How do you keep track of your running and fitness goals?
I’m really enjoying using the Believe Training Journal! It’s a great way to keep my workouts, progress, and overall thoughts on training in one place. Sure, I have my blog to do that, but there’s nothing quite like taking pen to paper!
After using it for a month, I’m sharing my review of the Believe Training Journal and how it can help you keep track of your running goals.
I’m joining Ange and Carmy for the Monthly Goals Linkup!
I’m also joining Annmarie, Nicole, Jen, and Michelle for Wild Workout Wednesday and Susie, Debbie, Lora, and Rachel for the Running Coaches Corner!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.
[bctt tweet=”Find out how the Believe Training Journal can help you with your running goals! #runchat #sweatpink” username=”Janelle_RWNR”]
Believe Training Journal Review
Thanks to being a Rock ‘N Roll Race Series Rock ‘N Blogger, I had the opportunity to receive the Believe Training Journal for free. As always, know that this review is all from my personal point of view!
The Believe Training Journal was created by Lauren Fleshman (“Lo”) and Roisin McGettigan-Dumas (“Ro”), 2 badass elite runners. Through this journal, they have found a way to inspire runners to stay motivated to reach their goals, myself included!
I started using the Believe Training Journal in the month of June. I was kicking off my base building to prepare for Philadelphia Marathon training and thought it was the perfect time to really track my progress. The journal is good for a full year and you can start using it at any time. There are several worksheets inside that will help you get organized, focused on your goals, and really learn about yourself as a runner.
Using the Believe Training Journal
It was really easy to get going with this journal. I set up my weeks starting on Mondays and ending on Sundays. Each week, you’re prompted with a question to make you think about your goals and how you plan to get them done. You have space to write your workouts, mileage, and assess how you felt that day – I decided to use smiley faces! There are even example entries from Lo and Ro provided to help you get started. I have to admit, it’s pretty cool to see what an elite athlete considers as a typical or “easy” workout!
There are a lot of extra sections in this journal, including different running workouts, nutrition discussion, and a lot more. Over time, I’ll see if I utilize the whole journal or only focus on specific sections.
Why Journaling Works
It’s been said that writing down your goals make them more concrete. Runner’s World has a great article about the benefits of keeping a journal. I can already see that as I log my runs and workouts each day, I’m learning more about myself, what I do well and where I struggle. I can be completely honest with how I’m doing and notice trends along the way.
Using this journal has been great! While I love writing about my workouts on the blog, it’s so much easier to flip a few pages through the journal. A few weeks ago, I had a very unfamiliar pain in my right knee. Thanks to the Believe Training Journal, I was able to pinpoint that I first felt that pain on Global Running Day when I ran with City Fit Girls.
If you like to keep track of every detail when it comes to your workouts, this is the journal for you! You have plenty of space to write it all down, so take advantage!
How Can You Get One?
You can buy the Believe Training Journal for $18.95 online – there are different colors you can choose from too! I can see why so many people use this journal; I’m really loving it! I can’t wait to use the journal to document the training of my very first marathon!
June Running Goal Recap
Last month, I shared my June running goals on the blog, and I think it was a great way to hold myself accountable. I wish I could say things went perfectly, but I tried my best!
- Make the most of my Believe Training Journal. Grade: A! I have been using it every day and putting in all the details, as you can see above! I’m glad it’s becoming part of my routine.
- Use a Beginner 1/2 Marathon Training Plan from Strength Running. Grade: B-. I’ve been using this training plan, but I haven’t always done the exact mileage prescribed. I’ve done a pretty good job of completing my warmups, so I’m really happy about that!
- Consistently run 4 days a week. Grade: F. I have tried really hard to run 4 days a week but I only made it happen one week in June. I had some injury issues that required rest, so I don’t fully regret that failure.
- Do injury prevention exercises weekly! Grade: B. I’m doing okay with this but I can do a LOT better. The Stick and the foam roller haven’t been getting as much attention as they should these past couple of weeks.
July Running Goals
With all that said, I’m looking forward to having a much stronger July. Here are my new running goals for the month:
- Do a morning weekday run at least once a week. I really enjoyed getting in my early morning runs back in June. Now that I’m in a new neighborhood, I need to figure out the safest route to do so!
