Are you ready for it???
Racing naked.
No you perves... I'll wear clothes (trust me on this one, the other races, spectators and volunteers can't thank me enough because it would not be a pretty site for more reasons that I wish to list here if I didn't wear clothes. That my friends would take big time kahonas, and quite frankly, why would anyone even consider that. Ugh... can you even imagine? Mental images are starting to creep into my mind and my brain is screaming "my eyes! my eyes!". I bet my splits would be wicked fast though without the wind resistance...)
Holy tangent...
Anyway, back to racing naked. By that, I mean no electronics. Obviously I don't race with an iPod. As a matter of fact, I don't own an iPod (Kim, you aren't alone). I have an MP3 player but quite honestly I couldn't locate it at this point in my house if I was being forced. I use it that infrequently. But the thought of racing without a watch, Garmin, bike computer, heart rate monitor or anything else telling me how fast (or slow) I'm going intrigues me.
I'm a typical Type A triathlete. It's funny, because I don't think I'm like this in life (I guess I should ask those that know me best to see if I really am). But when it comes to training and racing, I can't get enough of the data. I want to know distance, pace, and time, on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. I compare it to last year, and the year before. I have charts people. I have an uncanny ability to memorize a course and know exactly where every turn, climb, mile marker is after just one run or ride, thus "checking" my progress throughout each training session (and comparing it to what, the last?) is a given.
And I wonder why I get so frustrated if something isn't going right.
On Sunday, I'm racing a local race. It's on my stomping grounds and yes, I know it like the back of my hand. I've raced there for years. What if I "unplug" for the race and just go by feel? Looking at my watch isn't going to make me faster. If anything, it'll just make me frustrated if I'm not hitting my mark at any given point. Maybe this will help me focus on each discipline as I'm in it... live in the moment if I want to be real cheesy. I won't know how long I've been out there. Or how fast I have to go to make up the time I've lost. I won't be able to back off a little because I've banked time either. Maybe my mind will just let me push my body because it feels good, not because the seconds are ticking away.
It's a risk I'm seriously considering. What's the worst that can happen - I do exactly what I'm capable of on that given day and I'm not stressed while doing it?
This might be the best decision I've ever made...
40 comments:
Love it, I think I may have to race "naked" one day!
That's a great idea, and I think it's perfect that it's a local race that you know so well. Let me know how it turns out. Good luck!
DO IT!! I bet you will have so much fun!!
I love the idea! Do it!
I actually did a triathlon naked once....nobody noticed...
At my last two races, I've worn my Garmin, but only set it to show average pace - not total time, not current pace - and it was AWESOME! I wasn't stressed about where I stood, but it gave me a general idea that I was doing okay. I am considering not using it at all next time. I totally think you should go for it!!
Good for you, sweets! I do it all the time...its so liberating ;)
UGH, I hate to be the person that says this. Don't do it. See, if you are "racing it" then you won't do as well... why? Because you don't have that kick in the ass when you look at your watch and see your splits!!!
We did warrior dash naked... felt amazing to be free of all of that baggage that holds you down... but we weren't racing it.
So if its for fun, best move ever, if you are racing it, I don't think it's the right idea to get a PR... just saying.
On another note, I actually have no issues racing in the nude... as long as I don't get arrested LOL.
Go for it! I only wear a good old fashioned Timex IM, but last year I decided to try a race w/o it too. I have to admit, I didn't really like it. But I think everyone should try at least once. Good luck!
Wow, i'm not sure if I could go electronic free. Kudos to you for considering it.
During a HIM, before I had my garmin 310. I used to use a catseye for my bike computer. I hit a huge pothole like a half mile into the bike and my sensor feel off. No speed, cadence, distance .. it was not awesome. It actually sucked. Now a sprint wouldn't be bad as you just go all anyways.
Go for it and see how you like it!
that sounds so freeing! I think a local fun race is a great place for it!
I am not sure what I think. I think it would be fun and fine for a relatively short race, like a 5K or something where you have to run as hard as you can the whole time. I sort of need my garmin on a longer run to rein myself in during the beginning. I did do my last sprint tri without my garmin on my run. I still had my timex doing total race time, but I didn't want the extra seconds to deal with moving it from the bike to my wrist. It was great to just run as hard as I could for 3.1, but it was also the 5th time I have completed that course I knew the whole thing too. I am repeating it again next wed, and I am not sure what to do, I really want the garmin for the bike, but it won't mount nice to the trek, so it will be on my wrist anyway.
Maybe this will help me focus on each discipline as I'm in it...
YUP
with a Capital "Y"
I just had my best race EVER without my Garmin310 and no regular clock AND no bike computer
I didnt wear the Garmin by choice figuring I could just use my bike cateye to measure distance - didnt work
and I was so glad
didnt care
just raced
was great
do it!
