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Ditch the Fitbit and listen to yourself to get the most out of your run, say experts
Tracking your runs with a GPS device such as a Fitbit or your smartphone taps into the brains reward system, but ditching the tech altogether brings you back to the essence of running. The question you have to ask yourself is: Why are you running in the first place?
Running isnt for everyone, but there are changes we can make to maximize the potential enjoyment we can get out of it. This could be something as simple as taking part in a timed race, or blocking out the pressure to run quickly in favor of going at your own pace, even if its ridiculously slow. Well, in case you needed to hear it, Id like to make a pitch for leaving your GPS tracker at home, and ignoring anyone who says you simply must use Strava.
These days, youre weird if you dont track your fitness data
Most of the regular runners I know track their runs. Some do it more than others, but the vast majority use some sort of GPS tracking device. If you gave me a penny for every time someone had encouraged me to download a fitness tracker app, Id have at least twelve pennies.
They record their routes, keep a note of distances logged, compare their speeds across different runs, and aim to improve upon their personal bests on routes of various lengths. I’m not saying this doesn’t work for some people.
Apps like Strava even have leaderboards for specific routes sometimes very short ones. These enable users to compare their times with other runners in the area, and, presumably, connect digitally with them.
But what if you could find the motivation to improve without having to log every effort into a device?�
Tracking fitness data taps into the brains reward system, says Jim Richard. Hes a certified personal trainer and AI fitness specialist with skepticism towards consigning too much of that reward system to our smartphones. But it’s not all sunshine and roses.
Its easy to become fixated on numbers and lose sight of the actual joy of running, he says. Instead of tuning into how your body feels, you can end up chasing stats, which can undermine the mental benefits exercise provides.
Why ditching the data can be powerful
Running without GPS and relying, instead, on a pacesetter �as I did once, a week or two ago brings you back to the essence of running, Jim told me. But you don’t need a pacesetter to run without the aid of an app.
By stepping away from technology, youre allowing yourself to fully experience the run to be more present and tune in to your body. Were constantly bombarded by screens and stats nowadays, so this raw method offers a refreshing escape, reducing the risk of burnout and mental fatigue.
He calls it an intuitive approach, as opposed to one that finds motivation and fulfillment in the collection of data.
For those wanting to step outside their usual patterns, Jim has a few suggestions for alternative approaches:
- Tech-free days: Running without devices.
- Perceived effort runs: Running based on how your body feels.
- Mindfulness runs: Focusing on your breath or surroundings.
- Social runs: Running with others to shift focus from performance to shared experience.
Your body tells you how well youre doing
Psychotherapist and former extreme athlete Dr Lincoln Stoller (of Mind Strength Balance) says tracking devices are coping strategies, not tools of empowerment. �
Over time, he argues, people who learn to rely on measurement devices have difficulty developing the ability to sense and regulate themselves. If you run to win, then you’re running against your body. If you run to improve yourself, then you’re running with your body. In that case, it’s your body that tells you how well you’re doing.
If your performance, week on week, is inconsistent, thats as it should be. Why? Your performance will change with your mood, the weather, your sleep, and your diet, Dr Stoller says. Thats totally normal.
Coming into synchrony with yourself leads to an entirely different state of mind than winning the race or beating your best time. It depends on what you want to become, enlightened or addicted.
Anecdotally, I prefer to forgo the app-based running experience. I run when I feel like it, and at a pace that feels right. If I get to the end of a run and want to know how fast I was, I’ll do a rough calculation using a map app to work out my distance. But I do this after the fact, which is important for me.
This doesn’t suit everyone, and I appreciate that. However, let the opinions of those quoted here be food for thought for your next excursion.
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