I’ve long been a fan of the latest tech, whether it’s the newest MacBook or the shiniest e-bike. The same has been true of the best running watches. Ever since I started to take running seriously, I’ve used their smarts and insights to structure my training and optimise my recovery.
Until now. Truth is, I’m not getting any younger (and let’s face it, who is?). And my running goals have changed considerably over the past few years. I’m running less competitively these days, and doing so more for enjoyment and relaxation than anything else.
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As such, I’ve started to rely less on monitoring my pace, my heart rate zone or my personal bests. What I’m most interested in now is how my body reacts to my runs, how much strain I’m putting it through and how I’m recovering – and sleeping.
Why I’m ditching my running watch
It’s something I’ve probably been aware of for a while but it’s only recently dawned on me fully. I was too reliant on the screen on my wrist and therefore not – for want of a better phrase – ‘present’ or ‘in the moment’. Instead I’d be checking my pace, heart rate or distance, or waiting to feel the buzz on my wrist as the next kilometre ticked by.
It was only when I was away from home late last year (admittedly running along the Patagonian steppe) when my watch battery died and I panicked a little that I would have to effectively run ‘blind’.
And you know what? I actually enjoyed that first watch-free run more than I thought I would. In fact, I realised, I enjoyed it more than I would otherwise have done if I was monitoring my stats. Instead, I ran on feel. I found that elusive state that author Christopher McDougall describes in his book Born To Run – a state of ‘flow’.
Finding my ‘flow’
I think perhaps it’s easier to find that state running off-road than on pavement, because your body instinctively searches for the path of least resistance. But I can get into that zone on road runs too now. Your body switches into its natural rhythm and you can, with practice, find an almost meditative, beatific state of mind. And that’s extremely difficult to do if you keep checking your splits.
Of course, if you’re training for specific events it pays to monitor your efforts with a good running watch like the Garmin Forerunner 970 or Polar Vantage V3. But unless I’m training for a triathlon, these days I’ll leave my trusty Wahoo ELEMNT RIVAL in my desk drawer.
Screen-free running
I’m not running completely without tech though. On my other wrist I’ll still wear my faithful old Whoop Band. That’s because its post-run training and recovery insights are as useful as any of the running watches I’ve mentioned. It can also give you a holistic view of your overall health in the same way as an Apple Watch or Ultrahuman Air smart ring. And like a smart ring there’s no screen to glance at so during my runs I just focus on feel. And that amplifies the pleasure I feel performing the simple, liberating act of running. Watch manufacturers may not thank me for saying it, but you should give it a go. It will change the way you run – for the better.
