reboot blog

Why I Keep a Training Log and How I Use It

A training log is one of the least exciting pieces of endurance equipment I own, yet it has probably shaped my running more than any new watch, shoe or nutrition product. It gives the weeks a memory. Without it, a hard session can feel like proof of progress, while an easy week can feel like wasted time.

I use mine to record training, but the useful part comes later. The notes help me see patterns in fatigue, motivation, weather, terrain and recovery. They also make it easier to separate a genuine problem from the normal discomfort that comes with preparing for an ultramarathon, trail race or triathlon.

The system does not need to be elaborate. A few lines after a session are enough: what I did, how it felt, what might have influenced it and what I should remember. On a hot Sydney afternoon, a six-kilometre run at a modest pace may tell me more about readiness than a fast session on a cool morning.

Over time, the log has become a practical decision-making tool. It helps me plan the next block, review a race honestly and avoid repeating mistakes. The same habit carries into work and long projects: record what happened, identify the signal, then make the next decision with better information.

A Record Beyond Distance and Pace

The basic details still matter. I note duration, distance, elevation, intensity and the type of session. For a long trail run, I may add the route, pack weight, nutrition and weather. For a swim or bike ride, I record intervals, effort and any equipment issue that affected the session.

Numbers provide a useful skeleton, but they do not explain the whole day. I also write a short subjective note using plain language. “Legs flat after poor sleep” is more valuable than a vague rating of seven out of ten. “Started too hard, settled after 40 minutes” tells me something about pacing that average speed cannot.

I include recovery markers when they seem relevant: sleep quality, soreness, stress, illness and appetite. I do not try to measure everything every day. The purpose is to notice meaningful changes, not to create another administrative burden. A log that takes longer to maintain than the session itself will eventually be abandoned.

This is especially useful in Australia, where conditions can change the meaning of a workout. A run around Melbourne’s Tan in mild weather is a different training stimulus from the same pace on a humid Brisbane morning. Recording those conditions stops me from making lazy comparisons.

Finding Patterns Instead of Isolated Wins

The real value appears when I review several weeks together. One difficult workout may mean very little. Three difficult workouts after poor sleep, increased work stress and a sudden rise in hills may show that the training load needs adjusting.

I look for repeated relationships rather than perfect formulas. Do my long runs improve when I eat more at breakfast? Does a rest day help after a hard bike session? Do sore calves follow steep descents, a particular shoe or a rushed warm-up? The answers are rarely immediate, but the log gives me enough evidence to make a sensible experiment.

Race reports are another part of this process. Before an event, I review similar efforts and remind myself what pacing and fuelling have worked. Afterward, I write while the details are still sharp, including the decisions I would rather forget. My race reports serve as a longer-form layer of the same training record.

A useful review is honest without becoming dramatic. A missed session does not automatically indicate poor discipline, and a personal best does not prove that every choice was correct. The aim is to understand the conditions around the result so the lesson can transfer to the next training block.

Turning Notes Into Better Training Decisions

I use the log at three different speeds. Immediately after training, I capture facts and sensations. At the end of each week, I look for workload, recovery and enjoyment. At the end of a block or race, I review the bigger story and decide what deserves to change.

Weekly review stops small issues from becoming race-week surprises. I check whether easy days were genuinely easy, whether the long session matched its purpose and whether I am accumulating fatigue faster than fitness. I also notice practical problems: running out of food, forgetting a layer, leaving a headlamp at home or starting a route without enough water.

The notes influence planning, but they do not control it. If the log says I have completed three demanding weeks, that is a reason to consider a lighter week, not an order to follow blindly. Illness, family commitments and work deadlines remain part of the training environment. A plan that cannot adapt to life is not a robust plan.

This way of thinking also applies to professional projects. A short record of decisions, assumptions and outcomes can reveal where a project is stuck. I have found useful parallels in the work of Claudio Cicali, particularly the connection between deliberate practice, focused work and consistent progress over time.

Keeping the System Simple Enough to Last

My preferred format is a digital note with one entry per session, followed by a weekly summary. Someone else may prefer a spreadsheet, paper diary or training platform. The tool matters less than being able to search old entries and understand them quickly.

I avoid turning the log into a performance of precision. Heart-rate data can be useful, but a faulty sensor or an unusually stressful day can make it misleading. Pace can be distorted by wind, trails and heat. The written context keeps the numbers in proportion.

A few habits make the record more useful:

The log should reduce mental clutter rather than add to it. If I am too tired for a full entry, I write the essentials and return to it during the weekly review. Consistency comes from making the minimum version easy.

Comparing the Ways I Use Training Data

Different forms of record-keeping answer different questions. I use more than one, but each has a distinct job.

Record type Best for Limitation How I use it
Session note Capturing effort, mood and conditions Can be subjective Written after every meaningful session
Weekly summary Spotting workload and recovery trends May hide daily variation Completed at the end of the week
Race report Understanding decisions and outcomes Written after the fact Used to prepare for similar events
Watch metrics Tracking pace, heart rate and elevation Context can be missing Checked alongside written notes
Gear and fuelling notes Preventing repeated practical mistakes Easy to forget during busy weeks Reviewed before long races

The comparison reminds me that no single metric can explain readiness. A strong heart-rate file cannot tell me that I slept badly for four nights. A positive feeling cannot confirm that I have fuelled adequately for a 100-kilometre race. Reliable judgement comes from combining objective data with lived experience.

For Australian trail and endurance events, practical details deserve a permanent place in the record. I note whether a course exposed me to sun, technical rock, deep sand or long fire trails. A race in the Blue Mountains, an early start in Perth or a wet event on the Gold Coast can each expose a different weakness, and that information is valuable when choosing the next target.

The best training log is therefore not an archive of impressive numbers. It is a record of decisions and consequences. It shows when I pushed, when I backed off, what supported a good result and what quietly made the week harder than necessary.

I keep writing because memory is selective, especially after a difficult race. A log gives future decisions something sturdier than mood or nostalgia. After each session, I now record the duration, the main sensation, the conditions and one lesson before moving on with the day.