Do you run without a watch?

NO watch. Why bother? I know the distances of all my routes and that's what goes in the training log.

i only use a watch to keep my watch-tan going for most runs

Stopped wearing a watch quite some time ago. For races I wear a watch though. I learned that if I run by feel that works best for me.

I think there is value in running without a watch sometimes. After I recovered from knee surgery, I didn't wear a watch for a while during runs because I didn't want to feel discouraged. After a few months, I was setting PRs in road races and a marathon, without a watch.

I wear one on every run but hardly ever look at it on easy runs until after the run is over.

Nutella1 wrote:

I learned that if I run by feel that works best for me.

Totally agree with this. Tempo's I normally do, but usually I will check the clock on my coffee maker before I leave and check it when I get in to get an approximate. That works for me.

Well, our program is based on time.

35 minutes AM / 75 minutes PM for instance.

So, I always wear a watch. I think a bigger problem is always trying to run certain mileage to hit mileage goals. I have no idea how much I run a week but it might be 95 to 110. Who knows?

Pick your vice:

Watch nerd or route nerd. I know very few people who actually just go out and run until they feel tired. It's a big Forrest Gumpy

I run without it. I know how far my routes are, unless I do the odd off-road run now and then, and have found I do just fine. I generally just track my weekly mileage out of habit at this point in life: i.e. no more sub-6-pace will occur unless I'm going downhill. LOL.

If I have a family situation that requires I need to be home by a certain time, I MIGHT wear one, but otherwise I'm perfectly happy to go without.

I was looking as some Olde Tyme running photos and notices lots of competitors didn't bother. If they didn't need a watch neither do I.

Keep it simple.

I wear a watch for all my training runs. I go by time. However I don't race with a watch and I try to avoid looking at the clock as much as possible for races longer than 5000.

bump

Yank wrote:

Anyone else run watchless for this reason or something similar?

Yeah I have, but I feel lost with out it--you know like a security blanket.

It depends- if I knew the distance of a loop, I don't bother with a watch. If I'm exploring or running for time, I wear a watch to make sure 60min doesn't turn into 1:45.

I also usually wear a watch during fartlek workouts.

Running without a watch is a hindrance to improving. Without it, we are tempted to relax into a very slow and comfortable pace, but the secret to running FAST is breaking out of our comfort zones and training the body to surpass its previous levels of accomodation.

Hard days hard, easy days easy, medium days medium. Didn't know that was a secret!

wccelder wrote:

Nutella1 wrote:

I learned that if I run by feel that works best for me.

Totally agree with this. Tempo's I normally do, but usually I will check the clock on my coffee maker before I leave and check it when I get in to get an approximate. That works for me.

Why can't you run by feel if you're wearing a watch? I use a forerunner and I still run by feel. Some miles will be 7:45. If I'm real tired I might have a high 8 minute mile, low 9 min mile in there.

Wearing a watch is no excuse for not running by feel.

No watch for me, I don't worry about my times any longer.

As someone posts here: Just run baby.

I tend to glance at the clock before and after I run. If I wanna know exactly how fast I was going on average I go on mapmyrun.

I don't wear one. I'm not doing any very serious training these days, and I have more fun without the watch. Even when I do serious training, I don't wear a watch on easy days. If I wear a watch I inevitably go balls to the wall. I know roughly how far my course are and take a sort of "close enough for government work" attitude towards mileage.