What really is the purpose of the training log? Is it something you fill out to show your friends the kind of workouts you are doing? Is it something you share with other runners or triathletes as a social tool. Is it a tool for measuring your progress?
The answer is yes to all of the above. I have never in my entire career met an athlete that was serious about their goals that didn’t keep a training log. I have rarely met the athlete that has succeeded at any level, that didn’t keep a training log. Why so important you ask?
The log allows you to revisit workouts you have done in the past that are similar to current workouts so you can measure your progress. Ex. On 8/15 I did tempo workout ran, 45 minutes in zone 4, 6.8 miles with 1 mile warmup and cool down. Now I can compare that same workout 2 months later to see if I have improved or not, plus my notes will include how I felt during and after the run and any other variable I think is important. This people, is valuable stuff you need to know if you really want to get better.
I have logs that date back 5 years. I only put them away when I change age groups. Runners and triathletes achieve goals through hard work and dedication. Lets face it, what we do for fun, to most people seems crazy. When I’m dragging my sorry butt to the pool at 4:30AM, or running 3 hours on a Sunday morning at 6, the rest of the world is 1) sleeping 2)thinking I’m a little whacky. So obviously I’m doing it for a purpose. As I can only assume most of you are.
Do you want to finish a marathon? Do you want to finish a triathlon? Do you want to set PR’s? Then you should be tracking your workouts by keeping a log. Moving forward is about learning from where you’ve been!
Be Healthy, Train Smart, Have Fun!
The Coach