Saturday, March 7, 2009

They're Watching You: Attackpoint.org

You know they're out there. You know they're watching you. And this, in a nutshell, is what makes Attackpoint.org such a great training log.

After using the site ritually since September 2008, including a hard winter's training block ahead of next Saturday's Coyote Two Moon 100k, I've found that what really makes the site standout isn't its ease of use, isn't its objective look at weekly miles and vertical feet, it is its social networking.

Attackpoint allows you to follow the logs of any other athlete who uses the site, whether it's a training partner, a standout athlete, or old high school sweetheart. And some of these people do the same for you: watching your weekly miles, what routes you've been choosing, how you've been feeling.

What this effectively does is surround you with training partners 24/7. And this is a good thing, at least for those like me who work off a rich mixture of internal and external motivation. Although you may only physically run once a week with your training partners, you can all keep tabs on each other on the off days, which can be quite motivating. No one wants to be the one showing up at the trailhead with a string of zero days or a number of 30 mile weeks. It's basic pack behavior, and it can work wonders.

The past three months, I've run more than I ever have in any period of my athletic career -- both in number of days and in mileage. While a lot of this has to do with my fairly new move to ultra running and a big early season goal, I have to credit much of it to Attackpoint as well. It's simply a great site, with a lot to offer.

Feel like giving it a try? Remember: They're out there and they're watching. You better go run.

No comments: