Make the next training decision
A useful training log records what was planned, what was completed, how the effort felt and what changed afterward. Distance alone cannot explain whether the week was repeatable.
Choose it when: Track a small stable set: session job, duration, effort, completion, normal movement, sleep context and one note for the next decision.
Avoid this mistake: Avoid collecting metrics you never review or treating mood, heart rate or wearable scores as medical conclusions.
Apply it in five steps
- Write the session purpose before starting.
- Record completed work and effort.
- Note recovery context without judgment.
- Review weekly patterns, not isolated days.
- Change one planning variable from the evidence.
General training information cannot guarantee performance, diagnose a condition or provide medical clearance. Stop for acute illness, severe symptoms or pain that changes normal movement and seek appropriate care.
You don’t need more data — you need better signals
A training log is useful when it answers:
- Am I recovering?
- Is my long run progressing?
- Are workouts repeatable?
What to track (the short list)
- Weekly running minutes (or km) + long run
- 1–2 key workout notes (RPE + how it felt)
- Sleep (simple: good / ok / bad)
- Pain signals (0–10)
- Fueling practice on long runs (yes/no + what)
What to ignore
- Day-to-day pace drift on easy runs (weather/hills)
- Chasing “perfect” splits
- Vanity metrics that don’t change decisions
Start with anchors: