--- title: "Our Story — Why Runima Exists · Runima" description: "A first-year runner frustrated by useless smartwatch data built the analytics platform he was looking for. CTL/ATL/TSB, ACWR, readiness scoring — free and open." canonical_url: "https://runima.fit/story" meta: "og:description": "A first-year runner frustrated by useless smartwatch data built the analytics platform he was looking for. CTL/ATL/TSB, ACWR, readiness scoring — free and open." "og:image": "https://runima.fit/og-image.jpg" "og:image:height": "630" "og:image:type": image/jpeg "og:image:width": "1200" "og:title": "Our Story — Why Runima Exists" "twitter:image": "https://runima.fit/og-image.jpg" --- > Index of every page on this site: [llms.txt](https://runima.fit/llms.txt) A runner's story # I bought a smartwatch to become a better runner. It just gave me more questions. Am I actually getting faster? Is this training load safe? When should I race? My watch tracked everything but answered nothing. So I built the tool I was looking for. - ?Am I getting fitter or just more tired? - ?Is it safe to add mileage this week? - ?When will I be ready to race? A year ago, I started taking running more seriously. I followed a training plan, set goals and recorded every run with my Garmin. I had pace, heart rate, steps per minute and sleep scores, but I did not know what to do with them. The charts showed individual runs. I wanted to understand changes across weeks: how my effort compared with my usual training, how my results were changing and what to review before the next race. As a software developer, I started with a spreadsheet and my exported running files. I used the Banister model to track training load and the Daniels-Gilbert formula to estimate race times. I also compared recent load with usual load, using the acute:chronic workload ratio (ACWR). That ratio cannot tell me whether a run will cause an injury. I could see changes in training load and notice unusually long runs. The numbers helped me review race preparation and discuss my plan with a coach. They did not tell me whether I was ready to race or safe from injury. That spreadsheet became Runima. I built it for runners who want to understand their training, not only record it. The gap ## I looked at every tool out there. None of them did what I needed. Garmin Connect shows you what happened. Strava shows you who's watching. TrainingPeaks charges you $120/year. None of them answer the question that matters: **what should I do next?** | Feature | Runima | Garmin Connect | Strava | TrainingPeaks | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Activity Logging | **✓** | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | Progression Analysis | **✓** | Basic | Premium | ✓ | | CTL/ATL/TSB (Fitness/Fatigue/Form) | **✓** | Basic | Premium | ✓ | | Recent vs usual training load (ACWR) | **✓** | — | — | — | | HRV + Sleep Recovery Analysis | **✓** | Separate | — | — | | Daily Readiness Score | **✓** | Premium devices | — | — | | VO₂max Race Strategy Planner | **✓** | Basic | — | — | | Transparent Methodology | **✓** | — | — | — | | **Price** | **Free (early access)** | Free | $80/yr | $120/yr | | **Ease of Use** | **Simple** | Simple | Simple | Complex | The science ## I didn't invent anything. I applied what already works. Every metric in Runima comes from peer-reviewed research. I just made them accessible — every formula documented, every threshold cited, no black boxes. ### Banister Training Load Model Est. 1975 ****CTL/ATL/TSB**** — The gold standard for tracking fitness, fatigue, and form. Developed by Dr. Eric Banister and used by Olympic coaches to time peak performance for competition.
**CTL**
42-day fitness trend (chronic training load)
**ATL**
7-day fatigue level (acute training load)
**TSB**
Form on any given day (CTL minus ATL)
### Acute:Chronic Workload Ratio Load context ****ACWR**** — A comparison of recent training with my longer-term average. Useful context alongside session distances and recovery, rather than an injury prediction or a target I must stay inside.
**0.8–1.3**
Light to near-usual load
**1.3–1.5**
Above usual load
**> 1.5**
Well above usual load
### Daniels' Running Formula Jack Daniels ****Evidence-based training paces**** — Dr. Jack Daniels' formula converts your VO₂max into the exact paces you should be running for each workout type. No guessing. No ego-pacing.
