Too much tech?...

[Jell6]

I've noticed a bit of a worrying trend in a few posts recently.

Some people are focusing on what their tech is telling them, rather than what their bodies are. Of course most of us love our stats, run reports, step totals etc.

A few years ago we didn't have these products, and we just went out and did. If we felt out of breath we had a breather, we slowed down.

I think what I'm trying to say is if you don't feel unwell, you probably aren't.

There is quite a bit published about tech anxiety, it's a thing now.

Of course if you do actually feel unwell, seek medical advice, but don't take your cues from devices that aren't actually medical devices, they are at best, a rough gauge of how you are.

OK I've said it, I feel better for getting it out there. Have a great day everyone😊

[Hidden]

😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊Goldilocks style works well for me. Not too much, not too little but just enough 😃

[Jell6 Graduate10 in reply to Hidden]

Me too, and don't get me wrong I wouldn't be without mine, I'm just concerned that they can cause some people unnecessary worry.

[damienair Administrator]

I totally agree. People are putting too much faith in what their Tech is telling them. For Olympic athletes and top tier athletes it must be amazing. But for us tipping around parkrun, and the odd 10K road race and running for fun, we don't need it. I have a Garmin Forerunner 35 which I have dumbed down so as all it tells me is my average pace, distance and time. That's it. I don't need anything else. I still don't know anything about cadence etc. Smart watches are good for keeping to a target pace and logging runs. But at our level that is all that they are really any good for. They are definitely not medical devices and the HR Monitor is no substitute for a 12 lead ECG.

Damien

[Jell6 Graduate10 in reply to damienair]

😊 thanks for this reply damienair , I realise this isn't the type of post we usually get here, and is likely to be greeted with the same sort of silence that happens when you're in a room and someone accidentally blurts out a family secret, but nevertheless I wanted to say it.

[RunaroundSue Graduate10 in reply to damienair]

Same here,except sometimes I don't bother looking at pace. I just need my distance and time for my spreadsheet - and that is more because I like spreadsheets than anything else.

[61Lady Graduate10]

Thanks for this - all I have is distance and time which suits me fine. I switched the cadence feedback off on MapMyRun long ago because it did exactly what you are saying ... made me anxious. I was considering buying some kind of heart rate tracker but now decided against it. I think it will be much more healthy for me if I learn to listen to my body and adjust accordingly.

[RunaroundSue Graduate10 in reply to 61Lady]

My watch came with a tracker band. I sold it on ebay, unused. I run because I enjoy it, not because of the numbers

[Jell6 Graduate10 in reply to RunaroundSue]

Exactly!, I dare say someone got a bargain though.

[RunaroundSue Graduate10 in reply to Jell6]

It was a bit strange. At first I put it on at the price recommended by ebay, but there was no interest at all, then I put it to auction and got about three times the original price!

Still a bargain though. I was more concerned about it going to waste than making a load of money

[Jell6 Graduate10 in reply to RunaroundSue]

I'd call that a good result 😊

[Jell6 Graduate10 in reply to 61Lady]

Sounds like you have what you need😊

[SueAppleRun Graduate10 60minGraduate]

I love my Garmin and pour over heart rates and pace when i get home but I’m happy just to run and listen to music and be one of the slowest here,it’s still running Good to have it pointed out though

[Jell6 Graduate10 in reply to SueAppleRun]

I quite like my versa 2 too, that said I don't focus much on the figures, I am mainly using it to try to do most of my runs in the cardio zone (and probably don't actually need a device to tell me that)

[Maz1103 Graduate10]

You're right and I am guilty of it I know. Too much info that is "unfiltered" can cause anxiety. Alot to be said for being blissfully ignorant 🙄

[Jell6 Graduate10 in reply to Maz1103]

They have their roles but can't accurately monitor your health, I think most of them tell you this in the small print.Like I said, if you feel ok, you probably are 😊

[Roxdog Graduate10]

I'm rather relieved to read this post as a non- tech runner who is a bit anxious because I won't use tech, apart from to track my pace and distance when I feel like it. Not having a Garmin, I feel a bit of an oddity!

[Jell6 Graduate10 in reply to Roxdog]

There's a lot to be said for tech freedom!

[Cmoi Graduate10 in reply to Roxdog]

Roxdog , I'm also still a Garmin-free zone and feel like a cheat, because of reading posts that tell me how unreliable Strava is. So much so that I've actually looked at contours on the local map and checked distances in my car to see if they match what Strava's telling me. This is completely ridiculous - I mean, I'm 60, I should know better! 🙃

[Roxdog Graduate10 in reply to Cmoi]

Oh I just trust Strava! I've posted before about whether I need to track heart rate etc and have come down on the side of instinct!I was talking with my father, who ran until he was about 80 and he is bewildered by my chat about running firm and stats. He said he just used to go out twice a week and run about 5 miles. No kit, no tech, he just did it and he is now 88 with the constitution of an ox!

[Johnnylewis Graduate10]

What a post. Never truer words said. My watch is used for time and distance and digaltising my work. I've only started using it for training zones. I know it's not 100% accurate but it does give you a rough idea. There is nothing better than just hitting go and forgetting about it till you have to hit stop.

Stark reality is that at we really don't need these things. We can judge it ourselves. They are us full but we have to trust what our bodies say to

[Jell6 Graduate10 in reply to Johnnylewis]

Yes Johnnylewis zones!, now that is where mine has actually made a difference. Since trying this I have significantly increased my running distance, that's probably been the best feature on it. I could get most everything else off Strava!

[cheekychipmunks Graduate10]

Spot on Jell. 🥰

[Jell6 Graduate10 in reply to cheekychipmunks]

I imagine there would be quite a battle separating you from your Garmin though cheeky!

[cheekychipmunks Graduate10 in reply to Jell6]

Sssshhh Jell, tell no one! 😅

[Jell6 Graduate10 in reply to cheekychipmunks]

🤐

[Dexy5 Graduate10]

I remember the first time I ran with my garmin at parkrun, the HR alert kept going off so I posted it in the forum. The overall response was switch it off, ignore it. How right they were, I switched it off immediately, and listen to my heart not my watch. I do love looking at the stats though.

[Jell6 Graduate10 in reply to Dexy5]

I don't have any alerts set up on mine, not even sure if it has that function! (Versa2)and I also like to see if there are any differences in my stats from run to run. My reason for posting was really to address the fact that they are causing some people anxiety and to highlight the fact that they aren't medical devices.Used as you use yours is pretty much how they should be used I think 😊

[Dexy5 Graduate10 in reply to Jell6]

😊I completely agree. The VO2 max is really baffling. How can a watch measure lung capacity?

[Jell6 Graduate10 in reply to Dexy5]

Well...it can't, not really. Some watches, ,(Apple I think) are introducing ecg technology and will notify you if you have an irregular heart rhythm. Imagine what concerns that's going to cause...

[Roxdog Graduate10 in reply to Jell6]

😱

[nowster Graduate10]

I use the watch for timing or distance, and to record the run for later analysis (which I already did on my phone using FitoTrack). It doesn't rule me. When I'm running I totally ignore the HR alerts and pace readings, going instead on how I perceive the effort.

[Jell6 Graduate10 in reply to nowster]

The damn things do try to rule us though, get up and move, have a drink, have you eaten yet? And yes far better to pay attention to how you actually feel !

[dijep Graduate10]

Great Post. If I believed my Garmin VO2 max reading then at my fitness age I gave birth when I was 6! 😂🤣 makes me laugh whenever I check it though x

[Jell6 Graduate10 in reply to dijep]

🤣 That made me laugh!