The tyranny of the GPS watch
GiddyupTim
Posts: 2,819 Member
What ever happened to the good old days when you didn't have to measure everything?
When running was just about the beauty of movement and the freedom of the road or trail, and, maybe, the meditative aspect of a repetitive activity. When you didn't mark your minutes per mile, every mile.
When, if you wanted to get better, you just ran a little further every time, or every week, and you had no idea how far it was exactly.
When, if you wanted to get faster, you just found a hill andraced to the top a little more quickly every time, and the reward was you got a nice view of the countryside at the top, or maybe you just sprinted at the end of every run, to finish it off.
I know people (I am trying to avoid getting into marital-relations trouble here) who have to wait for five minutes before every run to beam in their satellites. They know how quick their every step is. They know exactly how many miles they have run. They do speed work every week, where they go faster for exactly 300 yards or 800 yards or half a mile.
Don't the watches suck all the fun and spontaneity out of running? Don't they make it a little too obsessive?
I mean, who really wants to know: "You have exactly three more miles to go"? Not me. That's torture. When I run, I wanna think, 'Gee, this is a nice road/trail. i wonder what is around the corner.'
Is there anyone else who feels like I do?
When running was just about the beauty of movement and the freedom of the road or trail, and, maybe, the meditative aspect of a repetitive activity. When you didn't mark your minutes per mile, every mile.
When, if you wanted to get better, you just ran a little further every time, or every week, and you had no idea how far it was exactly.
When, if you wanted to get faster, you just found a hill andraced to the top a little more quickly every time, and the reward was you got a nice view of the countryside at the top, or maybe you just sprinted at the end of every run, to finish it off.
I know people (I am trying to avoid getting into marital-relations trouble here) who have to wait for five minutes before every run to beam in their satellites. They know how quick their every step is. They know exactly how many miles they have run. They do speed work every week, where they go faster for exactly 300 yards or 800 yards or half a mile.
Don't the watches suck all the fun and spontaneity out of running? Don't they make it a little too obsessive?
I mean, who really wants to know: "You have exactly three more miles to go"? Not me. That's torture. When I run, I wanna think, 'Gee, this is a nice road/trail. i wonder what is around the corner.'
Is there anyone else who feels like I do?
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There probably are a few who feel that way, but likely just as many who enjoy it more with all the stats and info. I do like knowing my total miles per run and compiling over time to months. It is nice to know what my usual pace is so that I can find others to run with who run about the same speed. I don't look down on anyone that does it either way; to each his own...0
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Being the OCD person that I am, I love my Garmin. Unfortunately, it died last week. Gave up the ghost. Pooped out. Rats.
Imagine my surprise when my husband told me to watch the mail because he had ordered me a new one and upgraded it to boot!
He doesn't wear one but is constantly asking me our pace, current lap, etc. So he's just as hooked as I am! Funny, that.0 -
I love all the data and stats. However after I did my half marathon I was burnt out from all the training and having to hit my paces so I turned everything off for a while. I just ran without worrying about pace or time or distance. And I will probably do that again when my marathon is over. Just run for the love of it.0
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We are in the information age, friend. A notebook, stopwatch, and a map just don't fit into my lifestyle. I'd rather push a button and have the information readily available to measure, compare, and motivate. Not taking anything away from "old school" running by any means, but different generations = different ways. I will say that the runners I look up to don't get caught up in all the gadgets, but like I said, it just won't work for me.0
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Sometimes I run without the Garmin, usually when I am out adventuring and really don't have anything in particular in mind. In these types of situations, I usually have a map so I know where I am and how to get back quickly if needed. Call it the manual "backtrack" feature. But then I like maps.
I do always have some sort of a timepiece though, because without it I might end up out in the darkness :-)
I do wear the Garmin more often than not, though. I think it's mostly habit and I think it would be a hard habit to break.0 -
We are in the information age, friend. A notebook, stopwatch, and a map just don't fit into my lifestyle. I'd rather push a button and have the information readily available to measure, compare, and motivate. Not taking anything away from "old school" running by any means, but different generations = different ways. I will say that the runners I look up to don't get caught up in all the gadgets, but like I said, it just won't work for me.
I knew it. I am just old and curmudgeonly, dagnabit!
But, old school was so much less obsessive and regimented. Trite and quaint as it may sound to you whippersnappers, we just ran with the road.0 -
I read the book "Run, the mind body method of running by feel" by Matt Fitzgerald and it kept me from buying a HRM, I am a full on Mimimalist now, no music, no GPS, no watch aside from the clock on the wall when I leave the house and get back. It's made my OCD and perfectionism better instead of what could have been worse... Lol, I don't need to hyper analyze myself more than I already do, it's freeing for me that way.0
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Why not do both, there are benefits of having the data and benefits of having a more natural run. Take a holistic view of running rather than making it too "secular"0
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I ran with a Garmin for the first 2 years, until it broke. It was very liberating last summer when I didn't have one. But I use a tracker on my phone, so I know in the end what my splits are. I occasionally wear a Garmin to get a reading on my heart rate.0
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I haven't gotten a garmin yet for these reasons. I'm not a robot. I just want to run at whatever pace comes natural that day, not a prescribed pace as part of a plan. My paticular life situation doesn't fit nicely into any training plan to begin with, so I do my own thing. I do realize that because of these things though, I may not break my somewhat ambitious goal (ambitious is realative of course) of 1:57 for my next half. If I was using modern technology I'd have a better chance, maybe because I could make my training more precise.
