Just as you do at Google Maps, drag or double-click to move the map, use the slider to increase or decrease the zoom level, and click the "Satellite" button (top right) to switch to satellite imagery.

If you want to jump to your city or town, choose your country (and state if you live in the U.S. only), enter the name of your town, choose your zoomlevel, and click "go".

When you're ready to start recording the distance you traveled, click the Start recording button.

Thereafter, every double-click will draw a point on the map, and the distance from your last point and your cumulative distance will both appear in the boxes above. Note that only a double-click will create a new point.

If you make a mistake or change your mind, the Undo last point button will remove the last point drawn and revert your distances to what they were before you drew it.

If you want to start over, click the Clear points and start over link.

If you want to save your map, click the Permalink link and the URL in your browser's location bar will be updated with information about your current map. If you follow that link later from a bookmark or by plugging it directly into the browser, you will get back exactly the map you were viewing when you created the permalink, including location, route, distances, and other settings. The TinyURL link will provide a much shorter link containing the same information.

Use the english/metric radio button beneath the distance boxes to choose your units.

If you want to view a graph showing the elevation of each poinit plotted against distance, click the small or large link next to the Elevation heading. (Note that this will only work for U.S. maps. Sorry about that!)

By default, markers will be placed at the end of each mile or kilometer, and at the beginning or end of your course. Use the Turn off markers and Turn on markers links to toggle whether links are shown.

If your course is a "there-and-back", click the Complete there and back route link once you reach the midpoint.

If you wish to calculate how many calories you've burned in the course of your run, click the Turn on calorie counter link, and enter your weight in the Weight box.

Click the Print map link to temporarily reformat the screen to make it more suitable for printing.