I have recently in the last few months adopted a very free approach to running. By this I mean I run naked. By running naked I mean I refrain from devices when I run. Yes, I still run with cloths on, and I plan to continue that, but I try to back away from electronic devices when I run.
Background Info: For a guy like me to banish technology from anything I do is a huge thing. I am a technology integration coordinator for a school district. My sole job is trying to get people to realize how much technology can improve and impact what they do. I used to run with my smart phone as my mapmyrun app would run and calculate distance, time, pace, calories burned, speed, route, etc. I have friends who run with watches that do all sorts of fancy things. I have friends who run with stop watches. I have friends who run with music. For me, I run without any of this.
One day I was running and found that I was spending too much time focusing on how fast I was going, how far I was going, and at what pace. I started to get annoyed because I was inconsistent and I wasn't actually paying any attention to what mattered most, my body. Nine times out of ten, now, I lace up my running shoes, walk out the door and just go. No distractions, just me, my shoes, and the open road. I am able to focus on me, not on what song will come next, when I'll hit the next mile, or what my pace is. The bottom line is, I run based on how I feel. If I can speed up, I will. If I have to slow down, I do.
The only time I ever use a stop watch is when I am on the track doing speed work, and even then I hold back here and there and just try to run fast. You might be asking, what about pace? I still focus on pace work, but as I run more, my body has learned what a 6 minute mile feels like, and this works for a lot of my pace. This post is not to say I condemn technology for runners, but it is an added stress, I believe. I will use things every once in awhile, but I don't rely on it. Some of my night runs I will ditch the head lamp and run in the dark. I feel as a runner it is important to be in tune with the body, and when you have to focus on ten other things while you are running it takes away from this. I also like to enjoy my runs and take in the scenery. Fort Dodge does not have a lot to offer in this department, but every once in awhile I will see some wildlife and it is kind of cool to take that in.
I challenge you to drop the devices, walk out the door and just run. Care free. You can actually go run, then map what you ran later if you are worried about distance (this is what I do, since I like to log my miles). Try running without music and start focusing on the outside.
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