On Twitter this morning I noticed a tweet with a quote from novelist Jack London:
'Keep a notebook. Travel with it, eat with it, slap into it every stray thought that flutters up in your brain. Cheap paper is less perishable than grey matter, and lead pencil markings endure longer than memory.'
I have never considered myself as being one for keeping a 'diary' as such (I did keep a record of my trip to Porto Rico for the World Masters and then again 6 years ago, when I went up Mount Kilimanjaro). But, then I thought about the pile of training logs I have kept over the last 38 years and I suppose to some extent this blog and of course I now use the ubiquitous 'Strava'. But it is the paper logs that have been a constant record of my running.
Of course, the quality of the entries has varied, sometimes no more than the date and the number of miles covered. At other times an in depth record including weather details, route, intervals carried out with times etc. But no matter what, every mile ran has been recorded since July 1981 (I actually started running in February 1981). As a result I can tell you as of yesterday (I haven't been out yet today) I have ran 93,961 miles since starting to keep a training log.
But why keep a log?
Well a training log is a good tool for collecting all my training data (I actually keep a separate record of all the races I have ran. This includes position, time, who won the race, best positions by fellow club members etc.). This can provide indicators on changes to training and show how effective these changes have been.
A training log is also a way of holding one's self accountable for our behaviours. Numerous studies have shown the effectiveness of self-monitoring and recording observations of progress towards goals.
And, following a conversation in the pub last night, where I was informed that I was at the end of my running career (thanks Anthony) I can always use them to look back and reflect on what I was once able to do.
So upon reflection, far from being someone who doesn't keep a diary. It turns out that, certainly with regards to my running,I am quite obsessed with keeping a record.
'Keep a notebook. Travel with it, eat with it, slap into it every stray thought that flutters up in your brain. Cheap paper is less perishable than grey matter, and lead pencil markings endure longer than memory.'
I have never considered myself as being one for keeping a 'diary' as such (I did keep a record of my trip to Porto Rico for the World Masters and then again 6 years ago, when I went up Mount Kilimanjaro). But, then I thought about the pile of training logs I have kept over the last 38 years and I suppose to some extent this blog and of course I now use the ubiquitous 'Strava'. But it is the paper logs that have been a constant record of my running.
But why keep a log?
Well a training log is a good tool for collecting all my training data (I actually keep a separate record of all the races I have ran. This includes position, time, who won the race, best positions by fellow club members etc.). This can provide indicators on changes to training and show how effective these changes have been.
And, following a conversation in the pub last night, where I was informed that I was at the end of my running career (thanks Anthony) I can always use them to look back and reflect on what I was once able to do.
So upon reflection, far from being someone who doesn't keep a diary. It turns out that, certainly with regards to my running,I am quite obsessed with keeping a record.
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