The Most Underrated Performance Tool in Running Isn’t a Watch… It’s a Pen
Every runner obsesses over the data.
The splits. The heart rate. The pace per km.
The VO₂ max that somehow never changes no matter how hard you train.
We look at our watches as if they contain all the truth about our performance.
But here’s the part most runners miss:
Your watch only tells you what happened.
Your notes tell you why.
And “why” is the difference between repeating the same mistakes for years… or finally breaking through.
When you learn to write about your runs — not in poetic long-form, just simple, clear, structured notes — you start seeing things your watch will never show you.
This is where runners become athletes.
Let’s break it down.
1. The Objective Data: What Actually Happened (But With Meaning)
Sure — your watch already tracks distance, route, pace, and heart rate.
But what’s the insight? What is the data trying to tell yo?
This is where you come in.
Because what matters is context.
Distance: 8 km
Pace: 4:45/km
Weather: 27°C, 80% humidity
Sleep: 6 hours
Nutrition: light breakfast
Notes: “Legs heavy in the first 3km, loosened up after.”
Now you’re no longer just tracking kilometres — you’re tracking patterns.
Suddenly you realise:
You run better with 8+ hours of sleep.
Humidity slows you down more than heat.
You always start tight after a heavy strength day.
Certain routes consistently drain you.
This is how intelligent training begins.
2. The Subjective Data: What Your Body Was Trying To Tell You
Here’s where runners separate themselves from “people who run.”
The subjective notes.
Ask yourself:
How did the run feel?
Where did it feel easy? Hard? Foreign? Efficient?
What was going on mentally — calm, scattered, stressed, sharp?
What emotions surfaced? Confidence? Frustration? Flow?
This is the human layer your watch can’t measure.
Because yes — two runs with identical paces can be completely different in human experience.
And that difference… is where progress hides.
3. The Ratings: Quick Signals Your Future Self Will Thank You For
A simple scoring system turns raw notes into a training compass.
Try:
Effort: 1–5
Enjoyment: 1–5
Execution: 1–5
In 10 seconds, you create a dataset that is meaningful.
Now you can scan a month of training and immediately see:
When fatigue creeps in
When motivation surges
When you need rest
When you’re primed to push
When training is trending upward
You build self-awareness that no watch can simulate.
4. The Deeper Insights: Where Your Running Wisdom Lives
Once you’ve gotten into the rhythm of taking notes, the magic begins.
You start noticing things like:
“I always run my best sessions after a social day.”
“My confidence collapses when I forget to fuel properly.”
“The runs I dread the most often teach me the most.”
“My performance plummets when I skip mobility.”
“My ego ruins my pacing more than fatigue ever will.”
This is how runners grow mentally, emotionally, and physically.
Your notes become a mirror — one that shows you exactly where improvement lives.
Why This Works: Evidence From Sport Psychology
✔️ Reflective journaling improves skill retention and performance
(Emmons & McCullough, 2003)
✔️ Athletes who track subjective experience outperform those who track only metrics
(Brewer & Selby, Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 2011)
✔️ Self-awareness lowers injury risk and improves training adherence
(Gardner & Moore, 2006)
✔️ Emotional processing increases resilience during prolonged endurance training
(Sarkar & Fletcher, 2014)
Long story short — When runners write, runners improve.
5. How To Start Your Post-Run Notes in 60 seconds
Right after the run, answer these 6 questions:
What did I do today? (km, pace, type of run)
How did it feel physically?
How did it feel mentally?
What went well?
What didn’t?
What would I change if I repeated this run tomorrow?
This alone will transform your training.
Because Here’s the Truth…
Most runners don’t need more discipline.
Or more motivation.
Or a better watch.
They need awareness.
Awareness is how you make intelligent decisions.
Awareness is how you prevent injury.
Awareness is how you train long enough, consistently enough, to actually see what you’re capable of.
The pen gives you that awareness.
A pad and a pen… simple but effective.
It’s about tracking your experience.
Because when you understand what triggers your performance, your training stops being random and starts becoming intentional and personal.
That makes you unstoppable.
Your Homework (Serious Runners Only)
For the next 7 days, take notes after every run.
Six questions. Sixty seconds. No overthinking.
At the end of the week, look back and ask:
“What did I learn about myself?”
Commit for a week, and I guarantee your running will change.
Yours in running and life,
Daniel Lucchini