Moving to paper running logs Jan 1. Am I an idiot?

I kept paper running logs, starting with the Jim Fixx ones in 1979, until 1996 - at which point I was using Steno books, or whatever calendar/planner thing I'd pick up cheap.

Then I moved to text files on my computer, which I saved/accessed over FTP. This was very inelegant, but the "internet" was so new at the time it was tolerable. This went on far too long. I'd save yearly files like this:

1.2.07, 5, sucked

1.3.07, 4 tempo, better, icy, knees hurt

1.4.07, 40m trainer ride

Importing this into a spreadsheet did exactly squat, since I didn't follow a sequence. Oh, well.

Then I used Google Docs years later, for about five years, until Google became evil (in my mind). Recording on an online spreadsheet was neat, though, the way I could drill down for data until I realized that was pointless. I've found I only look back years, or DECADES now, so being very granular is pointless. "To that tree" loses context when it's from 1985.

Now, I save a weekly file not just with my workout info broken down by day (since I do more than run any more, and don't run every day), but with everything else I run into during the week and am planning on doing, on various Cloud service accounts (mirrored for redundancy). I like the 'search' functions I have there, the integration with computer - and phone - desktops, and a return to how I was recording stuff 20 years ago. (My notes FROM 20 years ago are on there again, too, and searchable, etc.)

I'm not ready to move to paper again, just like I'm not ready to shoot film cameras, find a flashlight, or a compass, or everything else a cheap smart phone can do these days.

That said, I don't do social media, I'm not signed into anything INCLUDING my phone, and things like Strava are just as intrusive as Facebook, etc.

In addition to requiring no effort, the nice thing about Strava is other people can follow it, so even when I don't wear my watch I have some motivation to enter the workout manually. I've never been able to keep a paper or excel log more than a couple months.

Hardloper wrote:

In addition to requiring no effort, the nice thing about Strava is other people can follow it, so even when I don't wear my watch I have some motivation to enter the workout manually. I've never been able to keep a paper or excel log more than a couple months.

Ditch Strava. Ditch all of the free and paid online sites. They hold your data till they disappear, and your data might go with it. Go with your own spreadsheet (last resort...you'll be limited) or learn how to use open source software like Golden Cheetah. It's faster than paper and gives you much more of a snapshot of your training and racing. You get little things like TRIMP, the PMC, Daniel's Points, etc, etc.

If you are self-coached, using software is a no-brainer. Paying once for a perpetual software license is ok I guess, but free, open-source is best, IMO.

Paper logs are ok, but doing paper just to do paper is like defaulting to carrier pigeon when email exists.

RunLog all the way. Still working on Windows 10

Very timely discussion. I have 31 years worth of paper logs. For years i was able to get small spiral notebooks that just had the days of the week and enough space to write in miles, splits, other workouts, and notes. Now at the end of every year, it's a struggle to hunt down a small notebook like "at a glance" that has the same space for sat and sunday as it does the rest of the week.

i am considering moving to strava but keeping it private but like the OP, there is something kind of satisfying about writing everything down. But then i'd need to wear the garmin for every single thing i do. for many runs, i know the distance and just wear my timex.

The problem is that with paper, there is no index so i would have to actually remember the year i want to look up an old race. I'd like to move all of them to an excel spreadsheet since having these boxes of logs around is taking up space.

The other issue is that i also do a lot of biking and swimming and like to track some of these workouts too. i should sit down and build an access data base but it takes time i'd rather be using to work out.

moanswers wrote:

The problem is that with paper, there is no index so i would have to actually remember the year i want to look up an old race. I'd like to move all of them to an excel spreadsheet since having these boxes of logs around is taking up space.

The other issue is that i also do a lot of biking and swimming and like to track some of these workouts too. i should sit down and build an access data base but it takes time i'd rather be using to work out.

No need to reinvent the wheel. You sound like a perfect candidate for Golden Cheetah. Yes, you will have to wear your Garmin/Polar/Suunto every time, but then you'll have a diary of each activity.

You also bike and swim. Do you log those workouts, too? Do you ride with a power meter? GC handles those files really well. I run and bike, so I do everything I can in GC, even indoor cycle training (I have several plans and my own ERG file library).

Golden Cheetah will require several hours of time to learn, but it is very much worth it.

As I have read through this thread, I have come to one conclusion... "Hey kids, take *notes"

And btw, nearly 20 years of training binders. It's the only way to go.

* means paper

:)

They have their own special box wrote:

As I have read through this thread, I have come to one conclusion... "Hey kids, take *notes"

And btw, nearly 20 years of training binders. It's the only way to go.

* means paper

:)

Hey old man, it's ok to use that scary thing called a computer. I mean, we only rely on them for daily tasks, anyways.

Why stop at paper and binders? They're not fireproof nor waterproof. You should be saying that stone and a chisel is the only way to go.

Lol, Mr. Troglodyte!

I haven't used a paper log for 20 years. I use my Garmin to log everything to RunningAhead, then download that database once a week. I like RA but I mostly use my Excel sheet to look at my data (data imported from the RA download).

My data also goes to Strava though I don't participate their at all.

I use a google doc I created. Turned it into a template if anyone would like to use it, just click the link and go to "FILE" "Make a Copy" :

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15MxC-obdc5VDVOkfFiVYzhyAhWjQflshebEpw4KJ5bg/edit?usp=sharing

I put in a sample week. The weekly mileage adds up on the right as does the monthly mileage.

It's pretty basic but it's worked for me for 5 years now.

Ha ha ha wrote:

They have their own special box wrote:

As I have read through this thread, I have come to one conclusion... "Hey kids, take *notes"

And btw, nearly 20 years of training binders. It's the only way to go.

* means paper

:)

Hey old man, it's ok to use that scary thing called a computer. I mean, we only rely on them for daily tasks, anyways.

Why stop at paper and binders? They're not fireproof nor waterproof. You should be saying that stone and a chisel is the only way to go.

Lol, Mr. Troglodyte!

Ummm, you've never heard of fireproof safes???

Ha ha hahaaaa!!!

My ballz, yo face!!!

Menards sends me a nice bound calender/planner every year that I have been using for my running log the last 10 or 12 years.

I used Cool running for a couple years until it went "poof" one day. They found the data and I immediately copied all my logs and put them in a notebook. Never used online again!

You're gonna buy a fireproof safe for your training logs?

LOL

Yes, i log those workouts and i will look into this. thanks for the info.

Lolerskates wrote:

You're gonna buy a fireproof safe for your training logs?

LOL

Most successful people already have a fireproof safe. If they are really really successful, then it may be full and they would have to buy another. Most would have room for running logs.

Try MapMyRun and keep the number of friends you have to a minimum. That will filter out all the diarrhea.

I have 40 years recorded in spiral notebooks (nine notebooks in total), logging each workout, including swimming and biking. I also have a spreadsheet which only shows the monthly mileage.

I've kept pen & notebook logs since 2012. I use a garmin watch to collect my data and then port it to strava for their analytics but both garmin connect & strava are set to private. my analogue running logs tell you far more about my runs then any website ever could.

SausageKINGofCLE wrote:

No logical reason, except Strava has become too much like Instagram and I like the sound of graphite against paper. Something about the physical act of writing/graphing is intriguing. Any old school running log folks still out there?

So true. Like Instagram for sure. It really went down hill fast when they decided to social mediatize it. F them!

But paper? Spreadsheet is better.