type.

Why it matters: Clear checkpoints help runners understand aid stations, water, cut offs, summits, warnings and crew access. Selected points can also appear as waypoints or course points in supported device exports.

Best practice: Keep short labels consistent, use icons for facilities and warnings, use the Location field for recognisable place names and only send essential points to watches.

Detailed guide: Checkpoints.

7. Use the Route Editor for Corrections

What you do: Use the Route Editor when a small section needs correcting or a diversion needs adding without rebuilding the full GPX file elsewhere.

Why it matters: A targeted edit can keep the same route page, QR code and embed while updating the actual course line.

Best practice: Use map edits for small changes. Use a full GPX replacement when the whole course has been replanned.

Detailed guide: Updating Routes.

8. Use Snap to Map or Snap to Path Where Appropriate

What you do: Enable Snap to Map, shown in the app as Snap to path, when you want the replacement line to follow mapped paths or roads between the points you add.

Why it matters: It can make route corrections cleaner when the configured routing service has suitable path data for the area.

Best practice: If Snap to Map is unavailable or does not follow the intended course, add enough manual points to trace the real route clearly.

Detailed guide: Snap to Path.

9. Replace Sections or Upload a New GPX Version

What you do: Replace a route section for a small diversion or upload a complete replacement GPX for a full-course change.

Why it matters: Course changes happen during permissions, weather, safety checks and final recce work. SummitGPX keeps the public route link, QR code and embed code stable while the route content changes.

Best practice: Add an update note in plain language, then review map, elevation, checkpoints, split markers and downloads. On Pro accounts, use route version history to review or restore earlier versions.

Detailed guides: Updating Routes and Route Versions.

10. Review Route Statistics

What you do: Check distance, ascent, descent, highest point, lowest point and track point count.

Why it matters: These figures appear on route pages and help runners prepare. They also help organisers spot obvious file problems.

Best practice: Compare the figures with your expected race distance and climb. Small differences are normal between platforms, but large differences need review.

Detailed guide: How SummitGPX Processes GPX Files.

11. Preview the Public Route Page

What you do: Open the route page and review what runners will see.

Why it matters: The public route page is the central place for the latest official GPX, map, elevation, checkpoints and downloads.

Best practice: Preview on desktop and mobile before sharing. Keep routes private until you are ready if your plan supports private routes.

Detailed guide: Public Route Pages.

12. Enable Downloads and Supported Export Formats

What you do: Confirm which download formats are available for the route and account plan, and test them from both the hosted route page and embed.

Why it matters: Runners may need GPX for watches, KML or TCX for other apps, FIT on Pro accounts, GPS/watch checkpoint points, Distance & Ascent Table PDF/CSV or split GPX files for long routes.

Best practice: Download the public GPX yourself before sending runners to the page. Check the PDF/CSV in the intended unit system. For long ultra marathon GPX files, consider split markers when section files would help.

Detailed guide: Downloads and Exports.

What you do: Share the public route page link, download a route QR code or embed the route on your website on Pro accounts.

Why it matters: Sharing the route page reduces confusion because the same link keeps showing the latest route after updates.

Best practice: Share the route page rather than attaching GPX files to emails. Ask runners to revisit the page before race day.

Detailed guides: Route QR Codes and Embeds.

14. Publish and Email Updates When the Route Changes

What you do: Edit the route, replace the GPX or restore a previous version, then check the latest processed route. Open Route Updates, import or review the route recipient list, draft the change email, send yourself a test and confirm the send.

Why it matters: SummitGPX keeps links, QR codes and embeds stable, while the email tells runners exactly what changed and whether they must download the GPX again.

Best practice: Add update notes, run Health Check on the revised file where useful, verify all links in the test email and track the delivery job after sending.

Detailed guides: Updating Routes, Route Update Emails and Route Versions.

15. Monitor Downloads and Analytics

What you do: On Pro accounts, review route analytics such as route views, embed views and downloads.

Why it matters: Analytics can show whether runners are finding the route page and downloading files before race day.

Best practice: If download numbers are lower than expected, include the route page and QR code in runner emails, website pages and race packs.

Detailed guides: Public Route Analytics and Embed Analytics.

Final Pre-Race Checklist

The route line matches the final course.
The latest GPX has been checked with the GPX Health Check workflow.
Elevation and route statistics look sensible.
Checkpoints, Location fields and details are correct.
Icons, short labels and GPS/watch selections are appropriate.
Public downloads have been tested.
PDF/CSV tables and split GPX sections have been checked where used.
Route page, QR code and embeds show the latest version.
Update notes are clear if the course changed.
A Route Update test email has been checked before any runner send.