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to stop (the watch) or not...that is the question (Read 667 times)

    wondering if people stop the timer for their runs. I figure I recover during the time, so it "counts" towards total time (I run be distance, not duration), but wondering what others think / do.

    2008 Goals: 10k < 44, HM < 1:40, learn to use my Garmin

      If it's going to be more than a few seconds, I pause it. I like my average pace to be accurate. Total time from start to finish isn't as important, training isn't supposed to be a race.
      higa


        Yes its a tricky one! I was pondering that same question this morning. I usually stop the clock for a toilet break or long drink break. But I do wonder if it gives you a false sense of speed. When you're in a race you can't stop the clock and you always stop for waterbreaks. I'll be interested in what others say.
          I stop any time that I stop running. Running in metro Nashville, I get stopped at intersections, so I stop and just chill out with no time running. That's usually the only time that I ever get stopped in order to stop...
            I keep my watch running from beginning to end. I might put lap markers around some stops, esp. if I want to know how long a stop is (like if I have to get something from pack, and this procedure might occur in a race). Sometimes the stop (about 1-3 min) is for recovery before resuming a timed section of trail (loops, out/back, whatever). If I end up talking with people along the trail, the drop in hr is very obvious, and I can subtract it later if desired. Most of my stops are things that might occur in race, so my pace does include those stops. It's definitely not a continuous run, esp. if stop for more than 1 min so I think it needs to show somehow. A few minutes here and there doesn't make a major difference in my total running time per week (or whatever).
            "So many people get stuck in the routine of life that their dreams waste away. This is about living the dream." - Cave Dog


            I run for Fried Chicken!

              I always stop it for stop lights and running in LA, there are a lot of lights. I figure it all evens out though, there are some runs where I hit every single light and then there are other runs where I catch all of them.
                If it's going to be more than a few seconds, I pause it. I like my average pace to be accurate. Total time from start to finish isn't as important, training isn't supposed to be a race.
                but if the time stopped is subtracted, is the total time really accurate? stop lights can provide a minute of rest and I often feel, well, rested, after a stoplight break --- should that be accounted for somehow? I wonder if keeping the stopped times might provide more accurate pace (I wish I could have stopped the time for my recent marathon (2:10 port-o-potty break. that hurt! and it took over ten miles to make up))

                2008 Goals: 10k < 44, HM < 1:40, learn to use my Garmin

                jeffdonahue


                  I dont stop it at lights or when I have to stop for a few seconds. If I know it is going to be extended (stop to pee or something) then I will stop it so I can get a relatively accurate pace.
                  sluggo


                  John

                    wondering if people stop the timer for their runs. I figure I recover during the time, so it "counts" towards total time (I run be distance, not duration), but wondering what others think / do.
                    Just keep the watch going from the time you start until done. If you stop to walk, rest, visit, pee, whatever, keep it running. I want to see how long I was "on the road" and don't really care what my "pace" is during training runs. Actually, there might be some training runs where I do care about pace. In those cases I don't stop to "walk, rest, visit, pee, whatever..."

                    John
                    www.wickedrunningclub.com

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                    A Saucy Wench

                      I stop mine if I take a potty break since I never do during races and I stop it at one intersection that can be up to 3 minutes because I like to make sure I am in my training pace and that throws it off. Even my slow runs I have a target pace...its just a slower one I dont stop it for shorter things (i.e. pausing for a car to cross a street, slowing down for water, etc)

                      I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

                       

                      "When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7