How to Keep a Mileage Log

If you are training for competition, whether it's running or bicycling, you should consider using a mileage log to track your progress. Mileage logs are simple to put together and maintain. They are an excellent method to monitor your training progress for 5-kilometer races or trail runs. Mileage logs can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, allowing you to attain faster times.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

Calendar or notebook

Step 1

Decide what information you want to track. There are numerous variables, including distance, time, goals, temperature, wind and location. You might simply want to chart your progress by distance and time, but if you're looking to use your mileage log as a training tool, you will probably want to include more variables.

Step 2

Log your mileage in a calendar, notebook or daily planner. Calendars are best if you only need the basics, such as distance, time and temperature. Daily planners give you more space to include other variables, such as overall weather, the trail run or cycled, and notes specific to the day. A notebook will let you expand your mileage log into a diary, where you have limitless space to comment on each day's workout.

Step 3

Write down the miles run each day into your mileage log, along with the other factors you have chosen to monitor, such as the food you ate to fuel your run and how you felt during the run or ride.

Step 4

Use your mileage from one week to gauge how many miles you will run or bike the next week. Most experts do not recommend increasing your weekly workload by more than 10 percent.

Article Written By Jonathan Croswell

Jonathan Croswell has spent more than five years writing and editing for a number of newspapers and online publications, including the "Omaha World-Herald" and "New York Newsday." Croswell received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Nebraska and is currently pursuing a Master's of Health and Exercise Science at Portland State University.

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