How to Track Your Progress and Set Goals
Published December 2024 • 5 min read
Tracking your outdoor activities isn't just about recording what you've done—it's about using that data to improve, set meaningful goals, and get more out of your adventures. Here's how to turn your logs into progress.
📊 What Data Tells You
Your activity logs contain valuable information:
- Distance trends - Are you covering more ground over time?
- Elevation gains - Can you handle more vertical than before?
- Time efficiency - Is your pace improving?
- Frequency - How often are you getting outdoors?
- Variety - Are you exploring new areas and activity types?
🎯 Setting SMART Goals
Effective outdoor goals should be:
- Specific - "Complete the Six Foot Track" not "hike more"
- Measurable - 500km total hiking this year
- Achievable - Based on your current fitness and schedule
- Relevant - Aligned with what you actually enjoy
- Time-bound - Set a deadline or timeframe
🏔️ Types of Goals
Volume Goals
- Total distance in a month/year
- Total elevation gain in a month/year
- Number of activities per week
- Hours spent outdoors
Achievement Goals
- Complete a specific multi-day trek
- Summit a particular peak
- Paddle a certain river or coastal route
- Finish all trails in a national park
Progression Goals
- Move from Grade 3 to Grade 4 hikes
- Complete your first overnight hike
- Learn a new skill (navigation, abseiling, sea kayaking)
- Lead a group activity
📈 Tracking Progress
- Regular reviews - Check your stats monthly
- Compare periods - This month vs last month, this year vs last year
- Look for patterns - When are you most active? What affects your output?
- Celebrate milestones - Acknowledge when you hit targets
⚖️ Balancing Progress and Safety
- Increase difficulty gradually (10% rule)
- Allow recovery time between challenging activities
- Listen to your body—fatigue increases risk
- Don't let goals override good judgment
- Weather and conditions trump schedules
🔄 Adjusting Goals
Goals aren't set in stone. Review and adjust based on:
- Injury or illness
- Life changes affecting available time
- Goals that turn out to be too easy or too hard
- Discovering new interests
📊 LogsKeptSimple Dashboard
The LogsKeptSimple dashboard shows your activity statistics at a glance—total distance, elevation, and activities across all types. Use this to track progress toward your goals and see your outdoor resume grow over time.
Progress in outdoor activities isn't always linear, and that's okay. Some months you'll be out every weekend; others, life gets in the way. The important thing is the long-term trend. Keep logging, keep reviewing, and watch your outdoor capabilities grow.