When we started Smashrun we thought data viz + badges + running = awesome. But what we didn’t know then, was that we’d literally spend 80% of our time building a data aggregation platform against a quicksand of constantly changing API’s. Or that we’d be begging, buying and pleading our way just to be allowed access to any data in the first place. The remaining 20% of the work we’ve done has resulted in everything most people think of as Smashrun. It’s insanity. When you record a run, it should be just like taking a picture. You should own the finished product and you should be able to post it to any site you want.
So here’s the deal. We want life to be easier for our users. We want you to have great data. We want you to able to use any website or app you want without worrying about how it’s going to mess up your training history. So we’re offering a bounty to any app that integrates with Smashrun.
We have a great API. Its design is the product of learning from the work we’ve done with dozens of other fitness API’s. It favors data quality, simplicity, efficiency, and robustness — in that order. It’s vanilla OAuth. Some developers have built an integration with it in less than a day, and we’ve got tools to make debugging easier.
- Integrate with our API and send data smoothly and seamlessly immediately after a user finishes their run.
- Provide high quality data that users can use to analyze their run:
- Send the data in JSON format
- Encode pauses and laps
- No resampling!
- Include HR, Cadence and other details if you have them available
- We’ll feature your app, so that our users can discover it.
- Agree to our super straight forward terms of service.
- You can send data to any other sites you want, the more export options the better for everyone.
This is, naturally, subject to approval and applies only to mobile apps and hardware devices, not fitness syncers – you must be the originator of the data.
So please spread the word!
Please tell your favorite apps or, if you’re a developer, maybe now’s a great time to build your own.
Apply for access to the Smashrun API and let us know if you’re interested in the app integration bounty.
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GARMIN UPDATE
We’ve finished the initial development of the new Garmin API Autosync integration. We’ll begin a very short beta period after Garmin flips the switch next week, following which we’ll roll it out to all pro users.
Syncing Garmin data to be a premium only service? Bizarre
“Once we connect to the official Garmin API, Smashrun Pro users will never have to click the sync button again. And, of course, when/if/probably Garmin removes their “unofficial” API, we’ll enable auto-sync for all users.”
https://blog.smashrun.com/sale-fund-drive-garmin-auto-sync/
Garmin charges Smashrun for access.
Garmin is the bizarre one here. They want $5k for the privilege of the API access. That’s totally insane.
I’m just in the process of building an app for finding running partners and it’s insane to me that any company would want us developers to pay money to them so we can provide their users with more reasons to stay on the platform. Either that or they just don’t have the API.
It took me less than a day to setup oauth login for Facebook, Strava, Runkeeper, UnderArmour (MapMyFitness and Endomondo) and with that enabling users of those apps to login to my app in seconds. But for the “big players” like Polar Flow, Suunto Movescount, Garmin connect, Sports Tracker (which is a shitty app that is for some reason really popular) there is no way to enable that.
The thing that these companies don’t understand is that giving 3rd party developers this access will encourage customers to STAY not to LEAVE their platform.
Anyway, huge thumbsup for this Smashrun team 🎉