SummitGPX Help Centre

Using GPX Health Check in SummitGPX

The GPX Health Check helps organisers validate a GPX file before it becomes the route runners rely on. Use it as a quality-control step alongside GPX uploads, route editing, elevation review and the final public route page check.

This page explains how to use Health Check inside the SummitGPX workflow. The customer-facing tool itself is the Free GPX Health Check on the SummitGPX website.

Screenshot of GPX Health Check upload panel before adding a route

What the Health Check Is Designed to Do

The GPX Health Check is a GPX validator and GPX repair workflow. It reviews a GPX file and gives organisers a practical report before the route is shared with runners.

It checks whether the file is a usable GPX, whether SummitGPX can read a route line, whether distance and elevation data look sensible, and whether common watch problems are likely. Where repair is available, SummitGPX can create a cleaner GPX file.

The Health Check does not replace a course inspection, a route planning tool or the Route Editor. It complements them by checking the file quality before and after route work.

When to Run a Health Check

Run a Health Check at the points where a GPX file might become runner-facing:

  • Before uploading a route: check the source GPX before creating a SummitGPX route.
  • After editing a route: download the latest GPX from the route page and check the route runners will receive.
  • After replacing a GPX: check the replacement file before upload, then review the processed SummitGPX route afterwards.
  • Before publishing: check the final route file before making the route public or sharing the QR code.
  • After route updates: check the latest downloadable GPX if a diversion, route correction or version restore changes the course.
  • When runners report device problems: use the Health Check to investigate Garmin GPX, Coros GPX, Suunto GPX or app import issues.

For a start-to-finish route setup, see the Typical Organiser Workflow.

Before Uploading a GPX

If a GPX file comes from a course planner, mapping platform or previous event, run it through the Health Check before uploading it to SummitGPX. This helps catch problems while the file is still easy to fix.

  1. Open the Free GPX Health Check.
  2. Upload the GPX file you intend to use.
  3. Review the score, grade, warnings and errors.
  4. If repair is available, review what the repaired file changes before using it.
  5. Upload the best version to SummitGPX using the GPX upload workflow.

SummitGPX also runs an upload preflight when you add a route. That preflight checks whether the file can be imported and whether terrain data is needed. It is related to Health Check, but it is not the same as the full Health Check report.

Understanding Health Check Results

Screenshot of GPX Health Check results showing score, grade, warnings and repair availability

The Health Check result includes:

  • Score: a simple overall score for file quality.
  • Grade: Excellent, Good, Usable with warnings or Needs attention.
  • Passes, warnings and errors: a count of checks that passed or need review.
  • Repair available: shown when SummitGPX can attempt fixes for supported issues.
  • Route summary: distance, point count, elevation coverage, ascent and descent where available.
  • Detailed checks: practical messages explaining each issue.

A warning does not always mean the route is unusable. It means the organiser should review the file before sharing it. An error means the file needs attention before it should be trusted as the latest official GPX.

Typical Issues It Can Identify

The Health Check can identify common problems that affect race route management and GPS watch imports:

  • Files that are empty, too large for the Health Check limit or not valid GPX.
  • Files with no usable route or track data.
  • Routes with a very low point count.
  • Large jumps between neighbouring points.
  • Duplicate coordinates that make the file bigger than needed.
  • Missing, partial, flat or unreliable elevation data.
  • Obvious elevation spikes.
  • Whether the start and finish look like a loop or point-to-point route.

For more background, see Why GPX Files Fail on Watches.

Repair and Cleaner GPX Files

When repair is available, SummitGPX can rebuild a cleaner GPX file. Depending on the issue, repair can remove consecutive duplicate points, add usable elevation where elevation services are available, smooth obvious elevation spikes and rebuild clean GPX XML.

Repair is useful before uploading a route or before replacing a route with a revised GPX. It is still good practice to review the repaired file on the map and compare it with the intended course.

Garmin, Coros, Suunto and Runner Devices

Runners often load GPX files onto Garmin, Coros and Suunto watches before race day. These devices can be less forgiving than a desktop route planner.

The Health Check helps reduce problems by finding files with broken structure, too few points, large straight-line gaps, poor elevation or unnecessary repeated points. A cleaner GPX is more likely to import cleanly and show a route that runners can follow.

For very long ultra marathon GPX files, also consider GPX split points so runners can download shorter section files where useful.

Elevation Processing

Health Check and SummitGPX route processing both look closely at elevation, but they are used at different moments.

The Health Check reports whether the GPX contains useful point-by-point elevation, partial elevation, all-zero values or obvious spikes. If repair is available and terrain services can provide data, a repaired GPX can include generated or smoothed elevation.

During upload, SummitGPX keeps original GPX elevation when it is useful. If elevation is missing or unreliable, SummitGPX can prepare terrain data and generate elevation for the route. See Understanding GPX Elevation Data and How SummitGPX Processes GPX Files.