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Drawing a route is the fastest way to capture a course that doesn’t have a GPX yet — a local long run, a planned recon route, or a brand-new race you’re designing.

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How drawing works

You click to drop waypoints. Each waypoint is an anchor on the map. The line between waypoints is computed automatically — it snaps to the underlying trail and road network so you don’t have to trace every twist manually. That means:
  • Close waypoints = more control. Drop one every few hundred meters on a technical section to get the exact line you want.
  • Far waypoints = let the network do the work. On a straightforward stretch of trail, a single waypoint at each end is enough.

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Start drawing

1

Open the Routes page → Create Route → Draw Route

The map opens centered on a default location. Drag to where you want to start.
2

Click to drop your first waypoint

This is the start of your route.
3

Click again to extend the line

The route follows the trail/road network between your last waypoint and the new one. Continue clicking to build out the full course.
4

Save when done

Click Save, give the route a name. It lands in your library.

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Editing while drawing

  • Drag a waypoint to move it. The line recalculates.
  • Click on the line between two waypoints to insert a new waypoint there.
  • Right-click a waypoint (or long-press on touch) to delete it.
  • Undo / Redo with the toolbar buttons or Cmd+Z / Cmd+Shift+Z.

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Snap can sometimes be wrong

The routing network doesn’t always know about every trail, especially in remote areas or on new trails. When the line goes somewhere unexpected:
  • Drop more waypoints along the section to force the line where you want it.
  • Switch the map style (top-right) — some styles show trails the others don’t, which helps you place waypoints accurately.
  • Accept a near-miss for unmapped sections. You can fix it once a GPX of the actual run exists.

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Then customize

Once saved, add checkpoints, tweak the route appearance from the design panel, or share the route with other runners.

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Why not just upload a GPX?

You absolutely should, when you have one. Drawing is for the cases where you don’t — designing a new race, planning a recon route, or capturing a long run you haven’t done yet. Once you’ve run it, export the GPX from your watch and upload that instead for full point-by-point fidelity.