There are so many powerful and somewhat hidden features of Google Maps and for those that like the outdoors, being able to measure the distance between two points is one of them.

This week, one reader emailed us with a very practical problem. Just how do you work out how far you've run? "What is the easiest and most effective way to measure the distances you're running? I ...

It's possible to measure the distance on Google Earth between two or more points. Here's how to do it.

You can measure distance on Google Maps to give you the approximate mileage between any two points (or more) that you place on the map.