WEEK 2-How to track your mileage

This Saturday you'll be on your own for the run. If you don't have a fancy watch to tell you how much mileage you've covered, try one of these sites:

mapmyrun.com (also available on iphone)

bikely.com

There are others too which are also free. On a computer, you can go to the site and map out your route prior to doing the run. Once you know your pace, it gets easier to guestimate how far you've gone, but don't confuse your track or race pace with your out for a run pace.

You absolutely do NOT have to buy a fancy $300-$400 watch. If you love the whole- how fast, how far, how much elevation, etc, they can be useful training devices. If I had a choice, these watches would only come out for key runs (tempo, goal pace, races) and be left at home otherwise. People can get hung up on the data and forget to enjoy the running. Also, early performances can be depressing when compared to how you were doing prior to the last event you trained for.

For the track, I would like you to have a simple watch that has a timer and maybe a lap setting. You can get these at Bartell's for under $25, or you already own one. And if you have a Chinook book, there's a coupon you can use.

Remember to LOG your workouts! It can be really rewarding to look back at a full book.