Are You Running… or Just Obeying Your Watch?
Rethinking Your Relationship With Data, Pace & Performance
Every runner knows this feeling:
You head out for an easy run…but your watch tells you you’re “too slow.”
So you speed up.
Your heart rate climbs.
The run drifts out of “easy” territory… and suddenly, you’re following data instead of listening to your body.
Sports watches can sharpen your training — or quietly sabotage it.
It all depends on how you use them.
Let’s break down when your watch helps, when it hurts, and how to build a healthier relationship with running data.
Q: What Do Watches Actually Do Well?
A: Heaps — when you use them on purpose, not out of habit.
Here’s where GPS watches shine:
Accurate pace + distance tracking
Reliable heart rate data
Elevation stats for hills or trails
Session timing for intervals
Goal progress tracking
Structured training feedback
A 2020 review in the Journal of Sports Sciences found that objective pacing feedback improves performance in trained runners.
So yes — watches can absolutely make you better.
But there’s a flip side…
And it’s where many runners unknowingly sabotage their progress.
Q: How Can Too Much Data Actually Hurt Your Running?
A: Data changes your behaviour — often in the wrong direction.
Research shows that wearable tech can increase anxiety, decrease enjoyment, and reduce intrinsic motivation.
A 2019 study in Behavioral Medicine found higher stress and lower satisfaction in athletes who fixate on biometric feedback.
It shows up as:
Running easy days too fast
Ignoring fatigue because “the pace looks fine”
Comparing every run to the last
Feeling guilty for slow paces
Judging yourself instead of training by feel
Losing the joy that brought you to running in the first place
When data overrides intuition, performance suffers — not improves.
Q: So When Should You Keep the Watch On?
A: When precision matters. Period.
Keep your watch for:
1. Race Preparation
Paces, splits, and heart rate zones matter here.
2. Interval / Speed Work
You need accuracy to hit targets.
3. Hilly or Elevation-Based Sessions
Elevation gain tracking matters for training adaptation.
4. Long Runs With Specific Structure
If it’s a prescribed session — the watch can guide you.
These are the moments where data supports your goal instead of distracting you from it.
Q: When Should You Leave the Watch Behind?
A: More often than you think — especially if you want long-term progress.
Take it off for:
1. Easy Runs
Your body dictates the pace, not the display.
Studies show that training by feel enhances emotional regulation and reduces burnout (Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 2021).
2. Long Slow Runs (LSRs)
These sessions develop stamina, not speed.
You don’t need pressure here.
3. Trail Runs Without Elevation Targets
You’re meant to experience the environment, not chase a number.
4. Recovery Days
Numbers encourage judgement — recovery requires the opposite.
5. Mental Reset Runs
These runs are for the soul, not the stats.
Watch-free running often becomes the most enjoyable running in a runner’s week — and enjoyment is a performance multiplier.
Q: What Actually Changes When You Run Without Data?
A: You sharpen the two skills that make you a better athlete: effort and awareness.
Going watch-free teaches you to tune into:
Breath rate
Stride rhythm
Heart rate drift
Fatigue cues
Hydration signs
Stress levels
Emotional state
A 2021 Sports Medicine review found that athletes who develop strong internal pacing make fewer pacing errors and experience lower injury rates.
This is where long-term performance lives.
When you trust your body more, your body performs better.
The Balanced Runner’s Blueprint
The sweet spot between intuition and data.
A simple structure that works incredibly well:
Watch ON: 2–3 focused sessions per week
Watch OFF: Everything else
This restores:
Joy
Confidence
Intuition
Longevity
Mental clarity
Emotional resilience
It makes you faster because you train smarter — not harder.
Your Move
Q: Does your watch still run the show?
Let me know in the comments — I’d love to hear how you navigate it.
Yours in running and life,
Daniel Lucchini
References
Ulmer, H. V. (1996). Concept of an extracellular regulation of muscular metabolic rate during heavy exercise in humans by psychophysiological mechanisms. European Journal of Applied Physiology.
Van Rinsvelt, R., et al. (2019). Effects of attentional focus on running economy: A meta-analysis. Journal of Sports Sciences.
Brick, N., MacIntyre, T., & Campbell, M. (2014). Attentional focus in endurance activity: New paradigms and future directions. Psychology of Sport & Exercise.
Schücker, L., Hagemann, N., & Strauss, B. (2009). The influence of auditory feedback on pacing behavior and perceived exertion in running. International Journal of Sports Psychology.
Azevedo, L. B., et al. (2016). Feedback timing and pacing accuracy in endurance running. Journal of Sports Sciences.
Coutts, A. J., & Wallace, L. (2007). Monitoring athlete training loads. Sports Medicine.