That being said, I do use a little technology. I set my running app on my phone and stop it when I get home. I never look at it during. Of course I run some amount of the charles river 5 days a week, I know how far I've gone and how far away my starting point is. And I can generally guess my pace pretty well too. But I hate to know for sure. I actually prefer races that don't have clocks at every mile. That just makes me start to worry about if I'm going to achieve my goal or not.0 -
I carve wood as a hobby and I have some of the some feelings about classic hand tools versus Dremels. But progress is progress. Polio may have made some people tough and smallpox thinned the herd, but I am kinda glad they aren't concerns I or my kids have to face.We are in the information age, friend. A notebook, stopwatch, and a map just don't fit into my lifestyle. I'd rather push a button and have the information readily available to measure, compare, and motivate. Not taking anything away from "old school" running by any means, but different generations = different ways. I will say that the runners I look up to don't get caught up in all the gadgets, but like I said, it just won't work for me.
I knew it. I am just old and curmudgeonly, dagnabit!
But, old school was so much less obsessive and regimented. Trite and quaint as it may sound to you whippersnappers, we just ran with the road.0 -
I have a science/engineering background so I enjoy the numbers. Having that info easily accessible helps to track progress, look for trends, and places to improve. My $.02 anyway.0
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I have a science/engineering background so I enjoy the numbers. Having that info easily accessible helps to track progress, look for trends, and places to improve. My $.02 anyway.
^^^ This. I am a Software Engineer so I am a huge numbers nerd. However, I obsess over the numbers after my run. Most of the time I just have a screen that shows my HR with no pace or time.0 -
I love my GPS watch, while I run I am constantly checking my speed, pace, distance and heart rate. I calculate how I'm doing as I go in my head from this data. If my body says enough, I tell it that the watch says you're not finished yet, and it keeps going.
When the run is over there are hours of fun to be had analysing the data on my laptop. Then projecting forward to my next race, the computer says I can break 2 hours for my October half marathon!!! ( my body says " you must be joking, we're doing 2:15")0 -
I'm a numbers geek (or so my wife tells me) and I like the feedback my Garmin gives me, especially when I have a specific pace I want to run at.
Having said that I do make a point of occasionally leaving it at home and just going for a run.0 -
OP, I do agree with you in many ways, which is one reason I don't have a Garmin. The other is cost. I do, however, utilize the GPS on my phone to track my speed/distance when I run new trails. Otherwise, I just use a regular watch and perceived exertion. I do think Garmins have a place for speed training, and I would use it if I had one. I would also probably use one if I did more road running.
I am a long-distance trail runner (and I'm pretty slow), so maybe that's why I'm a little more lax about technology. The trails are my sanity and my serenity, and I don't need much more than my dog, my husband, and the wildlife to have an amazing run!0 -
Don't the watches suck all the fun and spontaneity out of running?
Nope, I like my Forerunner.
Before the data, I would over-do it and not know it.
Keeps me from over-training, no more shin splints, no more gettin' sidelined.
Sure folks say "run by feel" but I felt great and then got sidelined
Repeatedly
I'll keep the GPS :-)0 -
I agree with you OP and this is why I have many days that I just put on my shoes and go. I don't even log it in MFP. I do use my Garmin for specific training days though... the best of both worlds!
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My Dr "suggested " the HRM since I am a 65 year old who was severely hypertensive and obese and since I ran on perceived exertion he schooled me to stay below certain BPM as I progressed it just seemed a natural progression to add the GPS factor to monitor distance and pace as well. My BPM and BP are no longer factors he is concerned about but the habit of monitoring all the vitals plus distance and pace has set in and it is as much a part of my running as the music I play.
You say you don't listen to music as you run Well thats another topic altogether.0 -
I completely agree. I only have a regular ole sports watch, that I use only on tempo runs and races. Even then, it feels oppressive - I check it compulsively. For a few years, I used to log all my runs, time my splits, etc, but I kinda threw all that out of the window recently. It was killing all the joy and beauty in running for me.
Although it's a bit of a stereotype, I do believe that a lot of runners fall in the "Type A" personality bracket. Some folks get a wee bit obsessed with posting all their splits, race times, etc. Nothin' wrong with that, but for my part, I think it's fun to just tie up my shoes and go for a relaxed run than bother with all that.0 -
What ever happened to the good old days when you didn't have to measure everything?
