Answers to common questions. Contact us if you need more help.
The whole flow, top to bottom. If you're new to PreRun or off-road GPS in general, work through these five steps.
A GPX is a plain text file with GPS coordinates. Any of these work:
.gpx.Any of these:
.gpx file anywhere on the device and pick PreRun from the share sheet. PreRun opens with the file pre-loaded.Open PreRun. On the Map tab, tap the folder icon in the bottom controls row ("Load GPX"). Pick your .gpx file. PreRun asks which collection to save it to — pick an existing one or create a new one (e.g., "Baja 500 2026"). The route draws in red on the 3D satellite map with elevation shading. Any waypoints in the file appear as colored pins.
After loading, PreRun asks: "Auto-detect turns?" Say Yes and it analyzes the track geometry and drops severity-coded waypoints at every significant turn. Green for gentle, yellow / orange for moderate, red for sharp and hairpins. If the GPX already had race-org waypoints ("CP1", "SS 3.4", "Danger Wash"), say No and PreRun keeps only what the file had.
Head to the Collections tab. Tap the green Run button next to your route. Accept the one-time safety disclaimer. PreRun switches to the Map tab, GPS locks on, camera follows, and turn-by-turn audio starts calling out every waypoint as you approach it — "Right 3 in 500 feet" — in your chosen language. The next three waypoints preview at the bottom of the screen so you can see what's coming.
PreRun automatically analyzes your route and identifies significant turns based on the angle of direction change. Turns are color-coded: Green (easy), Yellow (moderate), Orange (sharp), and Red (extreme/hairpin). Detection is adjustable in Settings → Turn Detection — minimum angle, minimum separation, analysis window, and whether waypoints go at the apex or the entrance of each turn.
Yes. Open Settings → Turn Detection. You can customize the left/right prefixes and all five severity labels to match your preferred style (rally notes, descriptive names, or your own system). Optional Rally Pacenote Mode switches to a 1-6 severity scale (1 = hairpin, 6 = straightest).
Satellite mode shows overhead imagery in 2D with detailed turn markers. 3D Terrain mode provides an immersive flyover experience with realistic elevation.
Tap any turn marker on the map to see edit options. You can edit the label, move the waypoint to a new location, or delete it.
Yes. Pro users can download entire regions for full offline navigation including satellite tiles, terrain, and route guidance. Free users can cache map tiles as they browse.
Tap the "Export GPX" button to save your route with all detected turns and custom labels as a new GPX file. You can then share it with teammates or import it into other apps.
Yes — PreRun runs directly on Garmin Tread Android-based devices. It also exports standard GPX and Lowrance USR files compatible with most GPS units.
Pair a Meshtastic LoRa radio device via Bluetooth and PreRun will share your group's live position over the mesh — no cell service required. Works with T1000-E, Wio Tracker L1 Pro, Heltec, and other Meshtastic-compatible hardware.
Yes. PreRun processes GPX files, routes, and waypoints locally on your device. We don't collect usage analytics, ads, or location history. See our Privacy Policy for details.
PreRun supports standard GPX files with track points (<trkpt>), including multi-segment tracks and waypoints. Files with multiple <trk> blocks (typical of race organizers like SCORE, BITD, NORRA) auto-split into separate Track items in the same collection. Any tool that exports standard GPX is compatible.
Tap the group icon in the Map tab top bar, then Start Group. Give it a friendly name (e.g., "Baja 500 Recon Team"). Share the 6-character code or QR code with your riders. Your group's code is persistent — the same code works day after day for multi-day trips. Everyone appears as a colored dot on the map with their name and speed.
Only if you enable the Public toggle when you Start Group. Public groups appear in the Join Group discovery list for anyone signed in, sorted by distance. Useful for organized rides, race events, or spectators watching leaders. Turn Public off any time to make the group private again.
Yes with hardware. Pair a Meshtastic LoRa radio (T1000-E, Wio Tracker L1 Pro, Heltec, or any Meshtastic-compatible device) via Bluetooth in Settings. PreRun relays positions over the mesh with a typical range of 3-6 miles between nodes. Devices with both mesh and internet automatically bridge positions between online and offline riders.
Important: create or join the group before you lose cell service. Group setup requires internet; the mesh takes over once you're inside the group.
Yes. Tap another member's dot on the map. PreRun offers to Go To their position — useful for finding a stopped rider or reuniting after a split.
Use Universal Go To. Tap the search / discover icon in the Map top bar to search businesses, POIs (gas, food, camping), lat/lon coordinates, or trail names. Or long-press anywhere on the map to drop a pin and choose "Navigate here." PreRun builds a route, drops you into follow mode, and calls out turns just like a loaded GPX.
Set your Fuel Range in Settings → Route Preferences. When you build any route that exceeds it, PreRun offers to automatically add gas stops along the way. Iterative — a 900-mile route with a 200-mile range gets four gas stops added. Each stop shows as a fuel-pump waypoint and gets an audio callout as you approach it.
Yes. In Settings → Route Preferences, set your Vehicle Type to Dirt Bike, ATV/Quad, UTV, or Full-Size 4x4. Build Route and Trail Finder respect what your rig can use. USFS MVUM, BLM GTLF, and state OHV data are all in the routing graph.
Yes with Weather Callouts (Pro). Toggle it in Settings → Navigation. PreRun announces the destination forecast when you start a Run, alerts you to severe weather (tornado, thunderstorm, flash flood) at your current position, and warns about incoming precipitation 20 miles ahead of your route. US-only, powered by the National Weather Service.
Yes. Toggle Weather Radar in Settings → Map Overlays. PreRun overlays live NEXRAD reflectivity tiles on the satellite map. Storm cells, precipitation bands, and organized weather show up in real time. Continental US coverage.
Optional Wikipedia landmark callouts during your drive. Toggle it in Settings → Navigation. Every 30 seconds while in follow mode, PreRun queries Wikipedia for geo-tagged articles near your position and speaks the article title and first sentence when one is within 1000 meters. Historic sites, geographic features, small-town backstories. Great on backroads and overlanding.
Yes, on iPhone and iPad. Toggle Show My Photos in Settings → Map Overlays. Every geotagged photo from your device library appears as a clustered pin on the satellite map. New photos taken during a trip auto-appear as pins. Tap any pin to view. Photos never leave your device.
Android note: Google Play's Photos policy restricts full-library access to gallery / photo-editor apps, so the toggle is greyed out on Android. The rest of PreRun works identically on both platforms.
Open Settings → Stats (top card). Shows total runs, total distance, distance this week + last 30 days, longest run, unique routes driven, and your current daily streak. All aggregated locally from your saved runs — nothing sent to servers.