How do I know how far I have gone?

How do I know how far I have gone?

This is a question that people often struggle with. If you are not running laps around a track it often becomes hard to get an accurate read of how many miles you have gone in a given run. But it is important to have an idea of your actual mileage. This is my attempt to offer some ideas of what you can do.

1. Map My Run/Google Map-
a. Map My Run- This site allows you to go on-line and use a map to mark out your run. It will tell you how far the run was and allows you to save runs so that you can build up a stockpile of possible routes. It also allows you to search for already mapped runs in your area.
b. Google Maps- Like map my run this allows you to mark out you run on an actual map to see how far you have gone.
c. ETC. - These are not the only sites out there but they are the ones I have used. If you find one that works better for you please let me know.

2. Have someone drive the route- This is what people did before there was satellites and the internet. Just get in the car, look at the odometer and see how far your run took you. Of course this can cause some problems if your run isn’t just over roads but it will give you an idea of what you did that day.

3. GPS- This can be the expensive route. A lot of distance runners invest in GPS devices that can be worn on your wrist to track how far they have done. This is can be pricey but does give you an accurate number.

4. Nike + - This is what I started using in January. There are several options to go with when talking about the Nike+. Basically it is a sensor that sends a message to a receiver that is able to communicate how far you have run and also gives data like pace and calories burned. I have Nike shoes that my sensor goes into and my receiver is a bracelet I wear around my wrist. The sensor and bracelet cost approximately $60. My wife wears her sensor on her shoes (She runs in Asics) that silicone holder for her sensor cost 8 bucks. There are also iPods and iPhones that are equipped with Nike+, so the receiver is the iPod or iPhone. The best part about the Nike+, in my opinion, is that you upload your data to a website that tracks all your data for you. You can get graphs of your pace and mileage. It also allows you to set goals for yourself, such as number of runs in a month or total mileage. It can be a great motivator.

5. Pedometer- These are the old stand by and are basically what the Nike+ does, just not as high tech. It allows you to know how far you are have gone.

I know that these are not all the options but they are the ones I have had experience with. Our goal is to get to a point where we know are paces so well that we have a good idea of how far we have gone in a given time period. But we do need to have an accurate count and these options will help you achieve that.