Running on feel: Can running without a watch make you a faster, happier runner?

[@Manvmiles]

Have you ever tried running and racing without looking at your watch? How did you find it? Would you ever run your A race only on feel?

[@andrewfinnerty9461]

Ran on feel last night mainly as it was too dark to see my Garmin! I was leading a 7:30 mins per mile 5k group at Runhead AC and I came in at exactly 7:30 average pace! Going to try it at my next parkrun and see how I go.

[@Manvmiles]

Nicely done Andy. Would love to hear how you get on at parkrun.

[@brianoleary4425]

Ran my last half marathon on feel. Left my watch at home. Felt I was in 1:47 shape and I did 1:43. Definitely my most enjoyable race ever. Way less stressful. I walked the water stations for 30 seconds, it was hot and felt good knowing I’d have a short break every 5k or so. Tomorrow is my A race and I’m doing the same…..

[@hwjgage]

I've been running "by feel" for years and it suites me well. Haven't worn a watch since 2018. I take my phone and track using strava but because it's in a spibelt I can't see the data. I transfer everything to a spreadsheet and include weather conditions (inc. wind and temp) and sleep data from the night before. Competitively I mainly run 50k and 100k, also without a watch. The last 20k on a 100k are always brutal but a watch probably wouldn't change that. I've run my best 50k time watchless. Very occasionally I'll listen to my splits via earbuds just so I can train myself to feel the effort required for a given pace over a given distance. I don't feel any pressure. Running is a pleasure. My aim for any training program is to set a target for the race and train in a way that allows me to know what it feels like to achieve that and whether it is doable. The only downside of running without a watch is battery life on my phone - I just carry a spare battery, and if that doesn't work, they're always the chip time. I usually place in the top 5-10% so I don't think watchless running impacts my competitive edge - maybe that will change with time. Thanks for a very interesting video.

[@andrewwright3676]

Hi Kieran, for all my long runs I do not even wear my watch. I know the distance and route. I listen to my body listen to music at the right tempo and enjoy running.

[@Manvmiles]

I'm starting to realise this is the best way.

[@aliasgharkhoyee9501]

100%. I got my 5k PB when I didn't look at my watch.

[@jh230377]

3:01:21 on feel alone is brilliant. Going to try this definitely. 👍

[@Manvmiles]

It’s worked really well for me.

[@SuperTreybo]

Good video manvmiles! I absolutely agree! Ever since I first got my Garmin watch in summer of 2021 I feel like my running has went backwards and half and full went backwards. Before I got my Garmin watch I started with a Fitbit charge watch 2017-2020 when I first started running and ran most of my runs and long runs by feel no gps just heart rate with Fitbit. Turning off the gps had me run by feel and it also gave me a faster pace than what I was actually running which actually gave me more confidence when I ran my half and full marathons. I ran a 4 hour 1 min full marathon as my best back in 2019 in 70 degree weather. Then when I got my Garmin watch I got obsessed with pace all time and next 2 marathons were 416 and recently last one 418 where I absolutely blew up after mile 18. It’s been really frustrating always chasing a target pace. I feel like I lost my michondria and endurance since getting gps watch. I’m gonna start running with my Fitbit again and just have Garmin track heart rate try build my zone 2 up again . I feel like always chasing faster pace has hurt my running

[@Bradl0y]

Abingdon was a very wet at the start then got nice and warm. Very interesting might try giving this a go. I do train with low HR and can tell when working a little bit harder on training runs(the breathing changes). Then race day run to time of goal and blow up.

[@Manvmiles]

Yeah, got soaked initially and though the sun came out a bit, I still didn't dry out by the end! How was your run there? For me this watch-free running has been most useful in races. I still use HR in some training runs where I want to be a bit more certain about my intensity (mainly not going too fast on my easy runs) but on race day it seems to really effectively prevent that 'go too fast, blow up' thing many of us runners suffer from. And boy is it a more pleasant way to finish a race, feeling strong and overtaking people rather than going backwards and dragging it out.

[@Stevenwalks]

Nice!! Until @13:10 still a plug to wear it

[@Manvmiles]

It’s still useful to have the post run data. Not least to relate how you felt to what transpired physiologically.

