Training logs from the dead
October 30, 2025
They’re rising from the dead, and they’re hungry for miles. And we might need to let these running zombies catch us. Who are they? Pre-Strava running logs.
Long before there was Strava, runners were keeping track of their training. I bet that’s why paper was invented. But even in my only 13ish years of running, I’ve seen various ways to log runs come and go, and I’ve tried my fair share of them.
Run, don’t walk, because here come the running log zombies.
RunningAhead
I’m coming out swinging: RunningAhead was the best running log platform of all time. I used it throughout college and absolutely loved it.
If Strava is the Instagram of running, RunningAhead is MySpace. It has all the essentials to a good running log, including weekly and monthly totals, places to change the type of workout you did, and the ability to leave comments on others’ runs. It even had widgets to count down to major races or any event you wanted to input (say college graduation or an AJR concert, for example). All of these features were beautifully displayed with early 2000’s technology.
The most notable difference between RunningAhead and Strava is that RunningAhead was website based rather than an app. Personally, I loved this; it prevented me from going on it too long or too frequently. It also made it easier to type more in-depth race write-ups and long comments on others’ runs. I once had a friend copy and paste the entire dialogue of the Bee Movie as a comment on a run. That ain’t happening on Strava.
For better or worse, the fact that RunningAhead was more conducive to web browsers also made it ideal for secretly perusing mid-lecture in gen-ed classes. I promise I did well in school, mom.
MapMyRun
To be honest, I only used MapMyRun to see the mileage of my runs before I had a GPS watch, back when training consisted of short frolics through small town Central Illinois. Logging into the platform for the first time in a decade, MapMyRun looks pretty nifty these days.
As the name suggests, you can use MapMyRun to create and save routes. There’s also a dashboard and calendar where you can keep track of your mileage, paces, and the other usual stats. It looks like there is a feed where you can see your friends’ runs, too, but alas, I don’t have any friends to explore how that interface looks.
Spreadsheet
This isn’t a method I ever used, but a Strava-less friend of mine told me just last year that they log all of their runs on a spreadsheet saved to their computer. I couldn’t be prouder. Never change, friend.
CalendarsThatWork
Not really a true logging tool, I remember that the summer in high school when I wanted to get fast, I wrote out my training plan in CalendarsThatWork.com, printed it out, and crossed out each square after my runs. And you know what? I got fast. Keep it simple, stupid.
Pen and paper
Speaking of simple, you couldn’t — and still can’t — go wrong with good old pen and paper.
You can jot down anything about your run and know only you and anyone you choose to share it with will see. Plus, there’s something good for the soul about actually feeling the sensation of pen on paper and a notebook in your hands. It gives you extra ownership of your log, and thus your runs.
Of course, this method of logging, as well as calendars or spreadsheets, don’t have a share feature. I know many runners who live by the phrase “Strava or it didn’t happen,” and I’m guessing that writing down runs in a notebook doesn’t count.
However, it may be time to get spooked and run without Strava. Strava recently sued Garmin for using technology similar to Strava segments and heatmaps, and Garmin asked Strava to include a watermark on activities uploaded from Garmin devices starting in November. Strava has since backed away from the lawsuit and agreed to include Garmin logos as requested, but I’m sure tensions are still high.
Maybe then it’s time for one of these running log zombies to fully rise from the dead. I won’t mind getting caught.