Running geekery?: Just wondered if anyone else... - Couch to 5K

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Running geekery?

simonwilliamstutor profile image
13 Replies

Just wondered if anyone else recorded all of their runs? I'm currently using MapMyRun on the laptop to track the distance and then recording everything in a spreadsheet, including total distance ran/walked, speed of running etc.

If/when I complete C25K I'll probably use either Endomondo or MapMyRun on my phone to track myself realtime when I am out running.

Does anyone take it to the next level with heart rate, cadence etc?

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simonwilliamstutor profile image
simonwilliamstutor
Graduate
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13 Replies
misswobble profile image
misswobbleGraduate

OMG do they! Running is a tech geek's dream realised. There is no limit to the stats you can get your head round. I prefer to keep it simple as I am a bit dim as regards tech. Folks here do use Endomondo and I think they rate it very highly. Dan the Man Zargo uses it so if you search on here for it you should pull up the posts which mention it

If you have a Garmin running watch there is a community you can join and all your stats will be there in various formats. If you get a more upmarket watch it will have all the stats you could possibly want, eg time, distance, average pace, best pace, vertical oscillation (whatever that is), heart rate, calorie burn, blah blah. You can compare runs, download them to other places (I think) print off graphs to your heart's content.

Loads here are recording this stuff. Just take time to browse some of the posts and all will be revealed

At the moment I log all my walks and runs into Endomondo, really just to get an idea of distance covered in a week. My runs I record on my husbands Garmin watch because it's more accurate for me (Endomondo seems to add in random kms here and there around here !) and then import into Endomondo.

I've just started looking at Strava as well because I wanted to be able to track my progress over a variety of different routes (i.e. my 'hilly' route and my 'flat' route) and I can't seem to find anything in Endomondo that will allow me to compare times on different routes ? (My husband has always used Strava and he prefers it - but then he just likes trying to beat some random stranger running up a particularly tough hill around here.)

But heart rate and cadence - not yet, probably a step too far for me !!

rammsteinqueen profile image
rammsteinqueenGraduate

I have a Garmin Forerunner and upload to Strava. Good to see I am getting a little quicker over the weeks and getting a few PBs. I am even QOM in one segment - yeah! Not got the heart rate monitor with my watch... I dare say as I progress I will want to probably get that eventually. I love stats though :-D it's not geeky. Is it? :-D

Rignold profile image
Rignold

heart rate and cadence? What about altitude gain, vertical oscillation, VO2 max, stride length etc....?

Although a word of caution: during the programme, record and analyse all the data you want but DO NOT let it influence your running. The temptation to run too fast during C25k is already great and is the undoing of many. You need to be running slow slow slow at this point. Get your form correct, ease your joints, muscles and bones into the running over the 9 weeks and then start tweaking such things as pace/distance etc.

Ugifer profile image
Ugifer in reply to Rignold

To support this - even now, I more often use my Garmin to slow myself down than to speed up! It's easy, particularly to start, to go way too fast.

in reply to Ugifer

I think that's a good point Ugi and exactly what I'm doing now - I do use it to make sure I'm not going to quickly at the start, as otherwise I do have problems later on. I know the average pace I need to be at and mustn't go ahead !

Ugifer profile image
Ugifer

One of the first things I did when I started running was buy a second-hand Garmin with HRM off e-bay. It's great for interval training like c25k because you can pre-load "Walk 5, Run 8, Walk 5" type workouts but I also use it as a HRM since I joined the gym. Somewhere on Garmin Connect there is a page with every run mapped out telling me how my HR vaired, how far I ran, or how long I worked-out at the gym.

I like looking back and seeing that in the last 365 days, for example, I have logged 123 hours of activities and burned 56,000 calories. Hang on! That's 3 weeks worth of food! Why aren't I losing any weight?!!

Ugi

5kOrBust profile image
5kOrBustGraduate

I don't go in for HR or cadence, but many on this forum do. I do, however, record all my runs on Nike+ :)

AndyD profile image
AndyDGraduate

Yep ... I'm a geek and have loads of stats (whether I want them or not) from my Garmin and available to view via Garmin Connect or on my phone.

But.. whilst interesting... don't over analyse each and every run in too fine a detail... running to me is about improvement or consistency over many runs not just one.

rmnsuk profile image
rmnsukGraduate

I have a garmin 15 mostly for GPS plotting. Someday I'll connect the HRM ! I have all my garmin history and I've uploaded it to strava too, though I never go in and look at it.

I thought I was a bit geeky, but apparently I'm just scratching the surface.

I also record usage of every pair of shoes !

Ullyrunner profile image
UllyrunnerGraduate

Actually, the question is - is there anyone who doesn't?

Jeleybelly profile image
JeleybellyGraduate in reply to Ullyrunner

Me !

Sometimes think maybe I should have, to see how far I've come but don't have gadgets, and when I do run outdoors don't take anything with me, except tissues!

Irishprincess profile image
IrishprincessGraduate

Yes me! I have a Garmin and so have access to loads of stats but I also keep a record on my iPad of every run I've done, distance, pace, cadence. I know I can look at it all on Garmin Connect and I do but I also love coming back from a run and typing the stats myself! A bit sad but it's now a routine and I can't think of not doing it!

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