**5 zones**
Easy, Marathon, Threshold, Interval, Repetition
**Each**
Targets a specific physiological adaptation
### Heart Rate Variability Analysis Personal baseline ****HRV readiness scoring**** — Your nervous system's honest assessment of recovery. High HRV means you're recovered and ready for intensity. Low HRV means your body is still processing yesterday's effort.
**Z-score**
Against your personal baseline, not a population average
**Composite**
Combined with sleep quality and resting HR
What happened next ## Changes I tracked during my first year These are my own results, not a test proving that Runima works. Training, weather and recording errors can affect the numbers. They do not prove that the app caused progress or prevented injury. ### VO₂max **▲ +7** ~~47~~→**54**mL/kg/min I followed my watch's fitness estimates over time. Over 12 months ### Half-Marathon Pace **▼ −2min** ~~7:30~~→**5:30**min/km My half-marathon pace changed during structured training. Over 6 months ### Training Injuries **▼ −3** ~~3~~→**0**setbacks My recorded setbacks, not proof that a load score prevents injury. Last 12 months ### Resting Heart Rate **▼ −8** ~~60~~→**52**BPM My resting heart rate fell during this period. Over 3 months Who this is for ## For runners who want to understand their training You do not need to be an elite runner to use your data. Review your training whether you are preparing for a race, returning after a break or building a regular running habit. ### Marathon runners Prepare for your first or fastest marathon. Review long runs, training load and recent results when planning your next race. ### Competitive runners Work towards a personal best, qualifying time or race placing. Compare your training and results to decide what to work on next. ### Runners who use data Move beyond spreadsheets without losing the detail. See the recorded data, calculations and limits behind each analysis. ### Runners with injury concerns Review changes in training load and run distance. Use them to support a conversation, not to predict injury or replace medical advice. ### Runners returning after a break Review your past training with a coach or health professional. After injury, a load score cannot tell you when it is safe to return. ### Running watch owners Keep using your watch. Import supported files to compare your runs and track changes over time. What's in a name ## Why "Runima"? The name is a small piece of Spanish wordplay. Two words sit inside it: **build your core** and **keep your spirits up** while you do it. That's the whole idea behind Runima. ### ánima — soul, core Your aerobic engine, your base, the foundation everything else is built on. Runima is here to help you grow it — patiently, on the strength of real data. ### ¡ánimo! — cheer up! The word you'll hear shouted from the crowd at any marathon in the Spanish-speaking world. Encouragement, mid-effort, exactly when you need it most. run+ánima / ánimo=![Runima](https://runima.fit/logo.svg) Early access ## This started as a personal project. It doesn't have to stay that way. Runima is in early access. The features are real, the analytics are live, and it's completely free. Every early user helps shape what comes next — and keeps early-access pricing even if we introduce paid plans later. If you've ever thought *"I wish this tool existed"* — it does now. [**Get started**](https://runima.fit/signup) [**Back to home**](https://runima.fit/) Free during early access · no credit card · import your data in 2 minutes **ACWR**exampleNear usual load1.14 ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@id":"https://runima.fit/#website","@type":"WebSite","inLanguage":"en","name":"Runima","url":"https://runima.fit/","publisher":{"@id":"https://runima.fit/#identity"}},{"@id":"https://runima.fit/story#webpage","@type":"WebPage","description":"A first-year runner frustrated by useless smartwatch data built the analytics platform he was looking for. CTL/ATL/TSB, ACWR, readiness scoring — free and open.","name":"Our Story — Why Runima Exists","url":"https://runima.fit/story","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://runima.fit/#website"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https://runima.fit/story"]}],"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://runima.fit/#logo"}},{"@id":"https://runima.fit/#identity","@type":"Organization","description":"Understand your running training load, track performance and plan your next week. Import watch files and share training with your coach.","name":"Runima","url":"https://runima.fit/","logo":{"@id":"https://runima.fit/#logo"},"sameAs":["https://instagram.com/runima.fit","https://www.threads.net/@runima.fit"]},{"@id":"https://runima.fit/#logo","@type":"ImageObject","caption":"Runima","contentUrl":"https://runima.fit/android-chrome-512x512.png","inLanguage":"en","url":"https://runima.fit/android-chrome-512x512.png"}]} ``` ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](https://runima.fit/sitemap.md) for all pages.