I am a scientist. I like numbers, stats, any kind of data. So, it is expected that during a run I check my watch every 10 seconds, calculate my current pace, calculate the distance I need to go, try to estimate how much I have left in the tank etc. etc.
Today I did something different. I took my watch and started it, but never looked at my time until the end. I was comfortable, so I thought I was making a 9:30-9:45ish pace. Post-run calculations (and these are time consuming precise calculations mind you. Using a combination of Google Earth, a GPS watch and a calculator) showed my real pace to be around 8:45. I did only 2 miles, because I want to do longer runs over the weekend, but I could have gone longer.
This got me thinking. Am I slowing myself down by looking at my pace? Is my subconscious brain better in calculating the pace I should be running? It appears to be so.
For my next run, I created a screen on my Garmin with just one item: Distance traveled. This way even if I feel the urge to look at my pace, I won't be able to see it. Let's see how this will work out.
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