By Coach Adolfo Salgueiro

As I write the title of this blog post, I feel like the answer to such silly questions is, \”Duh! Of course, I should run with a GPS watch. How Am I going to know what I\’m doing if I don\’t.\” Yet, there is a reason why I chose this topic for this week\’s post. The answer is not so simple.

For a few hundred bucks we have more computing power on our wrists thatn what NASA had to land Apollo 11. Let’s use it wisely (Image by WIndows Copilot)

Our GPS Watches, generically called Garmin as it is the dominant brand in the market, are nowadays as ubiquitous as our smartphones. They are an extension of our smartphones, and they can\’t work if they are not paired with them.

I\’ve written before about not letting our watches become the directors of our runs instead of the recording devices. Also, about the data overload ruining our experience. But this is about what type of runner may benefit or be affected by the use of a GPS device on their wrist.

You should use a GPS Watch if:

► you understand the data you are looking at and know what to do about it should it need adjustment in the middle of the run. Worrying about your right foot oscillation or maximum power is futile if you don\’t know what it means, let alone how to fix it or if it even needs fixing.

► you are running on perceived effort. The pace and all the stats will be the result of how hard you are running, not the other way around. With time, the data will allow you to measure progress.

► the first thought when you check your metrics in mid-run is, \”How does this reconcile with my running plan for today?\” instead of, \”Wait until my friends see this posted in my social media feeds\”.

► you can complete an entire easy run without looking at your watch once, regardless of how many times it beeped to let you know data was available. An easy run is about putting in some easy effort miles (hence the name) regardless of your pace.

► your self-worth as a runner or as a person is not linked to the number of marathons you ran, your weekly mileage or your average pace.

► you can maintain your running as your primary focus while receiving feedback from your watch. If the feedback impairs your brain function, makes you wish you were a mathematician or makes you unable to enjoy what you are doing, it may be time to give it a break.

There is no need to connect all this stuff to your wrist when you are running (Photo: Obsahovka Obsahovka, Pexels)

You should ditch the GPS Watch if:

► knowing your pace is a few seconds off makes you anxious. Sure, we all want to hit specific paces and at certain times. But if running that split in 2:02 instead of 2:00 feels like the end of the world, you are better off running watchless.

► you feel the need to stop your watch at a traffic light, or a water stop, or to tie your shoe because it will ruin your averages. Races don\’t stop the clocks when you stop at the port-a-potty. The stoppage is part of the deal. It doesn\’t matter if it adds a couple of seconds per mile.

► you see your splits, and the thought of seeing it published on Strava for the world to see worries you to the point that you must make up for it. Especially on training runs.

► you feel dodging traffic at an intersection or beating a freight train to avoid extra time is a risk worth taking.

► your need for hyper connection to the world is so endemic that your watch constantly beeps with texts and emails, and you just can\’t not check them.

I am not advocating against the GPS watch. I am advocating against it ruling our running. We don\’t need another smartphone-type device sucking the joy of something we love and controlling our lives. We are not professional runners. We run because we want to, and if the GPS watch is hindering such enjoyment, why allow it?

The physiological benefits of your training will be realized whether the mileage is posted on Instagram or not. It is not like that last 20-miler won\’t help you on the marathon because it doesn\’t show on Strava. You can also apply a revolutionary concept: keep the watch running and not look at it. Then you can analyze the data later instead of during. What a revolutionary concept!

A GPS Watch is an extraordinary tool. One that, for a few hundred bucks, provides you with more computing power than what NASA had at its disposal to land Apollo 11 on the Moon. If you can use it as a collector of data to be analyzed at the appropriate time so you can become a better runner, go for it! If not, then rethink its use.

Please like this post and share any recommendations from your previous experiences in the box below. Let\’s build a community of informed and prepared runners.