- Continue using the 1/2 Marathon Training Plan from Strength Running. Even though I’m not following it perfectly, it’s still a great guide as I ease my way to marathon training.
- Consistently run 4 days a week. More than anything, I need to get in my long runs every weekend!
- Do planks, squats, and lunges daily. I plan to do 1-minute planks each day and my sister sent me a 30-day challenge with pushups, squats, situps, and lunges. I want to focus on the planks, squats and lunges because they need the most work right now!
What are your running goals for July? Do you use the Believe Training Journal or a similar method to log your training?
I love that training journal! If I didn’t blog, I’d use it. But I feel like my blog is my training journal.
Great job with the goals!
Thanks a lot, Wendy! I think having the journal, I enjoy being able to put pen and paper to my thoughts, rather than typing it out. Now I essentially re-write what I put in the journal for the blog!
I really love this journal. I used it last year when I had my crazy “15 half marathons in 2015” and I am using it again this year. I’m still pretty old school, so I love putting my pen to paper to write about goals. I also think it’s really good to see your progress as well.
I can see why you love it, I’m right there with you! Writing my goals vs. typing them just seems so much more real, plus I really like to scroll through and see how I felt week to week.
Obsessed with my believe journal!! Love your July goals- you got this!
Thanks a lot, Jackie! 🙂
I’ve been on the fence about getting this journal but now I think I need one!! I feel like it will help me to actually write notes down instead of just scrolling through Garmin data.
I think being able to write down your feelings and thoughts, in addition to the data, has so much value!
I love journaling. I love writing things down. I love crossing things out. I am old school. NO app for me -pen and paper please! 🙂
Agreed, there’s nothing like writing it all out!
thanks for sharing this! i’ve been on the fence about getting one of these journals and now im sold! 😉 it looks super helpful and not to mention awesome
I’m glad you liked the review! I think it’s so helpful and the journal is very sturdy and well-made!
This is awesome! I also received the Believe journal, but mine is sitting on my desk waiting to be cracked open! Thanks for the inspiration and ideas.
Glad you found it encouraging! It’s working out great for me so far!
Love love love my Believe Training Journal. It has really helped me to stay on track and sort through what worked and what didn’t in my training cycles.
I’m glad that it’s all in one place to look back on. I didn’t really get how great it was until I started using it!
I keep a journal of all my runs/workouts as well, though not in a nice fancy book like this 🙂 I’ve fallen off the wagon of goal setting and am just taking it one week at a time during this training cycle (5th half marathon training).
I think taking it one week at a time works really well too, that’s what I usually try to do!
I think journaling is so key for any type of goal setting and reaching! I love it too
It really helps set the stage and provide that foundation to help you reach those goals 🙂
Love this! I love the idea of keeping a handwritten journal for running… sometimes it helps to write it down (I don’t feel like I get the same benefits from updating a spreadsheet on my computer).
Yeah, the spreadsheet is great for some applications, but I like being able to really right what I feel with pen and paper! I highly recommend this journal!
I’ve always been curious about the Believe Training Journal so this was very helpful to see more about it. Definitely need to look more into purchasing it!
I’ve really enjoyed it and highly recommend!!
You have set up some great things to focus on! Your notes look pretty detailed, I bet you will have fun looking back the weeks after the race.
I have journaled for my Richmond half training and I kept all kind of details, the dew point, humidity, what I ate lol it is fun to read it now.
I should include more notes about the weather other than saying “humid as heck” LOL! It’s been really fun so far 🙂
Thanks for sharing. I use the Journal from gone for a run but I’ve heard people just love these Believe journals. I’m glad I got to see what it’s all about!
Glad you liked the review! I didn’t realize Gone for a Run has a journal too.
I agree with you pen and paper can rule all. 🙂
I love your goals – especially doing planks, squats, and lunges daily. I find these are super helpful!
Thanks, Julie! Lunges are still tough on my hips but I keep working at it!
Great review! I just finished up my first 1/2 marathon and my second will take place in October. This month I’m working on maintaining 3-4 runs per week and working on strength training!
Thanks! And it sounds like you have a great plan!
oooo I love that journal!! Might have to get myself one…
Do it!! 🙂
I love the little motivation quotes they have in there!
