Training log software recommendations

I'm interested in finding a good training log package. What I'd
like to find is something that runs on both a Palm OS device and a
desktop computer, and can sync the data between the two.

Obviously the ability to handle the variety of activities typical
to a skier's training year would be ideal. Also the typical
variables of interest, such as HR zone, workout type, resting HR,
notes about weather, health, course, equipment, wax, etc. Maybe
even the ability to support multiple athletes? Or for an athlete
to share their data with their coach, who can analyze multiple
athletes' data on his computer?

In short, a way to enter all the stuff we're used to scribbling in
a paper log.

I did a search through the last year or so of this group and found
a recommendation from jeff Kalember for "The Athlete's Diary", which
looks interesting. Will try the demo.

It this the be-all-and-end-all of training logs? Anybody have
other recommendations? Or good or bad experiences with this one
they can share?

A few days ago I dl'd something called Pilotraining to demo. It's
pretty good for a Palm-only program, but I think I want to be able
to enter data on the Palm and then analyze it on the desktop later.

-Mitch

--- Mitch Collinsworth wrote:

I'm interested in finding a good training log package. What I'd
like to find is something that runs on both a Palm OS device and a
desktop computer, and can sync the data between the two.

I'm also interested in this topic, but with another twist. I'd like to
set up a web-based log where athletes could enter their logs on the web
and a coach could review them. (But athletes would only have access to
their own log). I suspect I'll have to create my own, but if anyone
has seen such a set-up please let me know.

Rob Bradlee

I haven't used it but came across this software when looking for a
training log to use.
It sounds like it might do what you want (with the CoachConnect
feature):
http://www.crosstrak.com

Tim Akers

----- Original Message -----
From: "Rob Bradlee"
I'd like to set up a web-based log where athletes could enter their
logs on the web and a coach could review them. (But athletes would
only have access to
their own log).

Wow, this looks really good. It does look like what Rob is asking
for. The only thing I don't see to like about it a PDA version.

The one thing that worries me about all the zillions of choices of
logbook software is that if you pick one today and then discover
a few months or years from now that you like a different one better
and want to switch, moving your data from product A to product B
is going to be either impossible or just annoyingly difficult.
Most of them seem to either have a CSV or XML export or else some
sort of file-based backup option, but re-formatting the data from
one to be recognizable to the next is going to be a pain.

-Mitch


On Tue, 8 Jun 2004, Tim Akers wrote:

I haven't used it but came across this software when looking for a
training log to use.
It sounds like it might do what you want (with the CoachConnect
feature):
http://www.crosstrak.com

Tim Akers

----- Original Message -----
From: "Rob Bradlee"
I'd like to set up a web-based log where athletes could enter their
logs on the web and a coach could review them. (But athletes would
only have access to
their own log).

Try http://www.pdafit.com/ which is developed by Joe King of the Madison
Nordic Ski Club in Madison, WI.

Greg Fangel


"Mitch Collinsworth" wrote in message
.cornell.edu...

I'm interested in finding a good training log package. What I'd
like to find is something that runs on both a Palm OS device and a
desktop computer, and can sync the data between the two.

Obviously the ability to handle the variety of activities typical
to a skier's training year would be ideal. Also the typical
variables of interest, such as HR zone, workout type, resting HR,
notes about weather, health, course, equipment, wax, etc. Maybe
even the ability to support multiple athletes? Or for an athlete
to share their data with their coach, who can analyze multiple
athletes' data on his computer?

In short, a way to enter all the stuff we're used to scribbling in
a paper log.

I did a search through the last year or so of this group and found
a recommendation from jeff Kalember for "The Athlete's Diary", which
looks interesting. Will try the demo.

It this the be-all-and-end-all of training logs? Anybody have
other recommendations? Or good or bad experiences with this one
they can share?

A few days ago I dl'd something called Pilotraining to demo. It's
pretty good for a Palm-only program, but I think I want to be able
to enter data on the Palm and then analyze it on the desktop later.

-Mitch

--- Mitch Collinsworth wrote:


and want to switch, moving your data from product A to product B
is going to be either impossible or just annoyingly difficult.
Most of them seem to either have a CSV or XML export or else some
sort of file-based backup option, but re-formatting the data from
one to be recognizable to the next is going to be a pain.

Considering your years of work supporting this newsgroups I'll write
you a perl script to translate the data as needed :

I couldn't get the web site to come up. I'll try again.

