How I plan to track my runs and progress

If you’re like me—a middle-aged guy who’s carrying a little extra weight and looking to get back into running—this post is for you. Starting again isn’t easy, but one thing that’s really helped me is having a simple way to track my runs and see how I’m improving, even when some days feel tough.

Strava Makes Tracking Easy

I’m using an app called Strava to log every run. It’s super simple and gives me all the important info—how far I ran, how fast, and even the route I took. The best part? It has a community feel, so I can check out other runners’ progress too. It’s motivating to know I’m not doing this alone.

Sharing the Real Moments

Numbers are great, but they don’t tell the whole story. I write about each run on this blog—how I felt, what was hard, what felt good. Sometimes the runs are slow and frustrating, other times they surprise me. Sharing these ups and downs keeps me honest and connected.

Watching Progress Over Time

I’m not just focused on today’s run—tracking weekly miles, pace improvements, and staying injury-free matters just as much. Setting small goals helps keep me moving forward without burning out.

Gear That Works For Me

I’ve Garmin watch that syncs with Strava so I don’t have to fiddle with my phone on the run. And every now and then, I pull together my stats in a spreadsheet to visualize progress—it’s motivating to see the numbers improve, even if it’s step by step.

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This is my plan for staying on track and getting fitter over time. If you’re thinking about starting or restarting your running journey, maybe this can help you too. I’ll keep posting updates here—both the struggles and the wins.