Ok, so, I think I’ve lurked here long enough to get a feel for some likeminded runners here. We’re all pretty driven to collect “one more street” and to color in maps that look like a caffeinated toddler had at it.
Here’s what I want to know: What other metrics do you track? What other high scores do you have? What other big goals are you after?
Personally: I track activity calories in terms of doughnuts burned, How much per year I spend on shoes based on average cost and miles per pair, and I’ve been following the yearly percentage gain in total miles to have run the circumference of the earth (also to the moon).
I know a bunch of you have spreadsheets, share with us!
I am a run streaker so I keep track of all that. Trying to again run the year. I have some other big long term goals. A few are:
-Make my map look like I ran across the state of Minnesota
-run the hiking loop at all Minnesota state parks
-run all the rails to trails
@missiejacobson I’m also planning on running every MN State Park hiking loop and rail trail, but won’t give it priority until I retire in a few years. It’s taken me forever just to get about halfway through Luce Line state trail, though I might do the entire route in one shot this fall.
@aaron_fitzsenry I also track how much each pair of shoes cost (averaging just $61 per pair). I track miles per pair, which isn’t too uncommon, but I track project miles and months remaining on my shoes, both in-rotation and in-reserve. If I stopped buying shoes today I would still be able to run for 4 years. I have a weakness for running shoes on clearance.
I used to have a spreadsheet where I tracked all my activities for my city, with distance, streets completed, etc. I used the data to generate progress graphs and calculate estimated completion dates for various %age milestones based on my rate of progress. James has incorporated a lot of that on the home page so I stopped maintaining it at some point. I’m also much more zen about when I complete, it’s going to take the time it takes…
@plehnherr that’s why I say long term goal lol. My son (who is now 11) and I finished Luce line last year. The grass sections are not so great mid summer lol. We did several where I put a bike in 1 end then parked like 6ish miles out. It helped. I also did all of Dakota trail and started the bonus sections that still has the railroad rocks. I will finish that this spring after snowmobiles are done. But currently working on all streets in Wright Co. So hard to go do something else. I finished 10 of the state parks. Only 7 miles of Soo Line. I should probably spreadsheet those.
These are all exactly the kind of thing I was interested in. @missiejacobson MN is huge and an impressive stretch goal! @plehnherr awesome, I’m hoping to get to RI trails as my retirement goal, there’s a ton a go by and want to revisit. And shoes don’t go bad, stock the closet! @8f7162110d9eeaf907ab I’m getting there, but man I still love that percentage change every day / week / month.
Who’s got suggestions for something absurd to track? Can anyone figure a way to determine the number of telephone poles we’ve passed or something?
I have finished about 100ish miles across Minnesota. I think its halfway. But north to south will be a forever work in progress.
Hahaha telephone poles is crazy! I made a jock the other day to my husband that next city I run I will count the big passenger vans. Because the community is known for families with 15 plus kids.
Count pay phones?!?
Ice cream shops
Donut shops
I should start counting empty beer cans on the side of the road. I don’t see them in neighborhoods but the bigger roads I see ALOT! Today seen 7 and they were on top 9f the snow so fresh.
I know one runner who keeps track of all the weird and useful things he finds along the road while running. Tools, money, and things of that nature. I’ve found a wallet, a bag of dope (assumed, I didn’t try it) and a crack pipe, a glass bong, a used syringe, and a very large pink adult toy.
That is outstanding! I’m imagining a collection of pictures in a very colorful coffee table book… Likewise, I volunteered for the cleanup crew after a local marathon and I was staggered by the number of single socks I came across.
New addition to the spreadsheet this year has been cumulative elevation gains in units of Everests and time spent running as a percentage of my current age. Hope there’s some more suggestions out there!
Likewise, I volunteered for the cleanup crew after a local marathon and I was staggered by the number of single socks I came across.