In Which I Accidentally Run Naked
I wasn’t planning to, but today I ran naked. Outside. Nakedly.
I am, of course, referring to running without technology. (Of course I wore clothes. You minx.)
As I say, I wasn’t planning to run without anything motivating me but when I picked up my iPod, the battery was dead. Didn’t want to wait to get out running (might’ve not gone at all if I’d waited) so thought ‘sod it’ and got out the door.
I’d worked out a roughly 10k route in the morning, set Nike+ App going and I was away. Normally, the app shouts out at me every km that I pass, updating on how far/fast I’ve gone, but when I figured I’d gone well passed the first km, I still hadn’t heard anything.
Chuffing phone was on silent.
Couldn’t be bothered taking off my armband that holds my phone when I’m running, then messing about with the settings, so (remembering an article I’d read somewhere) I decided to listen to my body and ran to how I felt.
This is the first 10k I’d run since the York Marathon in October so didn’t want to push myself. Aimed for around about an hour to an hour and five, and put quite a few short walking breaks in. Turned out to be quite a nice day too!
The furthest I ran non stop was around two miles, mostly down hill. On the last mile (all uphill) my legs started to hurt a bit, so took it even easier. Finally, home.
Like I said, was aiming for around 01:00:00 – 01:05:00, figuring from how I felt when running I’d kept a pace of around 10:15 – 10:30 minutes a mile.
App says no.
I’d run an average pace of 9:14 minutes a mile, and ran the 10k in 57:24.
Not only had I run faster than I thought, I’d run my third ever fastest 10k! (If you don’t believe me, add me on Nike+! Marc Hemingway)
It seems that my training plan that I’ve been sticking to is working! The amazing thing is I had no soreness or stiffness in my legs at all, not even now. (Normally do!)
Next week I might try the same route again, but try push myself, see if I can get a brand new PB.
How’s your new years training?
In Other News
Cycling home the other night, got a new speed PB… 34.4mph on my mountain bike!)
Also, looking at two triathlons in April. One in Skipton, one in Queensbury. Not forgetting the Bradford 10k in March!
Next event: Mad Dog 10k
Marc Hemingway 
I was running hard on a crowded course in the Vienna City Marathon Half Marathon two years ago when my earbuds up and died. Yep, just died. At first I was panicked (my playlist! My distraction!) but within steps I could actually feel myself relax. There was already so much stimulation, losing the noise in my ears turned out to be for the best.
Thanks for visiting! I am trying to wean myself of technology–I’m on Nike+ for runs, use Runkeeper for walks and other stuff, have the NikeBand…it just became too much! I wear the Nikeband as a watch at the moment but am not uploading “fuel” or checking cals, steps etc. It is a bit liberating! (I can only imagine how liberating actual naked running would be!) I have enjoyed running in the Vibram 5-fingers as well.
Nice! I stopped listening to music while running/exercising a couple of years ago. It was keeping me from focusing on the task at hand.
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That’s so great! I’ve learned to decrease technology the more I run. When I first started, I wore earbuds on full blast and had my GPS on an arm band. I haven’t run with music in over a year (for safety and also to focus on my breathing), and no more arm band for me. I wear a fuel belt and tuck my phone in there so it’s at my waist – I can hear the Nike Run lady well enough at the mile marks, and best thing is my arms are FREE to power me through – no armband chafe! Best to you!
I always run with my tech. Music in my early, gps tracker running with vocal stats every mile. I’ll have to try running with my app silent on my phone and no ear buds. Curious to see what my times would be as well.
Isn’t the nike app part of technology? 😉 true naked runnin is runnin without phones ,mp3 players or bluetooth headsets. Probably only an analog watch can qualify 😉
It is indeed! However, it was on silent and I didn’t check it for the whole run. Also, didn’t even have a watch on!
Love the style of your blog. you are obviously very passionate and can reach so many people with your style. You are well deserving of the Liebster Award. Check the link and follow the prompts to nominate others. http://phoenixfit4life.wordpress.com/2014/02/16/liebster-award-nomination/
Watches are great for intervals, tempos, etc. but for easy runs I only look at the watch to see my distance. I enjoy the scenery more that way. No music, either. Running is either my “quiet time” or for chatting with running buddies.
Also – as someone who has actually run naked (well, I had shoes and a headlamp) I can say it’s worth doing once, just for the experience. I can’t promise you’ll feel “liberated” but certain parts of you sure will.
Wait, wut?
Yes, I have partaken in a “natural run”. If you’re interested in details, you can visit my blog and type “naked truth” into the search box. Sorry, no pix though. Camera exploded.
Here’s to nakedness!
Huzzah!
Most of the time when I run, my body tries to tell me, “Stop! What are you doing?!” and then I run until it remembers that it likes running. So far this year, I’ve changed up my training a little and I’ve noticed some improvement, which is pretty cool!
Good good! Keep it going!
My running is going better. I am getting excited about working harder to improve! Even if my Nike app lost 4 miles in a challenge I am in… Grrr…
This is awesome, great work!! 🙂 Ugh no music, lol yea I have to do that when I’m in uniform. Post policy is no earbuds – so you have to learn to run with silence.
Thanks Jen!
Nice job on your third fastest 10k! I love improving like that; most of my tempos (for 5k) are faster than my races last fall. Makes running very exciting. Nice post and happy training 🙂
And to you!
34 on a mountain bike. It must have been a steep hill! Well done in the time and liberation!
It was at least 90% gradient
Naked is the only way to go. Only your body can tell you how fast you should or should not go. Those watches and their satellites get it wrong. Good for you. Try it more often, I really think it can help in the long term.
Gonna try it at least once a week from now on!
I’m going to try running next time without checking and see what happens. My 10k time is also around 1 hour – 1 hour 5
Let me know if you notice an improvement!
See you at Mad Dog 10k 🙂
Wayhey! Have you done it before? When you get your number, let me know. I do well at spotting others!
Oh wait… you have a sub 21 5k… might notice your dust
Ha! Haven’t done it before but heard great things about it so entered as soon as it opened. Will let you know. And hey congrats on the recent 10k pbs in training, good effort!
Today was an even newerer PB! (Blog tomorrow, if I catch up on biggest loser an stuff). Mad Dog is brilliant, cold last year (Southport… along the sea front… in Feb…) but great medal and t-shirt!
Thank goodness you weren’t actually naked running. I’d think your man parts would be uncomfortable. Or just the sight of them uncomfortable for others.
Ha ha! Imagine the screams!!
The horror! The horror!
Phenom!!! Thirty friggin four?!?!?? Well done!! Run naked more often buddy.
I’ll try! 😉
What in the world? 34 on a mountain bike? Did you clock yourself dropping off of a cliff? 😉
I was sat on it on a train. 🙂
I love running “naked!” I leave the watch at home as often as I can. On a side note, a friend phoned his wife the other day to tell her he had seen me at the lake the other day, “running topless.” What he meant was running without my usual cap (since I lost my hair from chemo). And, yes, I did feel somewhat naked from being capless as well!
Good for you! I bet it it was liberating.
It was!
Vury!
“Done much today?”
“Not really, went for a walk you know. Round the lake. Saw a woman running topless, saw a few ducks.”
“Sorry, what was that?”
“I said I saw a few ducks.”
🙂 We’ve been giving him a really hard time about it!
I’m like this except my technology is my Garmin. I never run with music (never have), but very rarely will I ever step out for a run without my trusty GPS watch. Otherwise, I feel like it doesn’t count. But every now and then I do it, and it’s quite liberating.
I don’t do it very often because I’m a stats junkie, but it’s worthwhile once a month or so to just run without worrying about time, pace or distance.
Think I’ll try it a bit more!
That is one speedy moountain bike! Nice 10k too!
I understand the feeling of running naked (once again: “without technology-naked”…). Most of my runs are with music in the ears and it feels so …. naked when the music just stop and you just started a good intervals serie or are 3km into a loooong run… But as you experienced, I did also feel like at the end I ran faster than I would have expected…
Good run!
So far the running year 2014 has gone well. Will see if next week will continue on the same pattern…
Keep it going!
Running naked can be good. The gadgets take care and feeding;. I do about half my runs without my MP3 player now. Going without the watch is harder. I always want to know my pace. Occasionally I forget it though. When this happens I remind myself that the run improves my fitness regardless of whether I track or record it.
First time I’ve run just to run, and not run to try beat my times
A great run! Do you think you ran any faster because you didn’t know for sure what your pace was?
Think I did, yeah! I normally listen to my app and think ‘ooo, best slow down’
34 is quick!! Great job on running “naked,” it feels so liberating!
Ha ha! Very liberating!
Well done! Shows how technology sometimes holds us back…I’ve been running for time/feel for the last couple of years and I run much better when not worried about pace — more often than not, I’m pleasantly surprised when I map my run afterwards and realize I ran faster than usual.
Probably my most enjoyable in ages too!
Glad to hear it!
I believe you. Running naked is good for speed 🙂
Because you get cold quick?
34 on a mountain bike?! Holy smokes, that’s fast! Very cool.
Very downhill!
Oh I figured, but 34 is still awesome. 😉
Ha!
the title lured me in – definitely had to read it right then during lunch break! hahaha. great job on 10K, i can’t remember the last time running (tech) naked. that’s an interesting concept. all my “recoding” is on my iphone. so tech dependent!
It was recorded on my iPhone, but was on silent, so all good!