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Is there an overdependance on technology?

  • 02-12-2009 07:49PM
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,095 ✭✭✭


    We're a kind of one stop shop and clearing house for runners and triathletes so people ask questions in here that they maybe wouldn't ask elsewhere. And because all levels of people ask about all kinds of things peole get exposed to ideas and concepts maybe earlier than they would if they mixed only with thier peer group.

    So we get a huge number of people on here talking about HRMs, GPS, turbos (and all sorts of other tri exotica). It's not unusual to see peole who are still fairly new to running, frequently a year or less, looking at sophisticated equipment that would have been unavailable to elites even a few years ago.

    Now I'm no one to criticise (I'm wearing a shiny new 405 as I write :o) but do you think people are getting overly dependent on the gadgets? Doesn't it make sense to spend some time learning your own body before getting performance monitoring gadgets?

    Or should newbies grab all the goodies they can because they need the help the most?


«1

Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,492 ✭✭✭Woddle


    I for one am way too involved in my 405, I forgot to bring it to the Paris marathon (I'm still convinced my wife took it out of the suitcase :D ) and from the point of when I realised this fact I was already in a negative frame of mind and we all know what happened then :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,608 ✭✭✭donothoponpop


    "Answers on a postcard, to..."


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,095 ✭✭✭--amadeus--


    "Answers on a postcard, to..."

    Bit too chatshow? :D

    OK, I didn't want to put a big firm opinion in the first post but...

    I don't think that anyone running for less than a year (maybe even more) should dream of getting a HRM. I get the attraction of a GPS watch - knowing how far you have run and pace is great. But mapmyrun or Google Pedometer does the same thing for free and a basic stopwatch can be got for next to nothing. And I think that some of teh sophisticated gadgetry gets in the way. "hmmmm 220-age * 70%=my LSR pace, so off I go!" or whatever. Runners who approach training like that before they have logged a lot of training and racing miles will find it a lot harder to judge effort by themselves if the tech fails in a race setting.

    And frequently people rush to things like HRMs before they understand the science behind HR training, so it gets in teh way.

    Don't get me wrong - I think the tests that Woddle did are brilliant and for someone like him with a few years under his belt and looking to make a breakthrough it makes sense. Garmins are brilliant and keeping track of your HR over time allows you to track fitness improvments. All good stuff.

    But you don't jump on a Ducati until you've taken the training wheels of your pushbike!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 4,608 ✭✭✭donothoponpop


    Bit too chatshow? :D

    More about the medium you are using to convey your message.

    Stupid Private said last year he didn't use Garmins, (or even timekeeping) in his training, that was enough for me to stop. Sometimes like to use the Garmin for mapping hill runs, but its better running without looking at it.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,598 ✭✭✭shels4ever


    I use my Garmin for session and tempo runs, but other then that I dont usually wear it for races at all, last weekend I did have it on but didnt check it once. I did notice that when I did wear it while racing that I was too worried about pace and didnt race well.
    I think I race a lot better when I target people to beat and race against them, the garmin just messed with that.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,492 ✭✭✭Woddle


    I love the data you get after a race and a good session but during a race I'd never look at it and am in the habit of not looking at it. I flirted with te idea of not wearing the garmin but running without is just not the same for me, although my coach wants me to run Rotterdam without a watch :eek: and I did tell him I would do whatever he says


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,365 ✭✭✭hunnymonster


    The current primary function of my garmin is to plot all the places in the world I've run with little red dots. pathetic I know and I'll get back to HR training soon.


    As a wife-to-be of an athlete, please men keep your gadget obsessions. It makes birthdays and christmas soooooooo much easier. I'm currently looking out the window at Zuppylurks 2009 christmas present. it's 24 foot long and takes up a big chunk of the back garden where the daffodils would normally be. Garmin, small box that can be giftwrapped. No contest really.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 7,598 ✭✭✭shels4ever


    The current primary function of my garmin is to plot all the places in the world I've run with little red dots. pathetic I know and I'll get back to HR training soon.


    As a wife-to-be of an athlete, please men keep your gadget obsessions. It makes birthdays and christmas soooooooo much easier. I'm currently looking out the window at Zuppylurks 2009 christmas present. it's 24 foot long and takes up a big chunk of the back garden where the daffodils would normally be. Garmin, small box that can be giftwrapped. No contest really.

    mmmmmmmmm 24 foot long , how will you wrap that?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 26,928 ✭✭✭✭rainbow kirby


    As a wife-to-be of an athlete, please men keep your gadget obsessions. It makes birthdays and christmas soooooooo much easier. I'm currently looking out the window at Zuppylurks 2009 christmas present. it's 24 foot long and takes up a big chunk of the back garden where the daffodils would normally be. Garmin, small box that can be giftwrapped. No contest really.

    It's always a size thing with the men... :pac:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,525 ✭✭✭✭Krusty_Clown


    A gps watch, a hrm, a trainer.. They're just tools.. You still have to do the work.

