Running training diary – this is how you track your progress (including template as PDF)

How does one actually work? Running training diary? When it comes to progress in your training as a runner, there is hardly a simpler tool than this to track and document it. In today’s blog article you will find out everything you need to know about the training diary and will also receive a template (also as a PDF).

The best reasons for a running training diary

Before I share a training diary template for running with you, I would like to briefly talk about the background why such documentation makes sense at all.

So why have a training diary at all?

There are three main reasons for keeping a training diary when running:

• Document and track your progress.
• To be able to plan your future training.
• To be able to intervene in your training plan at an early stage if something develops differently than desired.

A training diary helps you record and document your progress while running. But that’s not all: with its help you can recognize patterns in your training and your reaction to it and can intervene early if individual parameters do not develop as desired.

It’s quite simple: when you follow a training plan, you usually do so with an idea and an expectation of how it will affect your body and your performance. But depending on what else is happening in your life, what your individual regenerative capacity is, how you currently sleep and what else you bring with you, these reactions can be very different.

The more variables you document and have available, the better you can assess whether you need to make changes to your plan, for example to achieve your goals or avoid running injuries.

A training diary for running is suitable for beginners and advanced runners. If you consistently record the most important variables of your training, you will give yourself a complete picture of your fitness, endurance and the effect of your training.

Ultimately, if we want to get stronger or run faster and further, we need progression. By documenting and evaluating our training, we can see whether we are achieving our goals. This also allows us to make adjustments to the training plan and allows us to recognize patterns and get to know and understand your own body better. Perhaps through your documentation you will find out how your cycle affects your workouts as a woman. Or you realize that you have a slump every three to four weeks and need a break. Or you realize that your current training plan isn’t working because you’re doing too much or too little exercise.

You can then take all of these things into account in your training plan and train even more efficiently and effectively.

Another bonus point for a training diary is the additional motivation you gain.

Because by documenting and tracking our progress, we become more motivated. We see that our training is of some use.

At the same time, it can also challenge you to put a few more kilograms on your barbell or run one kilometer further in the next week.

Advantages and disadvantages of a training diary for running

Of course, not everything that glitters is gold. While a running training diary has a lot of potential, there are also some possible disadvantages:

• Additional effort: If you want to keep a training diary, you have to plan a little more time and enter the data consistently. A “half” training diary is not enough to draw conclusions.
• obsession: Some runners develop obsessive behavior when tracking all their data, increasing their stress.

Do you need a running diary if you don’t have any specific goals?

Many runners run just for fun and without any higher ambitions. Maybe you’re one of those joggers who simply lace up their running shoes when they feel like it and run as far and as fast as they feel.

In principle, of course, this is completely fine. Nobody *needs* to aim higher. But a running training diary can also be absolutely useful for people like you. This way you can see whether you are making unrealistic increases in your running training and potentially risking injury as a result.

Running training diary – What belongs in your running diary?

Although I am an absolute advocate of “Imperfect Action”, unfortunately a training diary only makes sense if you keep it consistently and over a longer period of time. It is also important that you document all important parameters and factors of your training.

But what are the most important parameters and factors in your training?

Depending on which sport(s) you do besides running and what goals you are pursuing, there may be individual differences.

The following parameters can provide added value for your running diary:

• Daily evaluation:
  • time
  • Duration of training/kilometers covered
  • Speed ​​(average or, for intervals/tempo endurance runs, the splits of the km or intervals)
  • Subjective effort in RPE (Rate Of Perceived Exertion) on a scale of 1-10
  • Average heart rate during training
  • For people with a menstrual cycle: cycle day
  • Sleep
  • HRV
  • Resting heart rate
  • Motivation level on a scale of 1-10
  • Enjoyment of training on a scale of 1-10
• Weekly evaluation:
  • Weekly kilometers multiplied by the respective RPE (e.g. Monday 10km with an RPE6 + Thursday 7km with an RPE8 + Saturday 16km with an RPE4 = 180)
    • Ratio of load of the week compared to the average of the last 28 days (e.g. average in the last four weeks 145, this week 180 = 1.24 – ideally this value should be between 0.8-1.3 to ensure progress achieve)

Three questions for your training diary

Since I am personally an absolute fan of all kinds of journaling, I also use these techniques to document my training. Of course, this is not a must, just an offer. This helps me personally and many of my clients to perceive and reflect on themselves even better.

You can also ask yourself the following questions in your training diary:

• How do I feel?
• How is my energy level?
• Is my training bringing me closer to my goals or moving me away from them?

What methods for documentation are there?

There are numerous different options for your documentation. There is sure to be a running training diary to suit every taste. If you prefer to travel digitally, you will probably choose something different than if you prefer to document manually. Of course, all methods have different advantages and disadvantages. Personally, to this day I am still the biggest fan of PDF files and actual notebooks. Because I personally like to document my training manually with paper and pen.

These methods exist:

• Training diary as an Excel table
• Word document
• PDF file to fill out or print
• Notebook
• app

Training diary template (PDF)

If you now want to record your training data, perhaps you have been at a plateau for some time, your motivation is low, you are even taking steps backwards or you are simply curious about how your body works, my training diary templates (also as PDF) can help you. Since we want to evaluate and document different parameters for endurance sports and strength training, you will also receive two different templates.

Training diary template running (PDF)

By clicking on the image you can access the running training diary template as a PDF.

Conclusion

A training diary is a great way to document and analyze your training. You will recognize patterns in your reaction to different training sessions and frequencies and get to know yourself even better. With the right documentation, it takes you to a new level and enables you to plan and coordinate your sporting activities even better!

This is how you achieve your goals.