I’ve read on running blogs and subreddits that people seriously into running keep spreadsheets to track their progress. I didn’t do any such thing. Until today.
As they say, now I’ve gone and crossed a line into crazy.
Honestly, I am a huge fan of data points. It’s what helped me through Whole30 (even though they tell you not to weigh yourself; I did the entire time as it motivated me), and its what kept me to adhere strictly to my Paleo lifestyle early on. Having immediate data points that I can use to measure my progress has always been helpful and motivating.
I have a Fitbit, and it has been an invaluable tool in helping me keep track of my running progress. Using the Fitbit, I can get (very close to) accurate measures of my progress including things like heart rate so I can see just how hard I’m working on those runs.
Plus, it’s just plain neat to see myself making progress. While my distance is likely to stay between 3 and 6 miles for the foreseeable future, it’s nice to see the pace going down over time. Admittedly, it’s not a very steep curve, but it is progress nonetheless. As long as I’m running mid 9’s, I’m happy.
Next up for the spreadsheet: tracking how the run felt. Maybe add the weather. Try to collect as many data points as possible.
PaleoMarine's Fitness Blog 