Logging can be crucial to any fitness-based regimen, but it is arguably the most applicable to distance running. From mileage to pace, there is an almost countless amount of metrics that a distance runner may want to track during a training cycle; this not only helps them remain on track in the foreground, it can also serve as a guide for future training cycles based on what was successful.
Today, there are numerous ways to log runs online and through mobile devices. Here are a few quick, effective logging resources.
Strava has grown into one of the most popular fitness apps in the world, offering easy, yet immersive logging features to a variety of aerobic athletes. The app is perhaps most useful for running — especially from a community standpoint. Runners are able to connect with one another as they stack up times for established routes, share personal bests, and generally stay in touch with their training progress. Strava is a great resource for teams, as it is efficient in keeping large groups of athletes connected.
Though not as socially intuitive as Strava, RunningAhead represents a barebones, but comfortable and personalized approach to the online logging process. The site makes logging easy, allowing users to save routes and workouts and apply them to a customizable home menu, which itself features widgets focused on everything from weekly mileage to local weather. The site currently does not have a fully functional mobile app, but it remains a strong and simplistic choice for runners looking to keep themselves in tune with their training.
Running2Win could be interpreted as an effective mesh of Strava and RunningAhead; it ably toes a line between in-depth communal interaction and simplified user interface. The site features areas dedicated to team building and general community functions, giving users quick access to daily runs of their teammates and other cohorts. Users are able to choose between a basic account and a premium upgrade, both offering a different range of features. The site also allows potential new users to test its basic features via a demo account.