    Tonight, I went to the local park for 12x400m intervals. It was too dark to see the watch, so the beeps told me when to start running, and when to rest up. I could have gone out with a tape measure, trundle wheel, stop-watch and a torch, but what's the point? Why dig your fingers into the earth, when you can use a shovel?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,031 ✭✭✭Stupid_Private


    Stupid Private said last year he didn't use Garmins, (or even timekeeping) in his training

    ...or racing! That was taken with 100m to go in the last marathon. Bizarrely the half splits for that race were within 10 seconds of each other. Nothing to do with super pacing or anything like that, I started slow, got faster in the middle and ended slow. Just coincidence that the first and last 10k happened to be the same pace.

    I use my trusty casio for interval sessions and that's it as far as technology goes with me. Everything else I listen to my body.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,525 ✭✭✭✭Krusty_Clown


    Maybe you wouldn't look so grumpy if you had a Garmin. :D


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,492 ✭✭✭Woddle


    Maybe you wouldn't look so grumpy if you had a Garmin. :D

    I was very interested in the discussion on gels in tungunskas log so just to add that picture shows a 2'42 runner with gels.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,556 ✭✭✭chinguetti


    I would think that all you need is a good pair of runners to start and nothing else. All the gadgets in the world won't make you go faster but you become dependent on them.

    I finished a 10 kms a while back besides a fella who i got chatting to. As we talked away, he said he was new to running and started telling me what time he did etc., and then began telling me about him HRM, splits, calories lost etc. He then started to stretch and said his knees were very sore. I looked at his feet and he was wearing runners that were badly worn and had far seen better days and though i'm no expert, not suitable for running in.

    Technology won't replace common sense and it might be better if everyone knew their own limits than to be a slave to machines and the figures that lie within.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,912 ✭✭✭thirtyfoot


    I use my trusty casio for interval sessions and that's it as far as technology goes with me. Everything else I listen to my body.

    I'm with you on that one. Nice and simple. Like the best things in life and for me the best approach to training, nice and simple.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 8,085 ✭✭✭plodder


    It's always a size thing with the men... :pac:
    Whenever I ask the OH what she'd like, she says "something small, but expensive". I don't know which is worse. :rolleyes:

    On gadgets though, I find the Garmin watch incredibly useful. The acid test for a gadget is if you still find it essential 6 months or a year after getting it, and now a year later, I hate going for a run without it. Can't be bothered using the HRM though.

    “Fanaticism is always a sign of repressed doubt” - Carl Jung



  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,146 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    I don't understand the question?

    A world without my gadgets is not worth living in.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,334 ✭✭✭earlyevening


    I'm not a gadget man at all. I like to focus on the core issue - running faster. Analysing alll this data might be somewhat interesting but I'm not sure it makes anyone faster.
    All I need is my little digital watch and the will to put the effort in on a consistent basis.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 335 ✭✭petermijackson


    While I enjoy running with just me and the earth under my feet and forgetting all about time, I find it useful to use the Forerunner 405 when running to look back over times and also distance ran.

    If nothing else gets you out training then it will be the fact that you have just spent €300 approx on a gadget and you may as well use it :P

    I cannot see the harm in it if it keeps people interested in their running - it also allows you to set your own targets and keep a log of your runs. :D


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 747 ✭✭✭uglyjohn


    i think anyone who starts off fresh planning to run races is going to have times at the back of their mind and the internet (and this forum) is full of people saying 12x100 metre intervals at 87% heart rate and 8:12 mile pace. of course beginners aiming for a certain time are going to want a HRM and Garmin.

    back in dublin thnks to map my run i had a 10km route and a half marathon route which i ran regularly. i used to bring my 10euro casio with me so i could tell my average pace but i have done the same circut so many times gave me a real feel for pacing. often i'd leave the watch at home and pace myself without it. what im trying to say is im sure its nice to know your pace and HR constantly but im sure all the experienced people here can have a decent stab at it based on how they feel.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,435 ✭✭✭christeb


    Personally I find the 405 a huge help, and even more so when I started out. It's half the fact I'm a natural stat-head, half the fact it's an expensive piece of kit you almost feel guilted into using, which helps motivation. The fact that improvements are so tangible turns this snowballs this initial motivation - which then firmly roots the seed of running. And you're hooked!


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,146 Mod ✭✭✭✭robinph


    If nothing else gets you out training then it will be the fact that you have just spent €300 approx on a gadget and you may as well use it :P
    If I'm feeling a bit de-motivated about going for a run then I'd use the fact that my poor gadgets would be feeling unloved If I don't get out there and use them.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,584 ✭✭✭✭tunney


    We're a kind of one stop shop and clearing house for runners and triathletes so people ask questions in here that they maybe wouldn't ask elsewhere. And because all levels of people ask about all kinds of things peole get exposed to ideas and concepts maybe earlier than they would if they mixed only with thier peer group.

    So we get a huge number of people on here talking about HRMs, GPS, turbos (and all sorts of other tri exotica). It's not unusual to see peole who are still fairly new to running, frequently a year or less, looking at sophisticated equipment that would have been unavailable to elites even a few years ago.

    Now I'm no one to criticise (I'm wearing a shiny new 405 as I write :o) but do you think people are getting overly dependent on the gadgets? Doesn't it make sense to spend some time learning your own body before getting performance monitoring gadgets?

    Or should newbies grab all the goodies they can because they need the help the most?

    Meh - people waste their money on stuff they don't use, nor know how to use, the whole time. What harm.

    I don't think that there is an over dependence on any HRMs or SnDMs or PMs because simply enough most people don't use them to control their training but rather as a recording tool and as so no dependency can develop.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 250 ✭✭BJohnson


    I think this is a really good question, and one that I was thinking about just this past week.

    I've been running off and on for the past 15 years, but much more consistently for the past five. The only piece of technology I ever ran with was my iPod shuffle, which I find a huge help for long runs.

    I was given a Forerunner 405 as a surprise gift about 6 weeks ago, and I have to say, it's pretty sweet. I've completed 14 marathons in the past seven years, and was always happy enough just to finish in under four hours. This past year, however, a patient was telling me how much he relies on his HRM and pretty much convinced me to start training with some more serious goals in mind. For that, I find the 405 really helpful. Being able to program the watch with my workouts for the next month is great, and setting a purpose for each run really helps keep me motivated, especially with the rain at this time of year. I like my gadgets too, so having something that combines running with a bit of tech is perfect for me.

    What I've thought about the most though is that I don't think I would get nearly as much out of it if I was just starting out running. Having done things with less structure and less accuracy in the beginner years has given me a much bigger appreciation for what the watch can do. I think I got it at the perfect time, when I was getting a bit bored of casual running and was then ready to train a bit more seriously.

    So I wouldn't say I'm dependent on gadgets, but it has given me a new perspective on my running and has helped keep my motivation high.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,525 ✭✭✭✭Krusty_Clown


    uglyjohn wrote: »
    back in dublin thnks to map my run i had a 10km route and a half marathon route which i ran regularly. i used to bring my 10euro casio with me so i could tell my average pace but i have done the same circut so many times gave me a real feel for pacing. often i'd leave the watch at home and pace myself without it. what im trying to say is im sure its nice to know your pace and HR constantly but im sure all the experienced people here can have a decent stab at it based on how they feel.
    You see, this is where the technology sets you free. I rarely run the same route twice, without having some kind of deviation. The watch tracks my distance, I don't have to pre-plan where I'm going to go, or get bored with the same 'ol route. Over-dependancy?! Be a free spirit!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 960 ✭✭✭Blueskye


    You see, this is where the technology sets you free. I rarely run the same route twice, without having some kind of deviation. The watch tracks my distance, I don't have to pre-plan where I'm going to go, or get bored with the same 'ol route. Over-dependancy?! Be a free spirit!

    Exactly, you can run wherever the mood takes you. I love my 405 and only use a few of its many features but I figure I can grow into it. I love being able to run wherever I want without having to stick to the same routes just because I know their distance.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,340 ✭✭✭TFBubendorfer


    Blueskye wrote: »
    Exactly, you can run wherever the mood takes you. I love my 405 and only use a few of its many features but I figure I can grow into it. I love being able to run wherever I want without having to stick to the same routes just because I know their distance.

    Actually, you can run wherever the mood takes you even if you don't have a Garmin strapped to your wrist. You just don't get the instant feedback on distance and pace.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 960 ✭✭✭Blueskye


    Very very true!! But it is nice to know how far you've run without having to take a drive around it later or using mapmyrun which I loathe.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 747 ✭✭✭uglyjohn


    You see, this is where the technology sets you free. I rarely run the same route twice, without having some kind of deviation. The watch tracks my distance, I don't have to pre-plan where I'm going to go, or get bored with the same 'ol route. Over-dependancy?! Be a free spirit!

    good point, it would be nice to just mix it up on a whim. im actually being given a garmin soon so im looking forward to that.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,672 ✭✭✭racheljev


    You see, this is where the technology sets you free. I rarely run the same route twice, without having some kind of deviation. The watch tracks my distance, I don't have to pre-plan where I'm going to go, or get bored with the same 'ol route. Over-dependancy?! Be a free spirit!
    Yep, I agree with this as well. I'm only running since February so I'm pretty new to the whole thing. But one thing I've discovered is that I HATE laps of the same route over and over again. I head out the door and say "where to now?" Up till 2 weeks ago, I'd run for a set period of time - 40, 50, 60 etc mins, head home and mapmyrun. Mapmyrun is grand but it can be awkward if I decide to run up one road, down the next one, around the green patch in the middle of the road etc etc. Now I have a Garmin 305 which I love sooo much. I can check how far I've run and then head home when I hit 4, 5, 6 miles. It's also helping me keep my pace much more steady than it was. I don't use the hrm yet because I don't think I know enough about that stuff yet, but hopefully next year. Sorry, long winded reply!


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