Inspiration needed to transform a tired spreadsheet

[AlexH]

Every good runner knows that a log is a good way to monitor progress. Not every runner is good at Excel....me being one. So as a learning exercise I want to transform the log I use into something fit for the 20th century at least. What I am after is a bunch of suggestions as to how to make it look better, reduce the number of work sheets and generally get to know excel better.


I can't attach a copy here but the orginal design is here (http://www.davidhays.net/running/runlog/runlog.html). I would really appreciate if I could get some guidance. i just don't know where to start.


Thanks

 

[govi]

When I click your link it says: Page not Found

 

[keymaster]

Hey try this url http://www.davidhays.net/running/runlog/runlog.html


I see that there is a downloadable excel file at that site...

 

[AlexH]

apologies, my inability. thanks for looking anyway

 

[keymaster]

btw, the downloadable file there seems quite complex. If you want a simple, plain vanilla log here is how you can do it...


1. create a table in one sheet with columns like date, distance, calories, min speed, max speed, duration, max. heart rate


2. In another sheet process this data to show any charts or metrics you may want to see. Unless you are training for a marathon or under some strict program, it would suffice to leave the whole thing at step one and focus on running.


I have never really bothered to monitor my progress. But few months back, I bought the nike+ ipod, so now I have good idea how my running is. I find the graphs and analysis pretty good. But may be it is bit over-rated too. I have way too much fun running that I dont bother looking at my data :D


Let me know if you would like to see a tutorial on making a running. I am sure I will enjoy it everybit (plus learn a thing or two about how runners monitor their progress)

 

[AlexH]

I know the gadgets you're talking about. I'm a bit of a heart rate monitor fan, my latest one is a suunto that has a small log on it

Date

Distance

Time

Calories

Max heart rate

average heart rate

Time below zone 1 (zones are range of HR % which give an indication of how hard you're training)

Time in zone 1

Time in Zone 2

Time in zone 3

Time above zone 3

Ave speed

max speed


I'd like to add in the type of run (easy,tempo, long etc) and additional cycling and swimming that I do.


the intended output was to be a series of graphs that hopefully show a reduced heart rate for a given pace (speed) and the parrot calculator for marathon times (I am training for a marathon and am looking for a good time, for me.


A turorial would be great but I'd quite like to use it as a learning exercise so I don't have to use other peoples sheets. I got totally lost on the one I sent a link for trying to follow where the data went and what the calulations are. Maybe I'm looking at it from the wrong angle but I would have thought that it need not be as complicated as the example)


Alex