While you’re training for the Boston Marathon, it’s a good idea to keep a training log. Not only can you look back to see how much you’ve accomplished, you can also keep track of things like your favorite running routes and miles you’ve put on your shoes.
Of course, you can always keep track of those miles on paper, but if you spend a lot of time online, a free online training log could be the way to go. We’ve done a bit of research on three popular training logs so that you can start right away with the one that’s right for you.
Best for: runners who want to keep track of their training as quickly and easily as possible.
Running-log.com is a no-frills log where you can track your mileage, heart rate, and wear on your shoes. If you like, you can also keep track of cross-training workouts and weightlifting sessions. Choose to share your workouts with other teammates, or keep them private. Running-log.com also provides a simple statistics tool that allows you to track your workout history (quantity, duration, and mileage).
- Pros: Simple, clean interface, privacy
- Cons: Limited functionality, can’t see what other people are doing, no route mapping
Join at: http://running-log.com.
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Runner’s WorldBest for: runners who take a scientific approach to logging their workouts
The training log at Runner’s World is created for runners who love data. Map your route and enter mileage, time of day, how you felt, intervals. . . just about everything you can imagine. Then graph it, or export it to excel. The Runner’s World log also allows you to track your placement in 5Ks, 10Ks, and other events you might take part in during your training.
- Pros: lots of data and graphing capabilities, route mapping, privacy
- Cons: advertising, complicated navigation
Join at: http://traininglog.runnersworld.com.
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Best for: runners for whom social networking is everything
Are you the social running type? Want to share all your workouts and see what other athletes are doing? Daily Mile was made for you. Like Facebook for athletes, Daily Mile lets you map and post your workouts and thoughts to an online network of athletes. Make friends, upload photos, send motivation, find popular running routes near where you live, post your FirstGiving page URL, go wild.
- Pros: Facebook and Twitter integration, local race postings, good navigability
- Cons: Public, big time-investment
Join at: http://www.dailymile.com/
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Using one of these logs or another one? What do you think? Post a comment below.