After I added up the mileage of another week of running (28.23 miles), I took a minute to flip back through my log for the year. 2009 is very nearly done, the next twelve days will be the easy, first two weeks of my training for the Virgin London Marathon. It’s remarkable, the story my log tells me. As I flip through January, February and March (the months leading up to my injury), I see the words sluggish, pain, hamstring, weak, tired, awful, and bummer over and over again. Until finally, on March 26th, the day after my 36th birthday, it comes to an abrupt halt. I ran 5 miles in 51:02, home from work, and my notes say “Rainy. Left hamstring very sore.” A string of days noted as HURT-PT is followed by weeks of blank pages; it rips my heart out to flip past them. Even though I was going to PT, doing my rehab at the gym, and slowly building mileage on the treadmill, nothing is recorded until June 5th, when I ran 1.79 miles in 14:58 around my neighborhood. Thus started my slow build–with a set-back in late August when I aggravated my injury during a Nike Speed session–back to where I am now, winning a local Duck Trot and setting a PR in the 15k. Even though my training log may seem aloof in its lack of complete sentences or even much description beyond a word like “zippy,” it is one of the most emotional reads I’ve ever experienced. In many respects, my training logs are the most personal accounts of my life, though to see the intimate details one would have to be able to read between the lines.
Earlier this year, Deena Kastor told an audience in the New York Times building that before her big races, she looked back through her training logs for the pink workouts. Those were the ones she nailed, highlighted in pink as noteworthy and successful. Deena takes heart in the blur of pink she sees as she flicks the pages. I take heart in the progression of my words over the months, from “tired” to “amazing,” and from “hurt” to “strong.” I am encouraged by the number of workouts I have had side by side with people who I love.
How do you track the progress of your running life? What do you read between the lines of your training log that moves you, inspires you, reveals you? In what do you take heart, when it comes time to stand at the starting line?
I have a bunch of 2010 training logs for a few of you, sent over by my friend Phil, who has been designing and printing training logs for runners for nearly 3 decades. Check it out. This is how it works: everyone who posts a comment gets entered for a chance to win a 2010 training log. I’ll pick the winners a week from today (December 27th) so you have them in time for the New Year.
Pigtails Flying 
Love following your adventure in running and life. Keep it up!
I’ve been running for more than 20 years and have log books for most of those years. Each new year I write running resolutions in each – they usually focus on how many races I want to run, maintaining my weight or losing 10 pounds, setting a PR in a specific race or really seriously working on core and upper body. This year I’ll probably resolve all that, but I want to keep a better log book, record more thoughts and observations instead of miles, weight and weather.
It is so encouraging to read other runner’s stories. I am currently nursing a strained quadicep muscle, and feel blessed that I’m not alone in the ups and downs of running. I’ve only been running since July (and am in the middle
of training for my first marathon — completed my first 1/2 this past November) and it has really been great getting to know runners near and far! I currently use RunKeeper to track my outdoor runs, but don’t log my treadmill runs or any other activity. Would be great to be able to have a log to do that in 2010. Thanks for the opportunity to try for one, and HAPPY TRAINING!!!!
Here is a link to my blog … http://celluloidcinemaier.wordpress.com/
And also a 4-person runner’s blog documenting the 1/2 marathon I completed with my friends …
http://allthesethingsthativedone.wordpress.com/
— Erica Maier
I’ve been keeping a log for the past year with statistics such as route and miles run (or elliptical equivalent), duration, calories burned, equivalent pounds of fat burned, maybe a note about the weather or change to a regular running route. I agree with Roberta… noting more thoughts and feelings would be a good addition.
TK, I’m on about the same schedule as you, just finishing the first “official” week of my marathon training for Boston. It’ll be a challenge to keep up the energy and motivation in the dark, wet winter months ahead! It’s great to hear you are back in the running groove…. exellent 15k race!
BT
My “log” is simply iCal (the calendar app that came with my Mac). For most of my running career, I didn’t log anything. When I ran my first marathon, I had a handwritten log which I lost. Given this, going digital seemed the way to go. By using a calendar form, I still get to put a little thought into my notes instead of some of the more automatic logs.
I like to portability of iCal. My log is on my ipod, it’s online, and I can send it to my brother so he can import it into his calendar. I like being able to instantly zip to a particular date. I’ve been able to keep it consistent for 6 years and 3 computer upgrades.
I have separate “calendars” for races and Weekly/ Monthly Totals.
(as always I will defer any prize I may win to another)
I have been keeping a lot over at DailyMile.com on my running and training in general, however, having it printed so I can flip through it without having to turn the computer on sounds efficient!
TK, how I cannot wait until I can log the words “amasing” & “strong”, in fact I would just love to log the words “5 miles in 50 minutes”….I am so happy you are back on the streets!! London awaits you my lady 🙂
Ooh, ooh, I want the training log!!!
Am I too late to try and win a training log? Is that like a yule log? either way…I would like to have one. Thanks PF!
TFR (thefunnerrunner)
TIM, ISELA, BARB, ERICA, ROBERTA and REBECCA you are all winners of a training log! I’ve emailed you to get your adresses so I can mailing out the prize. Happy New Year!
Thank you so much!