Why I Don’t Track My Runs
Two things I love about myself are that I am obsessive and overly competitive. These two traits fuel the drive I have that has propelled me to follow through with training and competing in a powerlifting meet, earning a master’s degree, and running marathons.
I believe these two traits are helping me build The Better Coach. In fact, The Better Coach would not be called The Better Coach if it were not for my competitiveness. My AOL screen name growing up was TheBetterAsch, which is where The Better Coach comes from.
There was a time when being obsessive and competitive did me more harm than good (if you have not read my Recovery Warrior articles, I talk about that more here and here). I have since learned to use them as superpowers, and I have pride in the fact that I always give 100% in everything I do.
A few years after I ran marathons, I had taken some time off from running and wanted to get back into it. But I knew myself, and I knew that I did not want to be as all-consumed as I was when I was training. Sometimes, being obsessed can be helpful, but at this time, I just wanted to enjoy running without that part.
I decided that I would go out for a run, but I was not going to time it.
For some people, like myself at the time, this was a scary thought. But believe you me, it was one of the best ideas I’ve ever had.
Since then, I usually will either time or track my runs. So, if I want to run 3 miles, I will run 3 miles (I usually use https://www.mapmyrun.com/us/). If I want to run for 40 minutes, I will get my watch (that is purposely only a watch and stopwatch - no calories, no heart rate*, no distance, no nothing) and I will run for 40 minutes.
It’s okay if I run for a little over or under those times and distances, too.
This was not easy at first, and it felt awkward and uncomfortable.
Today, it is just what I do.
Today, I know about how long it takes for me to run a mile, but I don’t obsess over it. I don’t have to know that I ran a few miles a few tenths of a second more or less than yesterday.
I just run some miles. And I enjoy it.
I challenge you to try it. It might be scary at first. That’s okay.
Let me know how it goes!
*Heart rate training can be a great tool, but not for the purpose of this article.
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