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Anyone ignore splits during races? (Read 128 times)

wcrunner2


Are we there, yet?

     

    I was never able to master running by sundial.

     

    Perhaps my point was a little too subtle. We've become so used to having technology inundate us with data and have become so reliant on it that we can't see any other way to race. I suspect most of the posters here have always had this technology available, hence they can't imagine what it was like running without it. People raced and raced well without knowing exact pace and splits from time immemorial, yes, even back to the days of measuring time by sundial.

     2024 Races:

          03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

          05/11 - D3 50K
          05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

          06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.

     

     

         

    M.Burrows


      I run with a $14 Walmart watch and don't know my exact pace or distance usually.  But I do have an "idea" of how fast I'm running based on breathing and general understanding of distance and time.  I just quickly map it (if needed) and put my total time in the running log here at RunningAhead when I get back.  On race day, there are GPS wearing people everywhere.  If interested, I'll ask our pace when their watch beeps.

      LedLincoln


      not bad for mile 25

        You thought I was joking?

         

        RunnerJones


        Will Run for Donuts!

           

          Perhaps my point was a little too subtle. We've become so used to having technology inundate us with data and have become so reliant on it that we can't see any other way to race. I suspect most of the posters here have always had this technology available, hence they can't imagine what it was like running without it. People raced and raced well without knowing exact pace and splits from time immemorial, yes, even back to the days of measuring time by sundial.

           

          I spoke imprecisely earlier.  I don't actually have my splits in real-time available on my watch.  I just set my stopwatch at the start and check it at the mile markers to make sure my pace is roughly within the range of what it should be, especially for the first miles.  As stated before, when I've raced a marathon without paying attention to splits, I've almost always started too fast and paid for it in the final stretch.  After I get home and download my data, I can see what splits I ran, etc., but the only information I have out on the course is elapsed time.  Back when you started, didn't most runners still run with stopwatches at least, or did they run with nothing?  Were clocks posted at most mile markers at big races, like we're used to seeing now?

          joescott


            I only ignore my splits when I can't do anything about them.  :-)

            - Joe

            We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.

              I only ignore my splits when I can't do anything about them.  :-)

               

              I was going to say "no", but this is probably a better answer. Late in a race, when I know I'm pushing as hard as I can, I won't bother looking at my watch. Otherwise I'm pretty much beholden to it. Maybe sometime I will try a race by feel. But for something like a marathon, it's hard to imagine knowing exactly how each mile is supposed to feel, as they get progressively harder.

              Dave

              ilanarama


              Pace Prophet

                You thought I was joking?

                 

                 

                WANT.

                Half Crazy K 2.0


                  If things are going well, I tend not to pay attention to splits. If things are not going well, I look at my watch constantly, thinking if I look hard enough it will be over quicker.

                  LedLincoln


                  not bad for mile 25

                    I only ignore my splits when I can't do anything about them.  :-)

                     

                    Far too often the case for me.

                    LedLincoln


                    not bad for mile 25

                       WANT.

                       

                      Makes some kind of a statement, doesn't it?  It's on eBay, but the price is in pounds, so shipping cost might hurt.

                      wcrunner2


                      Are we there, yet?

                         

                        I spoke imprecisely earlier.  I don't actually have my splits in real-time available on my watch.  I just set my stopwatch at the start and check it at the mile markers to make sure my pace is roughly within the range of what it should be, especially for the first miles.  As stated before, when I've raced a marathon without paying attention to splits, I've almost always started too fast and paid for it in the final stretch.  After I get home and download my data, I can see what splits I ran, etc., but the only information I have out on the course is elapsed time.  Back when you started, didn't most runners still run with stopwatches at least, or did they run with nothing?  Were clocks posted at most mile markers at big races, like we're used to seeing now?

                         

                        Digital watches were still a little more than a few years away and very few of us had actual stop watches. It wouldn't have mattered anyway because very few road races had mile splits marked. I don't remember digital clocks at mile splits until around 1980 by which time I'd been racing on the roads for 12 years. For that matter many races were non-standard distances and even those that were standard often were not certified

                         2024 Races:

                              03/09 - Livingston Oval Ultra 6-Hour, 22.88 miles

                              05/11 - D3 50K
                              05/25 - What the Duck 12-Hour

                              06/17 - 6 Days in the Dome 12-Hour.

                         

                         

                             

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