Friday, August 30, 2013

Running Naked

After a difficult speed session on Tuesday, my coach told me I should do my next run without my Garmin and just take it easy and not worry about pace.

Since I am a slave to numbers, the idea of running sans watch had me kinda freaking out. So I decided to bend the rules but stay within the parameters of the assignment.  The pink tape even goes with the pink on my watch! 


During my run, I felt almost... Free. I never really thought that looking at my watch during a run had any effect on me at all, but now I'm wondering.  While I generally run by how I'm feeling, I also tend to think "Ugh, so slow" if I see a particular number on my watch. Last night I didn't have any negative thoughts whatsoever, because I was feeling good during my run and had no idea if I was maintaining a "good" pace or not. I just knew it felt easy-breezy, which is what it was supposed to be.

When I got home, I peeled the tape off.


Roughly 13 min mile pace overall. Huh. Not sure that's what I would have guessed, but right on track for how I'm "supposed" to be running my easy/recovery runs.

And even better than that, it just felt good. Physically and mentally. 

Do you run without a watch (or naked, as we say)? How important is pace to you on your daily runs?

9 comments:

  1. I like to know exactly how far I run so it is hard for me to run naked. However, I do like your method - best of both worlds!!!
    Hooray that you did the entire run without any negative thoughts!

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    1. Yeah, ever since I bought my Garmin, I can't run without it. I get twitchy at the idea. LOL

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  2. The tape is so funny! I am always looking at my watch too. I'm actually a lot better at not than I used to be, but I still look a lot.

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    1. I try to do what my coach says, sometimes I just have to be creative about it! LOL

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  3. Yes I have run without it. Sometimes I don't even look at it. I need to do it more often though.

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  4. I'm a numbers geek and always wear my watch because I just have to know, but I don't always look during the run. It seems that if I see a slow number during the run there is a negative mental impact and if I see a fast number I start to question if I'm going too fast. I find it best to only look when pace is important to the workout.

    btw I found your blog through Jan's

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    1. Awesome, welcome! =)

      Exactly! I suppose I really should only wear a watch during speed sessions, but I'm such an addict! Maybe I'll keep up the taping. =)

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  5. I learned the trick of not continuing to look at your watch during marathon training and it helps. Congrats on being on pace!

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