# Making a running keepsake with the Running Route Map preset

> your marathon, half, or training-loop route as a bold line over a clean city grid

Crossing a finish line - or just logging the miles - is worth keeping. This preset turns the route you ran into wall art: *your* GPX track drawn as a bold crimson line over a soft, muted city grid on a deep navy backplate. It ships preloaded with a sample big-city loop through downtown Chicago so you can see the styling immediately, then you replace it with your own recorded run. A marathon, a half, a 5K, or a favorite training loop - the most personal running gift there is.

## What you need

### Print (recommended)

- The exported 4096 px PNG and a photo print service (or your own printer), frame of choice - or a UV flatbed onto white [acrylic](https://yxecreations.com/pages/acrylic-sheets)/Dibond for a premium finish
- Your GPX file: export it from Strava, Garmin Connect, COROS, the race timing site, or your watch ("Export GPX")

### Laser engrave

- 3 mm [Baltic birch](https://yxecreations.com/collections/laser-grade-plywood), bamboo board, or a slate plaque; laser engraver

## Step 1 - Start from the preset



Open [the Running Route Map preset](/map-designer?preset=running-route-map). It loads on downtown Chicago at zoom 12.2 with a sample running loop already drawn in crimson, following the street grid.

Make it yours: use **Add layer → Route** and upload your run `.gpx`, then delete or hide the sample Run route layer. Re-search the map location to your city and frame the route.

- Frame the *route*, not the whole city: zoom until the run fills the middle 60–70% of the square.
- Point-to-point marathons read best running diagonally corner to corner; loop runs look great centered.
- Leave one quiet corner for an engraved or printed caption (race name, date, finishing time).

## Step 2 - Tune the layers



**Run route** - your GPX track, crimson (`#C1121F`) at width 6. Thicken to 7 for long, zoomed-out routes or for engraving; recolor to a race's branding. Keep it the boldest mark on the piece.

**City** - the quiet backdrop: off-white land, soft blue water, sage parks, and three muted road tiers. Keep the streets light - if you brighten them the route stops popping. For dense downtowns, hide Streets and keep only Primary roads to declutter.

**Backplate** - deep navy (`#14213D`) behind everything. In prints it reads as the frame surround; in layered builds it's the physical base. Shift toward black for a sportier, higher-contrast look.

## Step 3 - Export



- **Print:** high-res PNG (4096 px), Background toggle on. At 300 mm that clears 300 DPI.
- **Laser engrave:** per-layer SVGs or the combined SVG; colors become engrave-depth hints (route darkest).
- **Layered build:** export the City SVG (engrave file) and the Run route SVG (cut/inlay file), with the backplate as the cut base.
- **Hanger hole** if it will hang from cord or lace; **small-polygon cleanup** on.

## UV & Sublimation Printing

### Framed print / UV print



1. Export the PNG and print at 250–300 mm square on matte photo paper.
2. Add the race name, date, distance, and finishing time as a caption under the map before printing.
3. UV variant: print directly on white acrylic or Dibond and float-mount with [anodized standoff spacers](https://yxecreations.com/products/4-pack-anodized-standoff-spacers) at the corners (enable **Corner holes** at export).

## Laser Cutting & Engraving

### Laser engrave on wood



1. Export the combined art; map the route to your deepest engrave and the streets to a light pass.
2. Engrave on bamboo or birch at 200–300 mm; run a test strip so streets stay subtle and the route burns bold.
3. Paint-fill the engraved route line crimson with a fine paint pen before de-masking for a color pop.
4. Finish with oil or matte spray; engrave name, date, and finishing time in the quiet corner.

### Layered build with the backplate



1. Cut the backplate square from navy-stained 3 mm ply or dark acrylic.
2. Engrave the City layer onto an off-white ply square cut slightly smaller, glued centered so the dark rim frames it.
3. Cut the route from crimson acrylic at width 7 and glue it on top following the engraved route beneath - [3M tape](https://yxecreations.com/collections/3m-tape) 467/468 makes a clean bond.

## Make it yours

- Finisher's gift: route + "Chicago Marathon · 26.2 mi · 3:42:11" engraved under the map.
- Series wall: one plaque per race, the route color shifting through a gradient down the hallway.
- Multi-run piece: upload several GPX files as separate Route layers in different colors - a whole training block on one map.
- Relay or team: each leg in a different color on the same course.
- Medal hanger: stretch the layout and mount the print above a rail of laser-cut hooks for the medals.

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Open the tool: https://www.mylasertools.com/learn/guides/running-route-map
Read online: https://www.mylasertools.com/learn/guides/running-route-map