Training Journal

ChrisG

Unapologetic Lifer for Rock and Roll
There have been some comments & questions regarding training journals. Here are some basic thoughts:
*The method must be one that you are comfortable with. Paper or electronic? Go with the one that you are most likely to return to regularly
*If you go paper, then the next choice is what sort of "container" you choose. I've been using "At A Glance" brand academic planners forever. I buy the exact same model every year. It provides enough space for planning and recording my activities. I use it for keeping track of the rest of my life as well, so it's natural for me to use it daily. There are pre-packaged cycling journals out there available in the local book store or on line if you prefer, or a plain old notebook may feel good for you.
*There are various computer-based logs out there, as some of you have already noted. You can always start a blog, too. All the cool kids are doing it, as Norm notes.
*Here's what I record in mine:
-Saddle time. Not to be confused with how long the ride took; you want to keep track of time spent pedaling.
-Mileage if I have it available (only my geared road bike has a computer).
-Where I rode; weather; conditions if applicable.
-Who I rode with.
-Some comments on the nature of the effort. This will often include how I felt on climbs or hard sections. If I do a structured interval workout I'll be sure to list the specifics.
-Anything else that is notable.
-I also include all indoor workouts, cross-training and racing, with appropriate comments.
I always recorded HR data when I was using a HRM, though that hasn't been for several years now.
*Keeping it simple and user-friendly is important. A few key records, kept consistently for a long-term, is much better than a ton of data that peters out after a couple of months. At the least, keep track of time volume and effort, as these are the biggest elements when analyzing and planning your workouts.
*Remember to keep it fun. It's extremely satisfying to look back on what you've done as it accumulates in your journals, and very valuable for keeping track of peaks and valleys in your performance.
 

pixychick

JORBA: Ringwood
JORBA.ORG
Excellent journal advice Chris! Everyone is different, and has his or her own level of detail. Once you start a journal, you can always add or eliminate the level of imformation.

I started with listing race results and times, but started adding training information, once I became more interested in training. I can go back and look at where I was in 1995 or last year.

I also keep track of health issues too, as overtraining is not always something you see at the time, but have a better understanding when looking back.
 

walter

Fourth Party
Ha, I knew it was you. Thanks for the recap!!

Chris, where can I buy, or at least check out the "At a Glance" book? BN or Borders, or at a teacher type store?
 
Last edited:

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I made this year's into a spreadsheet with all sorts of metrics you can record (or leave blank). It has a graph too. It's a bit much but I'm a programmer. I like the e-version because I can put things in bold or green or red and see trends that way. It was eye opening when I got sick, was off the bike for 5 straight days, then 11-15 days later felt like Superman on 2 wheels.
 

rocknrollgirl

Well-Known Member
I got a nice one as a gift from Runners World when I subscribed to their magazine. They will send me new ones as long as I continue my subscription.

I log all of my triathlon training in there. I find it really helpful to go back and look at trends.
 
Last edited:

ChrisG

Unapologetic Lifer for Rock and Roll
Chris, where can I buy, or at least check out the "At a Glance" book? BN or Borders, or at a teacher type store?
Office Max or Staples. They have versions that run Jan-Dec and Sept-Aug, depending on your needs/desires. Lots of different sizes and formats as well.

I use the collegiate academic planner, since I'm still stuck in school.:D

Ellen, right on with the comment about health issues. I always keep track of how long I have symptoms of any health malfunction.
 

ArmyOfNone

Well-Known Member
I use motionbased as my journal application. Chris and I spoke at length about this and i try to include many of these in the details section. Im not really a pen and paper type guy and i probably would lose the thing anyways. This seems to work well. I have been running more now a days than riding so its hard to keep a log for that...

Its been raining all week and my trainer is broken...HELP! My poor bikes
 
Top Bottom