When running was just about the beauty of movement and the freedom of the road or trail, and, maybe, the meditative aspect of a repetitive activity. When you didn't mark your minutes per mile, every mile.
When, if you wanted to get better, you just ran a little further every time, or every week, and you had no idea how far it was exactly.
When, if you wanted to get faster, you just found a hill andraced to the top a little more quickly every time, and the reward was you got a nice view of the countryside at the top, or maybe you just sprinted at the end of every run, to finish it off.
I know people (I am trying to avoid getting into marital-relations trouble here) who have to wait for five minutes before every run to beam in their satellites. They know how quick their every step is. They know exactly how many miles they have run. They do speed work every week, where they go faster for exactly 300 yards or 800 yards or half a mile.
Don't the watches suck all the fun and spontaneity out of running? Don't they make it a little too obsessive?
I mean, who really wants to know: "You have exactly three more miles to go"? Not me. That's torture. When I run, I wanna think, 'Gee, this is a nice road/trail. i wonder what is around the corner.'
Is there anyone else who feels like I do?
I run for health reasons and because it's a hobby that's both physically and intellectually demanding and physically and intellectually rewarding. I don't run to sightsee — I run to achieve goals.
You might suggest to your partner turn on the HRM and put it by a window before getting dressed to run. That way, the GPS will be ready (should be) when she's ready.
Finally, a thought struck me while reading your wistful posting — is this something that you should, perhaps, print out and show to the person-with-whom-you-wish-to-avoid-marital-discord? (Note that I'm not advocating avoiding "marital-relations", of course! :-) )0 -
I have a science/engineering background so I enjoy the numbers. Having that info easily accessible helps to track progress, look for trends, and places to improve. My $.02 anyway.
Another engineering nerd here who loves her data... my Garmin is my BFF!!! That being said, I do occasionally stop and admire when people say they just run without their watch, but I don't have that in me. At the intersection of engineering & running is a Garmin with a HRM. :laugh:
However you like doin' it, happy running! :flowerforyou:0 -
I like knowing on my training runs whether I am setting a new pr, which happened last week. On races, the race does it for me.
There have been times when I know I am running fast and don't time it. it does feel good, but measuring does give me motivation.0 -
I use my (not always functioning) Map my Run on my phone for a general mileage idea since I am technically training for a marathon, and I just ordered my HRM to aid w/weight loss.
But I stopped listening to music and it's liberating during my runs.
I also didn't buy a satellite watch mostly because of the cost. But my true love is running and wondering what lies ahead, the thrill of discovery, that alone fuels my runs, it's beautiful.
After my marathon, I'm running only for the love of it, I don't care how fast, slow, I run, it's ok, I can live without knowing, and I bet I'll run better by the sheer freedom of it.
-nice post, my friend OP0 -
welcome to the 21st century, OP.
Running has come a long way since Philipadese.0 -
Running without any technology can be fun, but for me its fun to run with it as well. Since I like data, and my HRM dictates my pace for most runs I run with a HRM/GPS most of the time.0
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welcome to the 21st century, OP.
Running has come a long way since Philipadese.
Darn you, savvy kids!0 -
My profession is a Data Analyst, so I am a data freak no matter what it is. Running, budget, gas usage....etc. I know....geeky, but I have made a good living off of it. I think in 5 years I have not used my garmin 2 times. I like comparing my recordings from 5 years ago with the data I have today(heart rate, pace and distance). It gives me a good reminder of where I was and how far I have come. I guess it helps to "cement it" into my brain.0
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Funny; after seeing the other replies I guess I am more middle of the road than I thought. I use my phone mostly just to keep a log of runs. No HRM and I don't go back and slice and dice the data other than looking at the trend of individual run lengths and total mileage over time. I do have it tell me my last pace at each mile, partly to keep me from starting too fast if I am planning a long run and partly just to know how far I have gone as I do a lot of variations in my routes. I have emailed links to neighbors who asked about routes for different distances, which is a nice feature.0
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It's funny, I've had my Garmin for about three and a half years now, and I used to use it religiously. Like to the point where a bit of the enjoyment of running was diminished by my inability to "document" it. Silly, I know.
But I've been doing in a training running group for my upcoming marathons and it's really taught me to hone in on my physical presence, my perceived rate of exertion, and run without music. It's been great in a lot of ways and I'm learning to read and listen to the cues of my body a lot better. I still wear a HRM and a watch, but that's mostly for intervals/speedwork and just to check what my HRM is when I really feel like I'm dying during a workout.
It's interesting, I've really enjoyed reading all of the responses to this thread. I guess for me, it's not so much I have a hard and fast need to "improve" my times, but I do like the documentation of my runs, the accounting of it, I suppose (though I haven't kept a running log of my runs in a long time and have no idea what my miles for the year looks like). But I do like running specific distances (i.e. 5 miles exactly versus 5.2). Meh, I blame it on my slight OCD tendencies. There are worse things to be I suppose.0