I think that's an awesome idea!! In fact, for the duathlon I just did, I was basically "naked" too. I did have my Garmin, but I stopped looking at it and just started running. It was great!
I hope you do it and report on it. I couldn't even imagine! If my Garmin battery dies during a workout I get so pissed because i feel so LOST!
I think you should go for it. Who knows, you may even ENJOY it a little more -- since you are out there for the fun of it rather than to PR or meet your pre-determined times.
I have raced "naked" a couple of times. Of course I am not as "hardcore" as you , but sometimes I think a change of pace from routine is a GOOD thing. And it does help me get a better sense of my body and where I am at simply by the "feel" of my exhaustion level.
That's awesome... I NEVER race listening to my IPod... I only train with my IPod... maybe one day I'll learn to train "naked"!
go for it. it's a course you know well and you can guage your race by effort :)
What distance are you racing? A sprint? If so, you know what to do ;)
Go fast Colleen!!! I think with your experience you know EXACTLY what to do.
I raced naked earlier this year and had a PR in a 5k by about 30 seconds. It felt great not to be looking at the watch all the time, so I say try it. It is freeing :) Thanks for finding my blog! I admire people who do triathlons, my swimming abilities include keeping myself afloat and alive, of and the doggie paddle!
Go for it! I raced the oly at Quassy naked, and loved it (although there were definitely a few moments on the run when I wished I could have seen my pace...old habits die hard.) Good luck!
RUNNING NAKED RULES!! going by feel, rather than being a slave to the numbers, is an amazingly free feeling. go for it col! let me know how it goes :)
DO IT!! Why not? Race Forrest Gump style..
I made the jump to not racing with an iPod anymore, but I can't imagine going without a watch. I don't have a fancy Garmin or anything, so I only know my splits, but even so, I would feel too "naked" without it. Good luck! Can't wait to hear how it goes.
Running naked is the best!! When I started doing barefoot runs a year ago I had to loose all the stuff because I had to pay attention to the road.. It really is liberating!
another option is to put your garmin in your tri top pocket and forget about it, you be racing naked and still have data for later on
I love that last line. This is exactly what Justin tells me ALL THE TIME. Basically give up the number crunching and relax, work hard and look at the numbers later.
I think you should go for it!
I'm considering racing "naked" on saturday for my sprint as well..and by naked I mean no garmin or watch...my bike has a bike computer so that will be staying put.
I like that idea of racing nekkid. but sans electronics?!? NEVER!!
Go for it!! I think you'll surprise yourself...go by effort and you'll get a PR. I forgot my Garmin on Saturday in the OLY race, actually worked out well because then you can look ahead and try to pick people off in front of you instead of worrying about what your watch says.
Good luck, tear up the home turf!
I could do this for a short race but it would be risky for anything else. I need my Garmin to keep me in check on the bike leg of duathlons or my last run leg will suck.
Go for it. It's not an Ironman or Half-Ironman where you want to stick to your plan so I say DO IT.
And I thought I was all alone in this non-iPod owning world. Don't own one and don't want one. I also have a MP3 player somewhere, but where....u got me. Waste of money looking back at it.
Could have gotten something I WOULD use at a tri.
I've thought about no electronics during a race too, but when i try it in a workout, it's awesome the first half mile, then I'm like ... "must have music ... must know pace" And then I don't do it again for a while. Good for you if you can do it!
I totally support this decision! Running naked is the best. Granted, I almost always wear my Garmin when I run, but I almost never use it during a run. It is there for post-race analysis and record keeping only. I've done a marathon and not looked at it until the 26 mile mark for the first time. It takes discipline but I run better. If I look at each mile split, I get down on myself to see one mile split even 5 or 10 seconds slower than the previous. All that does is make the next mile even slower when in reality that second mile was only slow because it was uphill. Had I been ignoring my splits, I would have listened to my body and gotten right back on pace as the course flatten out.
As for the MP3 player, I ditched that long ago. Never regretted it. My mind is far more entertaining than any soundtrack. haha :)
i do it all the time!! so freeing!! go for it.
I love the idea. Love it. I dare you. I double dog dare you.
Go for it, I bet you will rock it. Just think, a long, long time ago people did this all the time, b/c there were none of these gadgets we are all addicted to know. Maybe I should go tweet about this.....
Very cool idea - and you're very brave for attempting it! My bike power meter broke before my first tri this year so it was interesting to do everything by feel, even though I was totally freaking out about racing w/o power. We are very dependent on our techy gadgets!
Can't wait to hear how it goes!
Good luck!! :)
GO for it and have fun!!!!!!!! Have a great race!
If racing naked is wrong, then I don't want to be right.
Seriously, I sometimes have to train without the constraints of my damn HRM because it absolutely drives me crazy.
Oh, every year a group of my old high school friends get together to do an underwear mile for charity. That's how I roll.
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