123
submitted 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) by marvinfreeman@lemmy.world to c/running@lemmy.world

"[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!’”

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/16/sports/gps-watches-professional-runners.html?unlocked_article_code=GVDhDMsA9gjchKt2W4QjTwSM2VxC23YP7ZSRi-lUn1B5OwlIumJwgRzZxmQz8o6Edm_7pQBv20ecwzndCmSqQqv_pfCvBIMlR7aAM8sSKp5Gqh-kaUyzAP3tjQ2Dc5T7V3YrtH6-SZMcvMjXwhCl-uYizHqLTsCgPo8M0131zR4zD0iV6wXqNQxoUaYqqwzrFppVOXjTxtWHsa3lqIhwzwkmPC8xHBLvqrLjr3-I_lUXhyLt1vtOplb4_Fy_ziYTOACY1HQhNbqVK2OpnJny38ZpZTer5TFasTB2RNvTQw5qdb9aFoMtPSBx2uVBjzpUdt43zlKQQuYNTipurMJGei49JsIJvSZlPw&smid=url-share

all 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] ada 84 points 2 years ago

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

[-] Zagorath@aussie.zone 14 points 2 years ago

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!

[-] schmidtster@lemmy.world 10 points 2 years ago

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.

[-] marvinfreeman@lemmy.world 11 points 2 years ago

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.

[-] ada 7 points 2 years ago

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!

[-] Zagorath@aussie.zone 6 points 2 years ago

Yeah that's definitely it for me. Far more often I look at my watch and realise I'm going too fast for the type of run I want to do, and slow down, than the opposite.

Last year I was running a marathon with a target time that perfectly matched one of the pacers, so I stuck to her. But she was going about 10 seconds per k faster than the target pace for the first two thirds or so. If I hadn't had my watch to know that, when I eventually couldn't keep up with her after about 26 k I would have felt utterly defeated. As it was I knew I still had a fair bit of wiggle room, and I ended up coming in just under my target time.

Though the opposite does happen too on occasion. Particularly in those faster tempo runs.

[-] ada 4 points 2 years ago

I use pre-programmed pace times for my runs, and my watch complains at me when I go above or below that bracket.

[-] Zagorath@aussie.zone 2 points 2 years ago

Interesting. I've seen the option for that on mine but I've never used it. How well does it work? I don't really even trust mine to tell me my "current" pace, preferring to rely on lap average and automatically lapping each kilometre. Does the pace guide work well?

The other obvious worry is hills. If I've got a target pace in training, I usually am not thinking about hills in that, and I'd be happy to slow down while ascending them, and I'm probably not going to quite make up the difference on the downhill. Is that not a problem you've run into?

[-] ada 3 points 2 years ago

So, I used TrainAsOne, which builds a dynamic plan that adjusts to your fitness levels etc.

And when it generates a workout, it exports that to my Garmin. So then when I run, the Garmin has a pace range, and it shows my average pace for that leg, updated in real time, in a nice little interface. Green when I'm within the pace band, red when I'm not.

Also, given that it only cares about your average pace for the leg, it also takes in to account your previous runs and assumes you will run something similar in terms of gradient. It also adjusts for expected heat levels etc.

It will be wrong if you move to a location with a radically different gradient profile, but even then, once you've run it, it will take in to account the actual gradient and your pace, so you don't get punished for running slower on gradients

[-] Zagorath@aussie.zone 2 points 2 years ago

Oh that's very interesting to hear. I've just signed up for TAO yesterday and I'm excited to try it out.

I must say from what I've seen of it so far, it has some weird deficiencies, like the inability to tell it I want my Sunday run to be the longest one—or even that I definitely want a Sunday run at all. Guess I've just gotta learn to trust the AI's wisdom? Seems to sorta go against the idea that it's about flexibly reacting to your life.

Out of interest, do you have any particular fields it's helpful to display when running a TAO workout?

[-] ada 1 points 2 years ago

You can customise the plan. You can't tell it "Do my long run on Sundays", but if the reason you want to do it on Sunday is because you don't have enough time on the other days, you can cap the maximum time it will give you on a per day basis. You can set it as the default to never do long runs during the week, but then over ride it as needed if you know that you'll be on holidays, or have a day off etc.

Seems to sorta go against the idea that it’s about flexibly reacting to your life.

Go out and do your long run on Sunday, and it will rebuild the plan around it.

Out of interest, do you have any particular fields it’s helpful to display when running a TAO workout?

I just leave them as the default. Which basically means that my Garmin shows me the pace band it wants me to stay inside of for most things, except for recovery periods, when it shifts over to HR instead.

The only issue is, the Garmin defaults to only showing my current lap/leg average pace, and doesn't show my instantaneous pace. If I ever got around to customising that screen, I'd add instantaneous pace and lap/leg pace to both be visible. As it is, I just swap between screens if I really want to see it

[-] marvinfreeman@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

On Coros watches, there's "effort pace." I think it's very close to "gradient adjusted pace" on some other watches. Both give a pace number adjusted for the grade one is running up or down. On Coros, one can make workout targets using effort pace that adjust for hills.

