Mary Johnson ran her first marathon in 2010, wearing a simple watch that only tracked the time. A couple years later, hoping to qualify for the Boston Marathon, she started using a GPS watch, which allowed her to closely track her paces and other metrics.<\/p>\n
She soon locked in on a training pace to meet her goal, but she often ran faster on many of her runs.<\/p>\n
\u201cI became consumed by the numbers on my watch,\u201d said Ms. Johnson, 39. \u201cEvery run became a race, and all my easy runs were too fast.\u201d While she did qualify for Boston, she also ended up with a stress fracture.<\/p>\n
Ms. Johnson, who is now a running coach, said that by focusing too much on the data, she tuned out the signals from her body that could have told her she was overdoing it.<\/p>\n
After returning from two injuries \u2014 and then two pregnancies \u2014 she dusted off her old watch and began training more simply again. She stayed healthier and met race goals, too, setting new personal bests in the 5K and 10K in the ensuing months.<\/p>\n
Modern running watches and fitness trackers can be wonderful tools, making it easy to analyze metrics like pace, distance, heart rate and more. But all that data can lead some runners to fixate on their stats, which can be counterproductive. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt can easily become paralysis by analysis,\u201d said Mario Fraioli, a running coach in the Bay Area who works with athletes of all levels. \u201cThere\u2019s an overwhelming amount of data, and people don\u2019t know how to make sense of it or have a healthy relationship with it.\u201d<\/p>\n
You don\u2019t need to ditch your watch entirely, but if you\u2019re new to running and want to get the most out of it \u2014 or if you\u2019re more seasoned and want to improve \u2014 it can be worthwhile to get comfortable leaving it behind.<\/p>\n
Choose your data points carefully.<\/p>\n
Running, at its core, is a straightforward sport: You need a pair of shoes and a place to put one foot in front of the other.<\/p>\n
For the casual runner, Mr. Fraioli said, the most important data points to track are the frequency of runs, weekly mileage and how hard each run felt.<\/p>\n
Metrics like sleep tracking can be a distraction and hold you back, Mr. Fraioli said. If your sleep score says you haven\u2019t recovered enough to work out, you may opt out of a run, even if you actually feel rested.<\/p>\n
Remember that data for any single day can be inaccurate. Look for trends over time instead, such as over a week.<\/p>\n
A coach or trainer<\/a> can also help guide you on which metrics to pay attention to, said Dr. Zachary Crockett, who recently completed his residency at Harvard Medical School and has studied<\/a> the relationship between the use of running technology and injuries.<\/p>\n Pay attention to your body.<\/p>\n The most important data comes from your own legs, lungs and mind, the coaches said, but understanding them takes time and practice. A few simple techniques can help you tune in.<\/p>\n The first is known as the talk test. \u201cIf you\u2019re doing a hard workout<\/a>, you shouldn\u2019t be able to say more than one or two words,\u201d Mr. Fraioli said. On a longer run, he added, \u201cyou should be able to get in two or three sentences before catching your breath.\u201d<\/p>\n You can also try rating your effort level on a scale of one to 10, from easiest to hardest, known as the rate of perceived exertion<\/a>. Aim for a four or five on your easier runs. For tougher runs, target around seven to nine. A 10 would be an all-out sprint that you could sustain for only a few seconds.<\/p>\n As you experiment with these techniques, try leaving your watch at home \u2014 or wear it but don\u2019t look at the paces until afterward, so you can understand how different speeds line up with your sense of effort. (If you\u2019re too tempted to look, you can change the settings to track only elapsed time.)<\/p>\n Before long, you will be able to distinguish between easy and hard efforts without needing a watch to tell you the difference.<\/p>\n Write it down.<\/p>\n Keeping a simple training log \u2014 using a spreadsheet or pen and paper \u2014 can help you reflect on your progress and identify trends. After each workout, record a few notes about how you felt before, during and afterward.<\/p>\n Revisit your notes and training log weekly, looking at three categories, Mr. Fraioli said.<\/p>\n First is energy level. If you noticed your legs felt slow and sluggish or you struggled to get moving, note it. If the trend continues another couple of days, consider taking a rest day<\/a> or running at an easier pace for a few days.<\/p>\n The second is aches and pains. Maybe you noticed a niggle in your foot. If that continues for a few days, take a day or two off, try running again to see if the pain is lingering. If it is, you also then have a record of when that pain started to share with a doctor or physical therapist<\/a>.<\/p>\n