Lately I've let my Garmin Forerunner 620HRM been lying on my desk all drained out of batteries. Why? Wearing it makes me focus on the wrong things. It has made me forget about what I really like about running. The aspects of just running without knowing for how long and where and how fast. It prevented me from exploring new territory and following new paths. I also feel that my mind doesn't get as cleared and relaxed as it does when running without paying attention to the running data. And finally, it kept me from not paying attention to the beautiful nature here in Sweden.
It all started with me not liking the Garmin Connect experience. The fact that it lost all my sync data once does not help either. Then this winter I started to exercise on a gym. Running on the treadmill, rowing, lifting weights; all just to keep the shape during winters and be prepared for the running season. The season came, and I had my watch and heart rate meter hooked up and started to take a few runs. But something was annoying me.
I realized I had forgotten how much I liked just being out running. Not focusing or knowing of time, pace, heart rate, distance etc. But instead focusing on me and the nature. Letting myself take new paths and exploring instead of just sticking to one of the three variations I usually stick to. I missed me paying attention to the forest, ocean and animals. I live in the archipelago. Every minute here brings so much energy if you pay attention to it, instead of ensuring you are "on track" hunting the next goal of running faster or longer.
I do understand that I most likely will degrade in pace, and I do understand that many people benefit from it as some sort of motivator. But for me running was initially about the run, not the running in it self. Well, actually, in my mind I thought it always was. But the analytical possibilities that a running watch brings, got me hooked and I started to focus on numbers instead of "the run".
No more. Time to start paying attention to my mind and sole again. Maybe I will revert back someday, to start tracking my data. I sure hope not. If I do, please be so kind to remind me about this post.
Cheers,
//Daniel