How to Check Air Quality Along Your Running Route
Three ways to check real-time air quality segment by segment across your running or cycling route — GPX upload, Strava import, or draw on a map.
Quick Answer
Upload a GPX/TCX file from your running watch, import an activity from Strava, or draw a route on the map. Aeriqo breaks your route into segments and shows real-time AQI for each one — so you can see exactly where air quality is good and where to avoid.
This is general guidance, not medical advice. Consult a healthcare provider if you have respiratory or cardiovascular conditions.
Why Checking Your Specific Route Matters
City-wide AQI comes from a single monitoring station — sometimes miles from where you actually run. Air quality can vary dramatically from block to block. A route along a busy road may have double the pollution of a parallel path through a park just 200 meters away.
Runners and cyclists breathe 10–20 times more air per minute than someone at rest. That elevated breathing rate means you inhale significantly more pollutants during exercise. Knowing the air quality along your specific route — not just your city's average — lets you make informed decisions about where and when to train.
Route-level AQI checking shows you exactly which segments of your run are clean and which are not. That information lets you adjust your route to avoid high-pollution stretches without changing your overall distance or routine.
Three Ways to Check Route Air Quality
Aeriqo offers three methods to analyze air quality along a route. Choose whichever fits your workflow:
Upload a GPX or TCX File
Export a file from your running watch or app and upload it. Best for checking routes you've already run.
Import from Strava
Connect your Strava account and import any recorded activity directly. No file handling needed.
Draw a Route on the Map
Click points on an interactive map to create a route. Best for planning new routes before you run them.
Upload a GPX or TCX File
GPX and TCX are standard file formats that GPS watches and running apps use to store route data. Most devices and platforms let you export your activities in one of these formats.
To upload a route file to Aeriqo, open the route checker and select your GPX or TCX file. The app reads the GPS coordinates from the file, splits your route into segments, and fetches real-time air quality data for each segment.
Compatible Apps and Devices
Garmin Connect
Export any activity as GPX from the Garmin Connect web dashboard or mobile app.
Coros Training Hub
Download GPX files from your activity history in the Coros app or web portal.
Suunto App
Export activities as GPX from the Suunto app's activity details screen.
Apple Watch (via third-party apps)
Use apps like HealthFit or RunGap to export Apple Watch workouts as GPX files.
Polar Flow
Export activities as GPX from the Polar Flow web service.
Check Your Route's Air Quality
See segment-by-segment AQI along your running or cycling route before heading out.
Try Aeriqo FreeImport from Strava
If you use Strava to record your runs and rides, you can connect your account and import activities directly — no file export needed.
Once connected, Aeriqo shows your recent Strava activities. Select any activity to import it as a route. The app reads the GPS track, segments the route, and shows real-time AQI for each segment.
Strava import is especially convenient for checking conditions on routes you run regularly. Import a recent activity and see whether air quality has changed since your last run.
Draw a Route on the Map
Don't have a GPS file? You can draw a route directly on the map. Open the route checker and click points to trace your intended path. The app connects your points along roads and paths automatically.
Drawing is ideal for planning new routes before you run them. Trace a path through a park, along a river, or through a neighborhood and see the predicted air quality before you head out. Adjust the route on the fly — move a waypoint to avoid a busy intersection and see how the AQI changes.
Reading Your Route AQI Results
After analyzing a route, Aeriqo shows a segment-by-segment breakdown. Each segment gets its own AQI reading based on the closest air quality data for that location.
Segment-by-Segment AQI
Your route is divided into segments, each with its own AQI value and color coding. Green segments are clean; yellow, orange, or red segments indicate progressively worse air quality.
Worst and Best Segments
The summary highlights the worst and best segments on your route so you can immediately see the trouble spots. A route with an average AQI of 45 might have one segment at 95 near a highway.
Pollutant Details
Tap any segment to see individual pollutant readings: PM2.5, PM10, ozone (O₃), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and carbon monoxide (CO). This tells you what's behind the number.
Go or No-Go Decisions
Use the segment data to decide whether to run the route as planned, modify it to avoid bad segments, or reschedule for a time when air quality is better.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I check air quality along my running route before I go?
Yes. Upload a GPX/TCX file from a previous run, import from Strava, or draw a new route on the map. Aeriqo shows real-time AQI for each segment so you can check conditions before you head out.
How do I upload a GPX file from my Garmin or running watch?
Export the activity as GPX from your watch's companion app (Garmin Connect, Coros, Suunto, etc.), then upload the file to Aeriqo's route checker. The app reads the GPS track and shows segment-by-segment AQI.
Does Aeriqo work with Strava?
Yes. Connect your Strava account in Aeriqo, then import any recorded activity. The GPS track is used to analyze air quality along your route — no file export needed.
What is segment-by-segment AQI and why does it matter?
Instead of one AQI number for your entire route, segment-by-segment analysis divides your route into sections and shows the air quality for each one. This reveals hotspots — like a stretch near a highway — that a single average would hide.
Can I compare two routes to see which has better air quality?
Yes. Upload or draw both routes and compare their segment data side by side. You might find that a slightly longer route through a park has significantly better air quality than the direct route along a main road.
How often is the air quality data updated for my route?
Air quality data is fetched in real time when you analyze a route. The underlying data sources update hourly, so re-analyzing the same route at different times shows current conditions.
Ready to Check Your Route?
Draw a route or upload your GPX file to see air quality across every segment. Free to start, no credit card needed.
Get Started FreeRelated Guides
Route Design for Clean Air — 10 Rules
Evidence-based rules for choosing running and cycling routes that reduce pollution exposure.
The Complete Guide to AQI for Runners
Deep dive into pollutants, thresholds, and how air quality affects your running performance.
Best Time to Exercise for Air Quality
Daily and seasonal AQI patterns to help schedule runs and rides when air is cleanest.