Hayward man creates 3D web based race simulator

By Melissa Ganje & photojournalist Carrie Kohlmeier, FOX 21 News

HAYWARD-  It’s the only website of its kind, and it comes from the Northland.  A Hayward man came up with the idea for an interactive virtual 3D race simulator.  It just launched last week.

It’s for Nordic skiers, runners and bike racers.  It’s a web–based race simulator, a 3D virtual tour.  The website, www.racemyrace.com just  launched last week and owner Todd Goold of Hayward says the site had 3,000 hits over the weekend.  "I have a passion for maps, it's not just RaceMYRace, its mapping is what the passion is that drives it," said Todd Goold.  Goold owns a land surveying and mapping company in Hayward.  The website is a spin off of that and he hopes to soon make it his full time job.  He’s also a runner, biker and Nordic skier who competes in the American Birkebeiner every year.  "And last winter we were training hard and I train with several skiers that are a bit faster than I am so I always try to figure out a way to gain an edge and the best edge was to learn the course better," said Goold.  So he came up with the idea for www.racemyrace.com, the only website of it's kind.  "It’s the next generation of race re–player, race simulator," said Goold.

The website operates on a Google Earth plug–in and it gives race participants a view of the course and its elevation changes.  You can also project your finish time by entering your pace per mile and there is an overhead or 3D view.  "That brings you right down on top of the race and that really displays the elevation pretty well," said Goold.  And the 3D effect is what makes this website unique.  "You feel that you are on the event so to me this is really cool.  It's a virtual tour; I can view it right from my computer before I actually run the event," said Goold.

Right now there are 11 popular races from around the world in the website library, coming soon, 20 more and in the future there will be hundreds.  "Some pretty major marathons along with some mountain biking races we have in there and then the American Birkebeiner of course, the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival race," said Goold.  The website allows the participant to prepare for or re–race their event.  "You can go in, type in your split times, press play and you'll see yourself traverse the course, run the route so you can relive your race, create the excitement, buzz of the race all over again," said Goold.

In the future, Goold plans to add audio to the website as well as triathlons and inline skating races.  He also hopes to get Grandma's Marathon on the website within the next couple weeks.

The website is at www.racemyrace.com It's free to use but there is a $15 annual fee if you want to save your settings.  A portion of that fee goes to the race promoter and a local charity in Hayward.