I have a Garmin Forerunner 405, which is a GPS-enabled sports watch and heart rate monitor. As I run (or bike), it tells me:
- my heart rate at any given time
- my average and max heart rate for any given session
- my pace at any given time
- my average and max pace for any given session
- my time
- how far I’ve gone
When I first purchased the Garmin, I was training for the Ocean Drive Marathon. At the time, I wanted a heart rate monitor and a watch that could calculate distance as I ran – rather than trying to figure out routes and distance before or after a run. What I didn’t realize when I purchased the Garmin was that its pacing information would ruin my running. I finally admitted this to myself yesterday.
Okay, “ruin” might be too strong. The garmin itself isn’t ruining my running–it’s what I’m doing with the garmin that’s causing the issue.
Don’t get me wrong, I still LOVE my garmin. It’s my buddy. When I’m done running or biking, it communicates with my computer, tells it all the juicy statistics: average heart rate, maximum heart rate, average pace, maximum pace, time, distance. This information is great to know once I’m finished.
The problem I’m having is with seeing those numbers as I run. Well, not all of the numbers, just the pace numbers. So, it’s my buddy, but it’s starting to butt into my business when I don’t want it too. Garmin is becoming a little too involved in my running life. I’ve become distracted from paying attention to how I feel inside, choosing instead to listen to a disembodied watch that doesn’t know as much as I do about myself.
Consider this scenario. I’m running, and I’m feeling great. It’s one of those glorious days where my legs are taking my body out for a road trip. The lungs are working beautifully, the legs feel alive, my brain is saying all systems are go. Pre-garmin, I would continue on this run, come home and then figure out what my average pace was. And, more cases than not, when I feel well, I run well. Any one moment in time might have been slower or faster than another, but overall the pacing works out to match my target number.
The post-garmin scenario has been different from the previous scene . Now, when I’m feeling good (or feeling bad), I look down at the garmin and see what the immediate pace is. Big mistake. If you know anything about GPS tracking, it’s accuracy is best over distance and time – rather than at any point in time. So, the immediate pace feedback is not always accurate. So, let’s say I’m feeling good, and I look down and see that the pace says 9:30. Now, I begin to think, “Wait! I’m feeling good. How come I’m going so slow?” What I don’t realize is that I’m probably averaging a faster pace (like an 8:30 which is my moderate pace), but for whatever reason (cloud cover, momentary slowing down, whatever) that pace at that point was reading 9:30. So, rather than sticking with my game plan–which in the past would have been if I’m feeling good, keep on trucking–I start to go faster, ignoring what my body is telling me. Then, this increased speed throws my rhythm off, which turns a good run into a bad one. And, then there’s psychological issue as I start to doubt myself – am I getting slower? am I not as effective as I was? Is my core going soft – is that the problem?
Or, is my garmin, and what I do with the garmin, the problem?
Consider another scenario. Let’s say I’m doing some speedwork, such as mile repeats. I’m running an 800, and I look down at my watch. The pace reads: 7:20. Wow! That’s pretty fast for me. So, I settle in. But, wait – it’s a speed repeat. I should get faster over time, right? I should be pushing each repeat at 90-95%. What if I could go faster? After all, 7:20 was a fast pace for me in April – might I not be faster now? Instead of listening to my body, I’m watching my watch and it doesn’t know how fast I could go – only I can feel that potential. But, if I settle in at a pace that is 5 or even 10 seconds slower that decision affects my future progress.
That’s a problem.
Does this situation mean that I’m throwing out my garmin? Hardly. It’s heart rate information is invaluable – especially for training longer distances, and the statistics it provides after the run are also valuable for analysis.
So, it’s time for a break, garmin – trust me, this will be as hard for me as it is for you, buddy. But, I’m not going to look at you for pace information while I’m running any more. This space will be good for us – really it will. Then, when I get home from each run, think of all the wonderful things you’ll have to tell me about my pace.
Tomorrow will be a test: Yasso 800s at the track.
