Another motivation thread - this time on "logging"

jschwab

Barefooters
Jun 16, 2010
940
0
16
I haven't logged my runs in a long time. It slipped away. It's not a philosophical thing about "just running" although that is an appealing idea. But I really need to since I am coming off injury. I have new drills I've started, new weightlifting program, PT for the injury, speedwork, races coming up in the Fall. I need to keep track of barefoot versus shod miles, terrain notes, etc. I've just gotten totally lazy. I am used to working out of a physical training log book, but I am thinking maybe I need something online that I can do quickly at work. Any suggestions? I need something that would allow me to put in all those different types of data.
 
I haven't logged a single run

I haven't logged a single run this year. I bought a Garmin last October. Now I just wear it for all my runs, then upload the data in the event I need it in the future. The data fields can be entered manually to discern between the different types of workouts.
 
Last Place Jason

Last Place Jason said:
I haven't logged a single run this year. I bought a Garmin last October. Now I just wear it for all my runs, then upload the data in the event I need it in the future. The data fields can be entered manually to discern between the different types of workouts.



Can you also add other types of workouts to the datasheet? And distinguish between shod/unshod? Stuff like that?
 
When I upload my runs from my

When I upload my runs from my Garmin, there is a "Notes" tab where you can type in anything you want. I think you can also set it up for different workouts and designate them ahead for shod or unshod, but I haven't tried it yet. You can also set them up for more than one person so maybe you can separate it that way.

Garmins rock, but I still keep a paper log :)
 
Yes, Janine, if you're ready

Yes, Janine, if you're ready to invest in something, get a Garmin Forerunner 305. It's a GPS watch without any real competition in the price class, that I know of. If you have cash lying around, get the 310XT, but skip the 405 in any event.

You don't need the software that comes with it (or Sport Tracks either, unless you really enjoy fooling around on the computer), you just sign up at the Garmin website and use your "Garmin Connect" page to download workouts. It's very streamlined and simple, yet it gives you every thing you could realistically ever need. You can even link to your page in your sig line ;)

The watch itself is for multiple sports, but there's rarely a reason to fool with that feature or mess around with settings once you get it set up the way you want. There are HUGE amounts of info online and maybe millions of people in the forums who can help you get up and running (!) with it.

One thing to note about the 305 - you can not swim with it. Rain, sweat and the after run shower are ok, but if you swim and want to log track workouts, you'd need the XT, or a different brand watch.
 
This is all really helpful. I

This is all really helpful. I think I will have to break down and think about "gear". I am pretty minimalist, but if I can't put pen to paper I think I need a labor-saving option (other that dictating to hubby while I'm half falling asleep which is what I did for awhile - God bless him). Right now I am in a mode of tweaking diet and running to see if I can successfully run and lose weight at the same time which has never worked for me. So far it's working but it means that I'm running super low mileage and doing more weight training. Come August, I need to get my stuff together to train for a half. I wonder if Garmins ever go on sale. If my cheap heart can't take it (I wear $6 shoes, for goodness' sake), I'll check out the Sports Tracks.
 
If you don't need the heart

If you don't need the heart rate monitor, go for the 205. It's cheaper. I have the 305, and although I love it, I don't use the heart rate monitor at all. The 405 has way too many features I would never use, and so that would be a waste of money to me. I understand they have all new number designations now anyway, and I don't know what the differences are to those.
 
It's the one you wear around

It's the one you wear around your chest, fully sizeable, strapping is machine washable, the monitor is hand washable, and it is very reliable.
 
Barefoot TJ wrote:It's the

Barefoot TJ said:
It's the one you wear around your chest, fully sizeable, strapping is machine washable, the monitor is hand washable, and it is very reliable.



Man, I already feel claustrophobic! It's bad enough I have to wear a bra (I actually have gigantic cannolis, but only wear a sports bra to acommodate other people's sensibilities - I would have made a great cavewoman).
 
Well, you've got the barefoot

Well, you've got the barefoot part down anyway. Hee. ;-)
 
+1 on the 205, I forgot about

+1 on the 205, I forgot about that one!

Also, fyi, SportTracks is just a freeware program that you can use with the info from your Garmin. Personally, I find it too clumsy and cluttered but people like it as an alternative to the Garmin Training Center, the software that you get with the watch.

But - really, the Garmin website is better than both of them, imo.
 
How come nobody uses the

How come nobody uses the heart rate monitors? Every coach I have ever talked to endorses training zones. Troy Jacobson is totally nuts about training zones and talks about training to hard on light days and to light on hard days and the only way to be sure is to monitor your heart. I like seeing the progress I make as far as heart condition and the HRM is perfect for that.

I use the Garmin 305 and always use the HRM. all my runs are logged using it.
 
Well one, I'm lazy, and two,

Well one, I'm lazy, and two, I could care less. If doing "it" makes "it" work for me, then I don't do "it." I'd rather just enjoy the run and not think about all the gadgetry. I only use the Garmin to track my distance on an unfamiliar route to keep track of my mileage for my shod running club's mileage club. Other than that, I already know the distances of my usual routes, so I don't need to wear anything then.
 
what TJ said

what TJ said :)
 
Yea, to track my mileage, I

Yea, to track my mileage, I just take a sharpie and "write" (you guys remember what that is, right?) down my mileage on my wall calendar. Then I use a calculator to add it up. ;-)

I forgot to add, I'm in Rick's mileage group too.
 
I'll use HRM for recovery

I'll use HRM for recovery runs and in the winter when I'll be concentrating on Low HR aerobic training, but right now, no, I don't really want to know! Plus, I've used it enough in the past to be able to feel into my various zones. I know when the Lactic acid is flowing without a doubt.

Barefooting slowed me down so much that I'm sure I only step out of my aerobic ranges once in a while anyway. That's a good thing.
 
I use an online spreadsheet

I use an online spreadsheet (Editgrid, though Google would work just as well) and jot down my mileage when I remember (usually 1-2 times/wk). Sometimes I even add in time/pace if I remembered to look at the microwave clock before+after my run.

I've got separate columns for BF, VFF, and Huarache miles and I can easily sum up the week and keep a 4-week rolling average mileage.