Rob


=====
Rob Bradlee
Java, C++, Perl, XML, OOAD, Linux, and Unix Training

Well... that site says:

"The Exercise Pal program is the exercise log and planning
tool you need to reach the next level. It tracks both
aerobic and strength training. The Exercise Pal program will
release later this year and is current in beta-test."

So it seems to be due out anytime but you can't get it today unless
you're a friend of Joe King.

Also not clear is if it has a version for desktop computer or if it
is PDA only. Not enough details given to really tell.

-Mitch


On Tue, 8 Jun 2004, Greg Fangel wrote:

Try http://www.pdafit.com/ which is developed by Joe King of the Madison
Nordic Ski Club in Madison, WI.

Greg Fangel


"Mitch Collinsworth" wrote in message
.cornell.edu...

I'm interested in finding a good training log package. What I'd
like to find is something that runs on both a Palm OS device and a
desktop computer, and can sync the data between the two.

Obviously the ability to handle the variety of activities typical
to a skier's training year would be ideal. Also the typical
variables of interest, such as HR zone, workout type, resting HR,
notes about weather, health, course, equipment, wax, etc. Maybe
even the ability to support multiple athletes? Or for an athlete
to share their data with their coach, who can analyze multiple
athletes' data on his computer?

In short, a way to enter all the stuff we're used to scribbling in
a paper log.

I did a search through the last year or so of this group and found
a recommendation from jeff Kalember for "The Athlete's Diary", which
looks interesting. Will try the demo.

It this the be-all-and-end-all of training logs? Anybody have
other recommendations? Or good or bad experiences with this one
they can share?

A few days ago I dl'd something called Pilotraining to demo. It's
pretty good for a Palm-only program, but I think I want to be able
to enter data on the Palm and then analyze it on the desktop later.

-Mitch

On Tue, 8 Jun 2004, Rob Bradlee wrote:


--- Mitch Collinsworth wrote:

and want to switch, moving your data from product A to product B
is going to be either impossible or just annoyingly difficult.
Most of them seem to either have a CSV or XML export or else some
sort of file-based backup option, but re-formatting the data from
one to be recognizable to the next is going to be a pain.

Considering your years of work supporting this newsgroups I'll write
you a perl script to translate the data as needed :

Of course if I choose the right product the 1st time I might never
need to convert the data. But that seems pretty unlikely in the
long run wouldn't you say? :-) Anyway I can write the perl script
if the conversion is obvious. I'm just assuming it might be far
from obvious. Or that there are fundamental differences in the
products such as a field that's required in one program doesn't
even exist in the other. You can't convert data you don't have. :-)
But maybe these are lousy assumptions and they all do pretty much
the same thing underneath the GUI.


I couldn't get the web site to come up. I'll try again.

Funny. It came up surprisingly fast here. As in, much faster than
most websites that aren't locally hosted.

-Mitch

(Mitch Collinsworth) wrote in message r.cornell.edu...
Wow, this looks really good. It does look like what Rob is asking
for. The only thing I don't see to like about it a PDA version.

The one thing that worries me about all the zillions of choices of
logbook software is that if you pick one today and then discover
a few months or years from now that you like a different one better
and want to switch, moving your data from product A to product B
is going to be either impossible or just annoyingly difficult.
Most of them seem to either have a CSV or XML export or else some
sort of file-based backup option, but re-formatting the data from
one to be recognizable to the next is going to be a pain.

-Mitch


Along the same lines, I used to run a Polar program that was pretty
good. However, the watch finally gave up the ghost and I am now
running a polar S610 program on my PC. Does anyone know if there is a
way to transfer the data from the old to the new?

Thanks,
Dave

(Mitch Collinsworth) wrote in message r.cornell.edu...
I'm interested in finding a good training log package. What I'd
like to find is something that runs on both a Palm OS device and a
desktop computer, and can sync the data between the two.

I've been using Athlete's Diary for about 5 years now and think it is
great. The upgrade I got to the XP version is even better than my old
version. The thing that sold me on it after shopping pretty hard is
that it is almost completely customizable. e.g. I can create whatever
I want to track (xc classic, xc skate, rollerski classic, rollerski
skate, hike, run)

Some of the other ones seemed to be pretty hard wired to specific
sports. This you can mold to yourself. I use the keywords to track
resting heart rate, training level, and weight and lots of other
things. And it sync's up sweet with the old Palm pilot. Set up for the
sync is kind of involved, but once I set it up, it always works. Happy
customer. So happy that I took 20 years of paper logs and xferred them
into Athlete's Diary.

Now I can see EXACTLY how much I don't train for 2 decades.

Shmo