RunningAHEAD - Topic: No Watch!!

xnomanx

Wild Beast

posted: 7/1/2008 at 2:47 PM

No more running with a watch!!! Over the past few months I've decided to run without one and I'm enjoying my runs much more. No longer am I reaching mileage markers on my usual routes and glancing at my watch only to find that what my body felt was a good run was actually slow by time standards, or that I was in fact running fast when feeling slow. Much more fun to let my body guide me and throw time out the window. I'm hardly fast, nor am I concerned about competition or comparing times- I just want to run for me and getting rid of the watch has helped! Just a personal discovery I wanted to share- not preaching or arguing right or wrong here...

Everything was beautiful and nothing hurt. -K. Vonnegut

cagery

posted: 7/1/2008 at 2:53 PM

Shock....not running with a watch...no GPS either?? nor Heart rate monitor either I suppose.... yer moving into the realm of a non-runner....sad to say.... Big grin

Greg Rowe

The shirtless wonder

posted: 7/1/2008 at 4:41 PM

I'm with you. I don't like knowing what my time is during the run. If I'm on a treadmill I cover the display with a towel or magazine. When I'm running outdoors (the majority of the time) I force myself not to look at my watch for nearly my entire run. I usually glance half way through. When I run with friends that have GPS watches I ask them not to tell me distance or pace until we finish the run. I like having the data, just not while I'm running. Greg

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Phidippides

posted: 7/1/2008 at 4:45 PM
modified: 7/1/2008 at 4:46 PM

I do wear mine, but intentionally dont look at it and dont care about my miles per minute when running (exception of course is when I run in a race - then I am careful to watch my splits). I know that when I pay attention to my time, I start trying to beat my times and usually end up running faster and then faster until something breaks.....and then I have to take time off.....when I dont pay attention, I listen to by body and run accordingly......its a smart thing to do........GREAT IDEA xnomax

Champions are made when no one is watching

beef

Ostrich runner

posted: 7/1/2008 at 10:44 PM

I'm in the no watch crowd. I always paced with my teammates growing up, now I just do it off of feel. I often don't even decide what kind of run I'm doing until I'm a couple miles in.

http://www.runningahead.com/groups/Indy/forum

Sam101

posted: 7/3/2008 at 8:46 PM

I recently started wearing a watch but don't really like it. Feels stressful somehow. I do want to know at the end of the run how long it took though so last run, I wore the watch and only looked at it when I stopped it at the end of my run. Since I'm training to "finish" a marathon, not win one, time is mostly unimportant to me at this point in time.

A7son7

posted: 7/3/2008 at 8:53 PM

I'm still using my faithful 10y old Polar HRM. It does not show any splits or pace, only HR and time. I do have few checkpoints in my courses where I check my pace, but usually I only check my HR. That's it. I'm in no hurry to get a new gadget HRM.

HoosierDaddy

GreyBeard

posted: 7/3/2008 at 11:50 PM

Quote from Greg Rowe on 7/1/2008 at 4:41 PM:

I like having the data, just not while I'm running.

Just started doing similar - wear the GPS but try not to look at it so much (maybe the peak of a hill just to see HR). My runs have gotten faster and I don't feel "constrained" by heart rate highs /lows - rather I go based on feel and my performance (pace & fitness) has improved and the runs are more enjoyable.

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No Watch!! (Read 730 times)