"[Heather MacLean, an Olympic 1,500-meter runner] realized her watch was draining the fun from her runs. It was especially apparent to her during a low-key stretch when she was simply trying to build fitness.
I hated that every run I went on, I felt like I had to check my pace and my distance and whatever else,” she said. “So I just decided that I was going to lay off it for a while and switch to a regular watch.”
She never went back. MacLean, 28, who now wears an Armitron Dragonfly that she said she picked up for $10 at Walmart, acknowledged that there were certain workouts when a GPS watch would come in handy, like when she did a tempo run by herself. (Tempo runs are faster than easy jogs, and frequently run at a prescribed pace.) But Mark Coogan, her coach, has long prioritized effort over pace, and MacLean logs her training in minutes rather than in miles.
“I know I’m at the elite level now, so not everything is going to be joyful,” MacLean said. “But when there are things that bring me a lot of joy, I’m going to invest in them. And one of those things is the ability to avoid focusing on my pace during my runs.”
Without the pressure of feeling as if she needs to account for every mile — or, perish the thought, post her workouts for public inspection on Strava, the exercise-tracking platform — MacLean has also gotten better about listening to her body. She has no qualms about bailing on an extra workout if she is feeling beat.
“And I’ll tell Mark that I’m going for a walk instead,” MacLean said. “And he’s like, ‘OK!’”
Whatever they’re experiencing, I have the opposite. It’s the numbers and the data that keeps me interested and focused. It’s learning to align what my body is telling me with what my watch is telling me.
If I lost access to smart watches, I’d probably not stay active
I feel like most of these could be explained by people who have lost their love and need something to blame.
There’s no way metrics is hampering them.
I can easily think of times I likely should have rested or slowed down but wanted to keep a number high.
For me, metrics are a net positive, but I’ve often done counterproductive things because of them.
Maybe I use my watch differently, but I use my watch to set the pace I should run at, and then it ensures I keep myself there without going too fast!
That’s in the company of others, most people playing solo keep tabs to see if they’re doing better or worse.
100% same for me. I’m a data geek. I don’t even need to actually be using the data to train by to get enjoyment just out of seeing it there. Seeing my averages change, or my monthly time grow, or just looking at the relationship between pace, cadence, and stride length. That’s part of the fun of it all!
Same, I want more and better accuracy. I just ditched an Apple Watch Ultra for a new Garmin unit because it’s just that much better for my needs.
Same, it was getting a Garmin that got me into tracking steps, fitness etc. I didn’t even run initially. I walked for 18 months first. Slowly progressing to jogging bits of it, then more until eventually I was jogging the whole circuit.
I’m no elite runner. The first kilometer of my circuit has a 130m ascent of staircase up an escarpment. It’s brutal and I love conquering it. But it stifles any hope of breaking time records.
Ever thought about letting that staircase be the stat end? That way you can also squeeze in a rest every circuit if you feel like it.
I’d just … not do it sometimes. I’d justify it with “too tired today” and “Don’t have enough time for Jacob’s Ladder today”. Having it when I’m fresh takes that excuse away.
It’s also kinda on the way out of the CBD and into a big park. It would be sort-of doubling back away from the office. I could make it work, but the beautiful park is like a reward for doing the climb. Having the return to the office be my reward for doing it wouldn’t quite have the same incentive.
I’m not a runner, but I lift and I’m very goal and data oriented much like yourself. I love to see objective measurements of improvement in what my body is capable of. I love track the sheer tonnage that I pick up off my basement floor then put right back down on my basement floor. I live to look back at my numbers from a year ago and see the difference and I think I really would lose a lot of my motivation if I couldn’t.
Anyone else ever just feel like every topic these days has to have pro and con article out there for people to latch onto? I’m sure it’s only getting worse with AI, but there’s so many of these that just seem to exist to be sticks to get people to discuss things.
I guess I’m the guilty party. :) I posted the article because I thought it was thought provoking enough to engender discussion – something I like if it’s civil and mostly intelligent. I didn’t think everyone would agree with the athletes quoted or that they should or shouldn’t.
anyone got a archive copy, or gift pass to see it?
Edit, thanks I came here from elsewhere, reading now. my bad
– its an interesting perspective. I don’t have a coach who can check splits or plan my runs by time. I could plot and guess, and I’m sure I’d do well, might be interesting to see if I can produce results w/out a watch, but I do like it. Like earbuds / music u do you.
It’s weird, when I’m on trail I don’t care much about pace or whatever, but when I’m on the road it’s like my watch is always there judging me.
I’m sure many of us could ditch out fitness watches if we had a coach.
I have a dozen cheap watches and one smart watch. I only wear the smart watch for dress up events.
I get how people are motivated counting steps and what not, that’s perfectly valid. Power to ya! But my body and mind know if I’ve moved enough for the day, or failed to do so.
I’m outside and moving, a lot. At first it was neat to have a watch telling me what I had done, not so much anymore. And how valid is the data? There’s a hella difference walking around the office/downtown, kayaking a swamp and hiking smooth/rough trails.
Gf and I are sporting $20 1980’s Seikos. Much love! I also have 3 Swatches from back in the day. Point being, go with what works for you. Hell, I’m told I’m ancient for even wearing a watch. (Are they in fashion again?)
But my body and mind know if I’ve moved enough for the day, or failed to do so.
I wonder how much of it comes down to that. I never know when my body has had enough until after the fact. I’ve ran myself in to a stress fracture without even realising that I’m hurt, because it’s so hard for me to hear what my body has to say.
I was like that when I was younger, beat myself to death. Now that I’m 52 I have a great physical “clock”, I can feel it.
