Buzz
For over 15 years, I've monitored my running progress using various tools like GPS watches, online logs, and smartphone apps. Initially, I was fascinated by all the data, but now, I'm back to basics: just a wristwatch and a piece of paper.
The Role of Technology in Running
When I first began running, I'd head out with a wristwatch and a printed beginner’s plan I found on Runner's World. After finishing my run, I'd hydrate, shower, and record the details in an online log. This was around 1999, back when I was still using a 486 computer.
A decade later, I borrowed an incredible gadget from a friend: a massive watch that could instantly tell me my current pace. It was revolutionary. I started marathon training that winter, and received a similar watch for Christmas: the Garmin 305. It became my closest companion, showing me how long, how far, and how fast I ran. I could track splits and laps, download data after each run, and analyze maps, mile splits, and pace fluctuations!
As time passed, something even more amazing occurred: all those features made their way into smartphone apps—and yes, I got myself a smartphone. I could now use something like RunKeeper, and have a robotic voice update me every mile, telling me my pace and the remaining distance. If I wanted to follow an interval program, the robot would prompt me on when to speed up or slow down. At the end of my run, I’d receive the same data dump that my high-tech watch used to provide, without needing a charging cable.
However, the more serious I became about my running and athletic pursuits in general, the less I cared about the data dump. Most of those numbers were irrelevant to my training. While some were harmless distractions, others led me to shift my goals. For instance, I had a poor race performance because I was fixated on seeing the “right” numbers on my watch, when I should have been more mindful of how I was actually feeling.
The Impact of Technology on Performance
Where there’s a number, there’s a temptation to ‘improve’ it. Some people are lucky enough to collect tons of data and use it wisely, focusing on what truly matters and ignoring the rest. But for others, it’s hard to strike a balance between obsessing over the data and disregarding it entirely. This often leads to making poor decisions based on numbers (“I can totally eat just 1000 calories tomorrow!”) or becoming disappointed when we don’t meet expectations dictated by numbers or algorithms (“Why didn’t I run this race as fast as the calculator said I could?”)
Consider, for instance, the average pace that apps typically show at the end of a run. It’s one of only three numbers the app uses to summarize your run (your app may vary), so it’s easy to assume that average pace holds great significance. You may feel compelled to lower that number every time you run, or expect it to decrease over time. However, that mindset is counterproductive for long-term progress. Your slow runs should stay slow, and the value of your fast runs is not defined by a total that includes warmup and recovery time.
Instead of focusing on numbers, you should assess each run based on the specific goal you set for it, even if that goal can’t be quantified. For easy runs, I prioritize feeling relaxed and simply accumulating miles, like saving money in the bank. For intervals, my aim is to maintain a particular speed, but also to do so consistently while paying attention to how each interval feels. In reality, much of the feedback from your running sessions will be based on how it feels, not the numbers you track.
This is why all those graphs and charts can be distracting. We have good days and bad days; we get injured and we recover. We hope for progress. And these tendencies make it all too easy for data dumps to leave us feeling disappointed: they highlight how “slow” we are, or give us opportunities to find faults. On the other hand, we might feel content seeing any improvement in the numbers, but that’s pointless without a reality check: Are these numbers the right ones to focus on?
My Simple Tool #1: Pencil and Paper
While I haven’t completely abandoned technology, I now use it far less than before. My preferred tools are a wristwatch with a stopwatch function and a paper-and-pencil notebook that I keep at home.
My process starts with setting clear goals and deciding which numbers are truly worth tracking. If you’re not measuring progress towards a goal, there’s no purpose in tracking anything. I break my goals down week by week and run by run, then I’m ready to fill in my paper. I’ve tried different formats, but the one below is my favorite. (On the left, you can see the plan I was following; I used that to guide my runs for the week.)
Here’s what I do:
I jot down a weekly goal in the top-right corner: something broad and usually straightforward, such as “Run 10+ miles” or “Work out twice, even while on vacation.”
