Log those runs

What's a runner without a running log? The beginning runner soon learns that a running log is essential for success. What you choose to use is a personal decision, but progress hinges on the information the runner enters into their log. Ultrarunners particularly love running the numbers and are perfect examples of fastidious record takers.

For example, 2010 Leadville 100 winner Liza Howard tracked the length and location of her training runs, as well as the time of day, her perceived effort and overall energy on a 1 to 5 scale, how she slept the night before, nutrition used on the run, recovery food and any pain or discomfort.

Most runners begin with a simple entry of how far or how long they ran. For many runners this simple log turns into an esoteric diary and stratagem. I have yet to find or hear of any successful runners that don't keep track.

Runners thrive on progress and each and every one of our runs is grounded in progress, We start by stepping out the door and progress with each step and mile behind us. When we return from the run we have moved forward. To see this progression over months and years, it's crucial to keep track with a journal or log. And why not keep track? It's fun. You're able relive races and adventurous trail runs. You can compare the times of today with 10 or 15 years ago. It enriches the experience. The serious runner along with the newbie all want to avoid repeating mistakes. Running logs are ideal for spotting trends, as Liza Howard noticed, "It's so easy for me to miss or ignore trends and problems if I'm not recording something in a log."

To get started, time and distance are the bare necessities. After this, the course you ran, your pace, the weather, how you felt and who you ran with can be added. If you want to get more specific you can record your weekly weight, heart rate, which running shoes and clothing you wore. It's your log so you can include everything and anything pertaining to the run.

In recent years, online logging systems have become more and more popular and available. Runners I interviewed said they use Training Peaks, Strands Fitness, Dailymile and even homemade spreadsheets. If you search training logs on the Internet you will find a long list of free online training and logging systems.

Time vs. mileage

When keeping track of trail runs a different approach may be called for. "When I track trail stuff, I am much more concerned with time versus distance," said Devon Crosby-Helms, who has won races of every distance from marathon to 100 miles. "For instance, an hour of trail time with a lot of technical stuff will be much less distance than an hour on the road."

Crosby-Helms said trail running still need structure and a traditional training curve. Keeping track of the time spent running trails, she said, "will help you track your build up, peak and taper and make sure you are managing your training load effectively."

To add another dimension, some runners record their perceived effort. This is defined differently for everyone. Meghan Hicks, an outdoor guide in Utah and second-place finisher at the 2009 Marathon des Sables in Morocco, said she has noticed "that our bodies tell us everything we need to know about where we've been and where we're going with our running. When we listen, we learn much. For trail runners, recording either perceived effort or heart rate allows us to compare/contrast through time how our bodies are reacting to our runs."

It's inevitable that on the trail you will meet up with many variables that effect your run, from rocks, rivers, hills, water, mud, sand, snow and inclines and declines. Because of these variables, perceived exertion or effort is especially important in a trail runners log.

Learning from the past

When is it time to cut back the miles or time spent on the trail? It's a question that plagues every runner from time to time. No doubt you've found yourself wondering if that twinge of pain from yesterday's workout or a bout of iliotibial band syndrome on the horizon. Studying a detailed logbook can help you avoid disaster.

Neal Gorman, who won the 2011 Old Dominion 100-mile race in a blazing time of 16 hours, 16 minutes, 47 seconds, said, "Dieticians often tell their clients to write down what they eat when dieting. Running is the same. A training log helps keep me honest and holds me back from overtraining, which is a leading factor in injury for many people."

Looking back at your training can help you see how long you've been dealing with different aches or pains. You can also study your running history to evaluate what kind of training and signs lead up to any previous injuries.

Part of making a running log work for you is revisiting your log. It's a good habit to review your log weekly, monthly and yearly. After a race, when you are deciding on your next goal, the running log can serve as a reminder of your overall goals. It can be enjoyable to go back and read how hard a route was a year ago and how you zoomed through it yesterday.

Meghan Hicks did this while building a training plan for a future race. She had run the same race successfully a few years earlier, so she studied her training log from that time period. "Reading about the training that went into peaking for that race and seeing some of my key runs is inspiring me to work toward this year's key runs and eventual race goal," she said.

Blog while you log

I asked Crosby-Helms if she keeps track of running insights, revelations or philosophies found on the run, "That's what my running blog is for!" she responded, referring to her running commentary at devoncrosbyhelms.com.

Blogs are an excellent place to record one's feelings and insights. Starting your own blog is great way to archive runs and training. You can start a free blog on sites such as Wordpress.com, Blogger.com or Blog.com.

Having a training log doesn't mean we have to be locked to statistics, the past and goals. Still, while recording distance, take days where you leave the heart monitor, watch and GPS at home. It feels good to include regular runs that are unrestricted and undefined. "I love to run with no agenda and no watch or predetermined route or time," Gorman confessed. On the other hand, he said, "having a simple system for maintaining a running log, with an efficient means for referencing past runs to measure progress, has been the secret for me in maintaining a successful running log."

In the end, having a well maintained logbook helps. "It's hard to know how to improve (what to change or how to change) if you don't have an accurate record of what you've been doing," Howard said. "My perception of what I'm doing during a season and what I'm actually doing often are shockingly far apart." Successful trail runners and ultra runners know that a running log is a part of the journey.

Clint Cherepa is a Wisconsinite currently doing volunteer work in Nicaragua.