It’s a nice touch!
I have the purple Believe journal and I love it! The work Lauren and Roisin have put into it is awesome.
Thanks for linking up with us!!
Ooh the purple is pretty, I almost picked that color! So glad I could join in the linkup, it’s so important for me to keep an eye on my goals!
I have several clients who have these journals and love them! Anything that helps me get all the different parts of my life together!
I didn’t believe the hype at first, but I do now! It’s really great and such a high quality product.
I’ve seen this journal in the blogosphere quite a bit…I don’t know, I blog because it’s faster and easier for me, and I input details of my works on Nike+ and Daily Mile. I sometimes wonder how many ways I need to document my workouts. The journal just seems like one more thing, PLUS I hate writing by hand. But I’m so glad it’s been working for other runners!
I hear ya…I was definitely getting tired of trying to log my runs so many ways. Now that Nike+ has changed so drastically, I don’t put notes in it anymore. Now I rely on my journal and then transpose the highlights to my blog recaps!
I bought that same journal last fall and really never started using it sadly. Thanks for the reminder and glad that it is helping you so much
I was a little skeptical at first but I really love it!
No way! I had no idea journals like this even existed! What a great way to stay motivated and even dig in to some deep thoughts you wouldn’t normally take the time to do. I love it!
It’s really cool! I’m really enjoying using the journal and can’t wait to see my growth over the next year!
Very nice! I use one that is not that fancy but it helps me look at the week ahead and add notes for my blog post 🙂
Thanks! I think even a simple journal is really beneficial!
The journal is a great idea! I use the MyFitnessPal app to track daily workouts, but having it in a journal format would be easier to keep track of, really. I’m a paper kind of girl at heart.
Yes, paper makes such a difference! I don’t know how, but it feels more real that way for me!
I love journaling. I have a journal (actually, it’s about 10 notebooks) that I’ve had since 8th or 9th grade. I have not journaled much in the past couple years, though, because I’ve been blogging…so the guilt isn’t as severe as it could be. There’s a lot of personal and family stuff that does not make it into my running blog, though, so that part is definitely way behind on documentation
I used to journal way back…I still have my diary from like the 3rd grade, I can’t even imagine looking back at it now! I used to use Livejournal too…SO many embarrassing posts!
This looks like the coolest journal! I keep track of my workouts and progress and goals in Evernote, but that doesn’t have all the examples and motivations that this journal does 😛
I never thought about using Evernote for journaling, very cool! I love how the Believe Training Journal has a lot of extras!
I don’t have that journal but I do track my training and food in a notebook to stay on track.
Writing it all down makes such a big difference!
Interesting…
I have a journal for personal use. I just use my blog as my running journal. I wonder if I should start writing down running stuff, too…
I think writing it down definitely has a different feel! I’m really enjoying using the journal so far!
i love the idea of a journal. What a great way to stick to your goals, gotta do whatever works!
Thanks, Autumn!
I first started blogging as a way to journal my training. But if I didn’t blog, I’d definitely write things out in a physical book or journal.
I did the same thing! I like being able to blog my workouts, but it’s so much easier for me to see everything in the journal in one place!
This is great. I love journaling and I always track my workouts and strength training plans in a notebook.
Glad you liked the review!
I’ve recently learnt to appreciate and love running, although I cna barely call myself one. Just got a purple Believe journal and gifed two of my best friends with a red. I guess now we actually run so that we could fill up its pretty pages 🙂
Awesome goals for July! I love my Believe journal.
Love it! I don’t use a journal for running, but it seems great if you are training for a big goal…like a marathon!
I’m so excited to see my growth from the beginning to the end of marathon training! 🙂
I use a website called dailymile to track my mileage, but haven’t used it much lately sadly. I love the idea of the journal!
It’s been working great for me!
I’ve tried using a paper journal before, but I get really perfectionistic (is that a word?) when I hand write stuff, which made me less likely to take notes. I like using RunningAhead online since it’s free and has places for all the notes I’d want.
I’ve been wondering if this journal would work for me. Thanks for the sneak peak inside. I’m such a journal girl. I spend alot of time picking out my journals at the store. Our June and July running goals of 4 days are the same, but I, too, failed at June.
What an awesome training journal!