I list the days of the week down the side, and fill in my planned runs—especially the important ones. I leave space between each entry.
After each run, I write what I actually did, even if it differs from the plan. I record the data that matters: key numbers, like my average time on intervals, and how the run felt. In the example above, I was dealing with a mild ankle issue, so I noted aches and pains to track progress over time and describe the issue if I needed to visit a doctor.
In the leftmost column, I write down the total mileage for each run and add it up at the end of the week. Just for fun, I also track my year-to-date mileage.
A smiley or frown face next to each run helps me assess how well the program is progressing. If I see a lot of frowns, it signals I might be on the verge of burnout or losing motivation.
Notice what's missing: there’s no average pace, no maps, and I only record lap or split times if I specifically aimed for a certain pace. Even then, I treat my times as a reality check on the plan, not the other way around.
The only numbers I record are those that help me track progress toward my goals. For the week shown here, my goals were:
Maintaining a consistent number of runs and steadily increasing weekly mileage
Incorporating intervals to boost my short-distance speed
Being satisfied with my runs to stay motivated to continue
From that point, I knew exactly what to track: Weekly mileage, interval speed, how I felt, and the number of runs completed. Everything else an app might offer, like the pace on easy days, is irrelevant. I either didn’t track it or simply didn’t bother to write it down.
My Simple Tool #2: A Wristwatch
I have another low-tech tool: a wristwatch with a stopwatch function. I use it for runs where timing is crucial: track intervals, tempo runs, and time trials I use as practice before (or instead of) a race. It’s simpler than a phone, lighter than a running watch, and more affordable.
A wristwatch is sufficient for most running tasks, but it shines in a few specific areas. One is ultra-short intervals. When I do 30-20-10’s (one of my favorites!), I always rely on a stopwatch: start jogging at :00 every minute, speed up at :30, and go all out at :50. Good luck configuring an app to handle intervals that brief; there’s hardly time for the Robot Lady to beep and say, “Next. Interval. Twenty. Seconds. Medium.”
A simple watch is also the best tool for any critical time. I’ve noticed that the Robot Lady sometimes gets her prompts wrong. It’s not a big issue when you’re measuring miles, but it becomes a problem when your intervals last just a few minutes.
A cheap watch can’t track lap times throughout the whole workout. To handle this, I either jot down the lap times on my phone or simply focus on whether I’m ahead or behind my expected time. For example, “five seconds too fast... eight seconds too slow... ten seconds too slow...” is enough to let me know that I started off too quickly and am slowing down. Sometimes, precision just isn’t necessary.
Why I Still Carry a Phone When I Run (Most of the Time)
I bring my phone along on most runs, but not for collecting data dumps. Instead, I use it for:
Safety and navigation: I rely on Google’s pinpoint location sharing to ensure my spouse can locate me in case of an emergency. I can also use my phone to make an emergency call or navigate with Google Maps or saved PDFs of trail maps.
Music, to make those tedious runs more enjoyable.
Occasionally recording specific data: When exploring a new route, I use an app to track the distance, especially if it's a trail that I can’t measure any other way. For lap runs around a track or back-and-forth hill sprints, I use the app to track total distance, ignoring the other data the app provides.
When I track distance with an app, I disable the robot lady’s notifications, slip the phone into my pocket, and try to forget about it until the run is over. At the end, I only write down the important numbers—usually just the distance—in my paper-and-pencil log.
While it's true that the GPS on your phone or running watch can sometimes be inaccurate (especially in areas with heavy cloud cover or when running through city streets surrounded by tall buildings), it’s still helpful to have traditional methods for measuring distance. You can drive the route by car or bike, use a string to measure it on a map (perfect for trails with only paper maps), or turn to services like MapMyRun once you’re back home and near a computer.
Ultimately, the purpose of tracking is to help you achieve your goals, so there’s no need to track anything you're not interested in. Opting out of certain apps or choosing to use their data sparingly allows you to stay focused on the metrics that matter most to you.
