Monday, March 28, 2011

Monday Brain Exchange

Here is the question from Finishing is Winning's Monday Brain Exchange.


Do you enjoy writing your race reports?  Do you use them later for reference?


I do like writing my race reports and I absolutely use them later for reference. This year when I ran the Hampton Half again the temperature was basically the same.  I used last year's report to see what I wore which helped tremendously. I would not have written that anywhere else.  I am a total geek though and I also have a running scrapbook that I use for reference most of the time. I don't do detailed reports but I always have my time, pace, placement and pictures. I try to take a picture of any bling including the t-shirt. I am on my second book now (I use a binder) and soon will need to start a third. I make these solely for me. I am the one who looks at them both for pleasure and to refer back to times etc. Sometimes I put the bib in or flyer.  I have one binder that is just my first marathon - where I put EVERYTHING including cards.  



First Marathon - Man was I proud!





25 comments:

Kandi said...

I love that you keep a scrapbook of your running. :) I'm sure your kids and/or grandkids would enjoy looking through that in the future. :)

HappyTrails said...

I have been intending on putting our things in a notebook - you have just motivated me to follow through! Thanks for the nice swift kick!

Running and living said...

Yes, I love writing the reports (particularly when the race went well). I also like to read them again if I happen to run the race the next year.

Marlene said...

I love that you have a scrapbook too! That would be really handy for quick reference, even with just the main details.

I have a hard time with race reports sometimes - I love having everything in writing but it can be so hard to put it into words. I'm working on one now from yesterday!

Jenn said...

I love looking back over race reports. Funny to see how I remember things differently later than how I initially accounted for them on paper. I like to write them right after the race so I really get my true thoughts!

Michael said...

I've never done a race report before, but now that I'm blogging I'm sure I will. I can see them coming in very handy.

Anne said...

Oh...I'm really hoping I can run my first marathon this year! I love that it was a great experience for you :)

Darlene said...

Scrapbook is a great idea.

Jennifer said...

I do write reports and enjoy doing so. I don't tend to use them too much later on except to remind me of what I want to do better at. I do enjoy reading other people's reports just as much; I learn so much from all of them.

Kate Geisen said...

I love writing race reports, I love re-living the race by reading them later, I love looking back over what I've done in the past, and I LOVE seeing what other people are doing and reading about their experiences.

I've saved all of my race bibs and have a scrapbook that is designated for them...but I haven't followed through yet.

Christina said...

Great ideas.
I have been saving my race bibs but I don't know what to do with them....

Anonymous said...

Yes! That's a big reason for blogging- for me to remember. Love your binder idea! I keep my bibs in a scrapbook. Can't seem to toss them!

Richelle said...

I do like writing race reports and have written recaps of every race I've run, even before I started a running blog. I've got journals full of running memories.

I think scrapbooking about running is an awesome idea. I just don't have the time for that. My bibs and medals hang on my wall.

Amy said...

That's a cool idea to put everything in a scrapbook. I just did a shadowbox of my two Disney half marathons, with the bib and medals.

Liz said...

I'm just looking forward to running a race! Last one was the half marathon in September which I hobbled round. I'm hoping for a 5k soon!

Fran said...

I'm not that good in writing race reports, usually I can't remember half of what happened during a race.

I do keep a spreadsheet with the results of every race/run I've ever done since I started two years ago.

I love your scrapbook idea, very good one.

Jim ... 50after40 said...

What a great pic from your first marathon - most of mine ususally proudly display my poor running form. I refer back to my marathon reports, but probably more than that I use the data I gather during training as a reference.

Christi said...

That is a brillant idea. I have my stuff all over the place. To have it one location would be perfect! Thanks for sharing.

Steel Springs said...

The scrapbook is a great idea! I love that pic from your first marathon!

Like you, my favorite podcast is Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me. That's the one that usually has me laughing out loud. I only started listening to podcasts a couple of weeks ago, so I haven't explored very many. I listened to some Car Talk yesterday...also a good one. I downloaded some of the ones that you recommended and I'm looking forward to those!

Johann said...

I think you know my answer to this one. I love my race reports and always refer to them again. I've also seen how my reports from last year get lots of hits the two weeks before the race this year. So it seems people are reading them prior to running the races.

Anonymous said...

I have so much stuff for a running/triathlon scrapbook however I havent even started it. So basically, I am already 3 years behind!!!

Anonymous said...

I find I love reading race reports more than writing them. Sometimes I feel as though I must be boring people and then all of a sudden I realize how much time I've spent and just hit publish without reviewing! YIKES!

for years, I just wrote my distance and time in a hallmark calendar. That was before "running journals" came free with RW! :) now they're a little more detailed. I find that if I don't write it right after it happens, I forget or don't do it. :(

Emz said...

I love that photo.
so awesome that you scrapbook all of this.

I only have one photo from my first marathon. :(

RunToTheFinish said...

I agree it's great to be able to look back at races and remember things. I try to write my report pretty quickly so I include what's most important to me

Laura said...

Great idea...I have a hard time as I tend to get real wordy, then know that no one would read it all and end up not putting enough ... guts into the report.