Running Naked

Not that kind of naked...I'm talking about running without my Garmin!  (GASP!!)

After "the" race was over and Dwayne and I were back in the condo...I couldn't sleep.  You'd think after being up about 21 hours by the time we got back and having been swimming, biking and running for about 16.5 of those hours, that sleeping wouldn't have been a problem.  I don't know if it was all the Coke I drank on the marathon course (I am NOT a caffeine drinker)...or the simple fact I had just completed the hardest thing I've ever done in my life...but I just wasn't sleepy.  So I did what pretty much every data-junkie I know would do, I pulled out my Garmin and started looking through my splits!  In hindsight I wish I had downloaded it right then.  Instead I just started going through the data on the watch.

I think that's when IT happened.  The watch sounded a long sustained BEEEEEEP and, after what felt like forever, it showed me the information I wanted.  WHEW, I was afraid that BEEEEEP was a bad thing.  The main thing I wanted to know was what my max speed was, but that appeared to be in kilometers per hour (strange...).  I might have been awake, but I was NOT able to figure out math at that point.  I decided to charge the battery since it had been on for almost the whole time I was, so I put it on the charger, and started reading ("Training and Racing With A Power Meter"...you might think that would put me to sleep, but it's actually a really great book.  No, not in the "popular" sense of the word but in the "everything-you-wanted-to-know-about-training-and-racing-with-power" kind of way!)

Fast forward to the next day when I tried to upload my data...the watch looked like it was connecting and my computer looked like it was receiving data-and then the watch went dead.  I freaked out, turned it back on, found the race data, clicked on "more data" (or whatever it says to show splits)...and --BEEEEEEEEEEP...then data appeared.  Tried to sync and it went dead.  I did this about three times and gave up resolving to call Garmin when I got back home.

Well....long story short...I was not able to download my data, and I'm having to send the watch in to be replaced.  I was able to write down all the information the screens offered for every split of the race (thankfully I had it set to auto-lap every mile)...but 16.5 hours of data, which had to be in the watch because I could look at it, was locked in there.  (sad day)

Now...the sad truth is I have two other GPS watches (a Forerunner 405 and a Timex Global Trainer) but I have decided to run naked until my 910 is returned to me.  I realized I am seriously addicted to data.  I pour over it after workouts, analyze it, evaluate it, base my pleasure with the workout on it, and obsess over it MUCH more than is useful or even healthy.

The first run was very hard.  I kept wondering "how fast am I going?" "I wonder what my heart rate is?" "how many miles have I gone?".  But, the second run was AMAZING, until I was done and thought "that had to be a PR on that course...but I'll never know because I don't have a WATCH on!".  I stopped myself and said, "NO...that run was still AMAZING, no matter what the time was!"  Then...I got in the pool.  Although there is a timer on deck--I can't SEE it with my goggles on.  I had to make myself JUST SWIM without wondering how fast I was going.  I was thankful to run with some gals today who had watches so my thoughts on our pace could be verified.  I have to admit, when I finished up ALL of these workouts, I actually went to hit the stop button on my naked wrist!

It's taking some getting used to, but I think I like running naked.  ...but don't think for one minute this will be a habit I'll keep!!  In fact, the 405 is on the charger as I type.  I have a race tomorrow after all!  :D

Thanks for stopping in, come back soon...I'm working on a slide show of Lake Tahoe photos!  :D