What Is a Running Log?
A running log is a structured record of your training. It lets you see how far you have come, how much you are running each week, and what led up to your best races or your last injury.
"Even in a world of Strava, Garmin, and Apple Watch, a dedicated running log still matters. Apps are built for sharing and quick stats; a log is built for understanding your training story over months and years."
Types of Running Logs
Broadly, there are three ways to keep a running log. Each has pros and cons, but for the data-driven runner in 2026, there's a clear winner.
Paper Journals
Flexible and tactile, but impossible to analyze. Good for feelings, bad for data.
Mobile Apps
Automatic and convenient (Strava, Garmin), but rigid. You can't ask custom questions of your data.
Spreadsheets
Infinite flexibility. Build any chart or analysis you want. The only downside is manual entry.
The rest of this guide focuses on a Hybrid Approach: Using Google Sheets as your analysis hub, and StrideSync to automate the data entry from Strava.
What to Track
At minimum, a useful running log should track distance, time, pace, and when you ran. Once you have that data, you can add more context over time.
The Core Data
- Date & Time
- Distance
- Duration & Pace
- Elevation Gain
- Heart Rate
The Context
- Shoes & Gear
- Effort (RPE)
- Run Type (Easy, Workout, Long)
- Weather & Notes
How to Build a Running Log in Google Sheets
A simple Google Sheets log might have columns like Date, Sport, Distance_km, Duration_min, Pace_min_per_km, Elevation_m, Avg_HR, Run_Type, Shoes, RPE, and Notes.
Pro Tip: Rolling Distance Formula
Use this formula to calculate your rolling 28-day distance automatically:
=SUMIFS(C:C, A:A, ">= start_date", A:A, "<= end_date")You can build dashboards that chart your weekly mileage, average pace, and shoe mileage on top of this log. The only downside is manual data entry, which is where automation helps.
Automating with StrideSync
StrideSync connects Strava to Google Sheets so that new activities automatically appear in your running log. Instead of copying distance and time by hand, your log updates itself while you focus on training.
Create a StrideSync account
Sign up for free and connect your Strava account.
Link Google Sheets
Authorize access and we'll create a new spreadsheet for you.
Watch it Sync
New runs appear automatically. You just add the context (RPE, notes).
Who This Is For
This setup is ideal for runners who want more insight than Strava alone can provide, but do not want to become full-time spreadsheet engineers. Beginners, half and full marathoners, and coaches can all benefit from a simple, automated running log.