I think I might be counting. In fact, I think I might be obsessed with counting.
How fast am I going? How far have I gone? What time is it? How far do I have to go yet? And then, when my run is over…how did that compare to last time? How far did I run this month? How many times did I run? How many kms will I get in before the end of the month? What’s my pace trend?
Obsessing over my numbers is how I figured out that the personal record (PR) for 10K that I posted recently was wrong. That time, 1:11, was for nine kms, not 10. My actual PR for 10K is 1:17 and I set it yesterday.
I set a bunch of records yesterday. Farthest run (11K). Most calories burned (1,122). Longest run (1:25:50). Fastest mile (11:32). And fastest 10K.
For most non-beginner runners, these numbers aren’t at all impressive. For me, they are a very important inspiration. Some days it’s tough to get out there. On those days, I remind myself that if nothing else, I can try to set a new record of some kind. Or, when my run is going well, I’ll be inspired to kick it up a notch to beat an old record.
It’s likely that you’re running with some kind of device, whether it’s your phone, iPod or a GPS watch. I run with a Nike+ SportWatch. This is what yesterday looked like:
My latest run displayed on nikeplus.com
This made me happy to look at after an effort I wouldn’t have guessed I was capable of making.
If you haven’t yet tried a running app, you can find some reviews here and here. A note of caution here: these apps rely on your phone’s GPS, which can be notoriously inaccurate. Last week Brad’s Blackberry told him that he ran 5K, but when we mapped out his run, it turns out that he ran about 3K.
If accuracy is what you’re looking for, you might consider a GPS watch. Here and here are some reviews. Already using one of these? How’s it working for you?
If you try something out for the first time, come back and tell us what you think.
I apologize in advance if you get hooked on numbers. Or maybe not. On some days, the numbers are what might keep you going!