[@vincewarne228]

I’ve been running a lot this year on heart rate with a chest strap - I think now I could probably tell quite accurately my zone without my watch…but I haven’t gone naked yet!

[@Manvmiles]

I can highly recommend taking the plunge.

[@petergibbs6993]

This sounds good - quite scary, but thinking of giving it a go

[@Manvmiles]

I’d recommend it. Not in an A race but try it out in a race where you’re just interested to see what might happen. Would love to hear how you get on.

[@moyolenovo3914]

I would agree if it was an idea of just enjoying pure nature of running. Enjoying movement as it is, as you can, as long and how you like it to be. Simply be in a moment, meditate and so on. But in context of any sort of results or personal improvements it sounds more like unnecessary struggle.

[@Manvmiles]

Interestingly, in my experience of racing on feel now for a few half marathons, two marathons and the Comrades Marathon, I've found running on feel takes the struggle away. I've run some of my best times this way. Though I'll always say if you've got a method that works for you already, that's great. But maybe give it a try in a race that's not your A race and see how you find it. Might surprise you.

[@MarianChicu]

Hi Kieran, curious if this style of running on feel is something that even a beginner like me can use (just completed 2 mo of training and an under 60 mins 10k race), but have been running sporadically before. Asking because most plans recommend running on low HR for the easy/long runs, and on higher HR for the faster threshold runs.. which I can’t really estimate without the watch. I’m way too often guilty of cooking even slower runs, as I get enthusiastic and then drop dead for the next 3-4 days (beginner, I told you 😅). Maybe run all the easy/long runs on feel and the speedier sessions with the help of the watch? PS: your Danube adventure was the craziest i’ve heard lately. You’re a camel, not a man! ❤

[@Manvmiles]

Hi Marian, it's absolutely something a beginner can do. But as you say, I think in the training runs where you need to be a bit more sure of the HR intensities, a watch is your best bet initially. I think most runners are guilty of overcooking the slow runs but if you can get these right there are big benefits. One thing I do on slow runs is use HR from a chest strap but also run to time rather than pace or distance. So I'll go out and run for 30, 60 or 90 mins rather than set a distance target. I think it's a little more freeing and you take away that feeling like you have to cover a certain amount of ground. My advice would be to do one of your less structured runs a week just on feel. The Danube was amazing for this kind of running. I'm lucky to have been able to have the adventure.

[@SimonMountjoy]

I'm going to play Devil's advocate a bit on this one. How much of how strong and in control you have felt is down to running on feel, and how much is down to being possibly the fittest you've ever been after a massive training stimulus back in the summer? I think a better experiment would have been to also run a marathon on pace at your current fitness level, to make a direct comparison. Maybe a pb was there for the taking? Just out of interest, did you finish the races feeling that you'd given absolutely 100%, or was there maybe a bit left in the tank. I absolutely agree that for trail races and ultras, perceived effort is really the only way to go, and is exactly what I've employed to date, all be it with estimated times to check points also part of the mix. For road races, though, with level, even terrain, I still believe pace or power are the best metrics, and would suggest that if people are following a pace and end up blowing up, then they've more than likely over estimated their potential (especially if they're basing it off what their Garmin tells them!). This is obviously all with regard to achieving your absolute best time for a given race. In terms of 'enjoyment' of that race, well that's far more subjective, and I can fully understand how not being focused on a metric can lead to a more pleasurable experience on race day, or even training. From a personal point of view, during winter here I have so many layers on that looking at your watch really isn't an option, and honestly it's never a problem. Anyway, just my 2 pence worth. Keep up the good work!

[@Manvmiles]

So I think the most important question here is if I was maxed out by the end or I still had more gas in the tank. And I can honestly say I'd left it all out there on Sunday. So my fitness definitely gave me the platform but I think if I'd followed pace, based on a hoped-for target of say sub-3, I would very likely have blown up earlier in this race. I'm not saying running on feel somehow helped me outperform my fitness, or that my 3:01 wasn't due to my summer mileage... but it's both. I'm just becoming more convinced that to get my maximum it's better to run on feel than a pace target based on a watch, a formula or just what we hope training has set us up for. I think many, many runners go into marathons having not quite done what they want in training, sticking to the original goal time, hoping for the best and blowing up. Running on feel (done right) prevents that.