[-] Zagorath@aussie.zone 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Oh that's interesting. I run with a Garmin watch, and it looks like Grade Adjusted Pace is something they only added as of the Forerunner X55 generation of watches. I have a Forerunner 935, so it's not an option for me. But assuming it works well, that's a potentially really useful field to have.

The downside of Garmin's very obvious artificially-short lifespan on their devices by almost never providing software updates with new functionality.

[-] angrymouse@lemmy.world 10 points 2 years ago

Nobody is being hampered, the article was talking about joy.

[-] reverendsteveii@lemm.ee 8 points 2 years ago

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.

[-] Nath@aussie.zone 8 points 2 years ago

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.

[-] Tangent5280@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

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.

[-] Nath@aussie.zone 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

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.

load more comments (1 replies)
[-] JokeDeity@lemm.ee 3 points 2 years ago

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.

load more comments (1 replies)
[-] OrkneyKomodo@lemmy.sdf.org 23 points 2 years ago

I'm sure many of us could ditch out fitness watches if we had a coach.

[-] ada 8 points 2 years ago

Could, but wouldn't!

[-] marvinfreeman@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago

Yes. One we trusted. Haven't had that since I stopped cycle racing. The more I've learned and experienced, the harder it is for me to trust a coach.

[-] LucidNightmare@lemm.ee 15 points 2 years ago

It always blows my mind that people just can’t tell themselves no. Notice you’re looking at your Watch for every little thing and don’t like it? Then train yourself to not do it. Jesus.

[-] m750@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago

Some people are wired differently, ain't no thing

[-] LucidNightmare@lemm.ee 3 points 2 years ago

I understand your point. I just believe that self-discipline is a skill that can be worked on no matter who you are or what kind of brain you have.

[-] m750@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

Yes, people can work on it, if they want to put effort in on that. Some times all they have energy for is the interval they are in. Some people can resist temptation, some people are addicted. We aren't all given the same ability.

[-] Obi@sopuli.xyz 3 points 2 years ago

Isn't that exactly what they're doing by ditching the watch?

[-] Franzia 2 points 2 years ago

Not all of us are working with the same mental hardware, either.

[-] LucidNightmare@lemm.ee 3 points 2 years ago

I understand your point. I just believe that self-discipline is a skill that can be worked on no matter who you are or what kind of brain you have.

[-] Pulptastic@midwest.social 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

I set my Garmin to show just my heart rate for direct feedback on my effort. I can nerd over my other stats after the run/ride/whatever.

load more comments (1 replies)
[-] calhoon2005@aussie.zone 13 points 2 years ago

I have a Garmin. I mainly use it as a time measure. Yeah it has stats and stuff, but it also lets me store some music on it so I don't need to run with a phone.

[-] Tangent5280@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

Which device do you own? Can you connect your watch to your earphones via bluetooth?

[-] abrer@lemmy.one 4 points 2 years ago

My Garmin Fenix 6 does this. Other models (forerunner, Enduro, etc) are also capable of pairing and streaming music to ear buds.

Here is their website filtering wearables with 'Music Storage'.

Desfit and DC rainmaker YT channels have some great reviews and dives into these products if you need more information. The Garmin website isn't bad either.

[-] calhoon2005@aussie.zone 3 points 2 years ago

Yeah. Bluetooth connection with forerunner 245 music

[-] LinusWorks4Mo@kbin.social 9 points 2 years ago

I think the biggest problem is strava and the subliminal pressure to impress. I cherish slow runs, in between fast ones, but rarely post anything on strava, only monster workouts if any

[-] marvinfreeman@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

I have my Strava set to private. I only make virtual races public.

But I am really only using Strava to collect data and pass that data on.

[-] ada 3 points 2 years ago

I'm old and I used to run at a sub elite level. My PBs are all behind me, which if nothing else, frees me from the pressure to impress random Strava users :)

[-] Obi@sopuli.xyz 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

And that's what everyone else does as well, thus warping everyone's perceptions and basically creating the same "Instagram life" issues but with sports, where you compare your worst to other's bests.

[-] Venutianxspring@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 years ago

I had that issue with Strava, especially coming back after an injury or hiatus. I just stopped checking the social aspect of it completely and just use it for tracking, though I use Garmin connect more for that now though.

[-] m750@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

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.

[-] greedytacothief@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

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.

[-] TheYang@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago

well, funny as I just got myself a smartwatch to help motivate myself and track myself.

For anyone privacy conscious I can recommend Gadgetbridge and the Amazfit Smartwatches btw, like 99% of features work, and the watch (or app) cannot send anything to a third party without you doing it manually.

this post was submitted on 17 Sep 2023
123 points (100.0% liked)

Running

2962 readers
1 users here now

A place for runners.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS