Runner
Running Assistant
At 5:30 AM on the city riverside running track, 28-year-old internet operator Lin Yue raised her hand for the 17th time — the screen displayed “Pace: 5 minutes 42 seconds, 12 seconds slower than yesterday,” a reminder that pricked her like a needle, prompting her to instinctively quicken her pace. Thirty minutes later, she stopped, clutching her tight chest, looking at the red pop-up on her watch that read “Today’s goal not completed,” feeling more burdened by anxiety than the fatigue from running. This scene is happening to countless runners in 2025: we wear smartwatches that monitor heart rate, cadence, and calories, yet turn running into a game with data, ultimately trapped by anxiety in the pursuit of numbers. The emerging trend of “running without a watch” is becoming the most intense form of discipline — not against laziness, but against the anxiety shackled by data.
Recommended Running Music
Smartwatches: The Invisible Push for Anxiety“Last week I fell short by 2 kilometers, I must make up for it this week,” “Others average a cadence of 180, I only have 165, my running form must be wrong,” “My heart rate exceeded 150, will it harm my body?” Similar anxious statements are everywhere in running communities. A 2025 report on the domestic sports health industry shows that 72% of smartwatch users experience anxiety due to data fluctuations while running, with 35% of runners having forced themselves to extend their workout time due to “substandard pace” or “falling behind in mileage,” even ignoring physical discomfort.
Professor Zhou Min from Shanghai University of Sport conducted an experiment: 50 runners were divided into two groups, one group wore smartwatches to view data in real-time, while the other group wore regular watches for timing. The results showed that the group viewing real-time data had anxiety scale scores 41% higher than the other group, and 6 individuals terminated their runs early due to “worrying about poor data,” with 2 suffering muscle strains from forcing a faster pace. “The instant feedback function of smartwatches was originally intended to help runners train scientifically, but it has led many into ‘data perfectionism’ — equating pace, mileage, and other numbers with the value of running. Once the data falls short, they deny their efforts, and anxiety ensues,” explained Zhou Min.Runner Chen Kai’s experience is even more representative. To stand out in his friends’ running check-ins, he monitored his watch daily, striving to maintain a pace under 5 minutes. After recovering from a cold, he disregarded his family’s advice and went out to run, with his watch showing a persistently high heart rate, but he pushed through to maintain his 30-day check-in streak, completing 10 kilometers. That night, he was hospitalized for myocarditis, with his smartwatch looping the message “Today’s pace: 5 minutes 12 seconds, beating 85% of runners.” “Looking back now, I wasn’t running; I was being led by the watch. For those numbers, I lost both my health and the joy of running,” Chen Kai lamented from his hospital bed.
Removing the Watch: A Discipline of “Counter-Instinct”“At first, taking off my watch to run felt as unsettling as leaving home without my phone.” This is the initial feeling of many runners trying “watch-free running.” After all, accustomed to checking pace every kilometer and heart rate every minute, suddenly losing the “support” of data can easily lead to confusion about “am I running fast or slow?” and “how long have I been running?” — and this courageous act of facing confusion and breaking free from data dependence is the rarest form of discipline in the running community of 2025.Beijing runner Li Ran documented her “watch-free running” journey with a “21-day challenge”: On the first day, she wanted to check her watch within 5 minutes, constantly worrying that “running too slowly would be ineffective”; by the seventh day, she learned to gauge intensity through her breathing — if her breathing was steady and she could speak easily, she maintained her pace; if her breathing became rapid and she couldn’t form complete sentences, she slowed down; on the twenty-first day, she completed her first-ever “watch-free half marathon,” crossing the finish line without a watch to show her time, but the ease of “running by body feel” allowed her to rediscover the joy of running she felt during her first run in college. “In the past, I monitored my pace throughout the marathon, fearing a drop in speed; this time, without a watch, I noticed the wildflowers by the roadside and the temperature of the river breeze, and I wasn’t as tired after finishing, my anxiety completely vanished.”
This “counter-instinct” discipline is essentially about re-establishing a “body-led” logic of running. National-level athlete and running coach Zhang Hao pointed out: “Professional athletes also use data during training, but they pay more attention to ‘body feedback’ — such as muscle soreness and breathing rhythm; data is merely an aid. Ordinary runners often treat data as the ‘only standard,’ neglecting their body’s instinctive perception, which is the root of anxiety. Removing the watch actually allows running to return to its essence: not for ‘impressive numbers,’ but to make the body more comfortable and the mood more pleasant.”Watch-Free Running Practical Guide: From “Data Dependence” to “Body Perception”Of course, “removing the watch” does not mean blindly abandoning scientific training, but learning to replace “data monitoring” with “body perception.” The following three steps can help runners easily start “watch-free running” and break free from anxiety:Step 1: Replace Data with “Sensory Anchors”While running, focus on three “body signals”: first, breathing, using a rhythm of “two steps in, two steps out”; if breathing speeds up, it indicates the intensity is too high, and you need to slow down; second, footfalls, feeling the force of your foot striking the ground; if the sound of your footfall increases or if your knees feel slight pain, adjust your stride; third, heart rate, feeling your pulse by touching your wrist or neck; if the pulse is so rapid that you “can’t count,” stop and rest. Practice in the Guangzhou running community shows that those who run using “sensory anchors” experience an average anxiety reduction of 58%, and injury rates also decrease by 32%.
Step 2: Set “Non-Data Goals”Instead of saying “today I will run 10 kilometers at a pace of 5 minutes,” set “non-data goals” — for example, “run to the willow tree by the river and turn back,” “today I want to feel the wind blowing past my ears,” or “after running, I want to be able to chat easily with friends.” These goals do not rely on numbers and focus more on the “experience of running,” effectively reducing anxiety. Shenzhen runner Wang Meng said after trying this: “I used to think ‘not reaching the target kilometers is a failure,’ but now my goal is ‘to run and feel good,’ making me more willing to go out for a run, and occasionally running a few extra kilometers doesn’t feel tiring.”Step 3: Gradually Progress, Allow for “Imperfection”When starting “watch-free running,” it is normal to feel “not knowing how long I’ve run” or “worrying about running too slowly.” You can start with “half-watch-free” — for example, wear a watch for the first half and remove it for the second half; or schedule 1-2 “watch-free runs” each week, gradually increasing the frequency. Don’t strive for “perfection in one go”; accept your “occasional confusion,” and you will slowly discover that body perception is more reliable than data.ConclusionIn the running community of 2025, we have seen too many stories of “madness for data”: some run 20 kilometers daily to dominate WeChat sports rankings, some ignore injuries for pace standards, and some fall into self-denial due to “falling behind in mileage.” The small action of “removing the smartwatch” is called the “most intense discipline” because it fights against our dependence on “instant feedback,” our obsession with “data perfection,” and is a rebellion against a lifestyle driven by anxiety.
In fact, the essence of running has never been about “defeating how many people” or “achieving impressive numbers,” but rather about feeling the direction of the wind and the power of your heartbeat when you take a step, and finding inner peace after fatigue. When we remove the watch and are no longer bound by data, we can truly listen to our body’s voice, outrun the anxiety born from numbers, and rediscover the initial joy of running.Interactive TopicHave you ever experienced running anxiety due to smartwatch data? If you try “watch-free running,” what are your biggest concerns? Feel free to share your experiences and thoughts in the comments section, and let’s discuss “how to return running to its essence!”Health TipsBefore starting “watch-free running,” it is recommended to first record basic data (such as average pace and heart rate) with a smartwatch for 1-2 weeks to establish a “baseline” for body perception, avoiding excessive exercise due to a complete lack of reference. If you experience chest pain, dizziness, or severe joint pain while running, regardless of whether you are wearing a watch, stop exercising immediately and seek medical attention if necessary; do not push through to “complete the goal.” Beginners are advised to start with short distances (3-5 kilometers) for “watch-free running” and gradually increase the distance, allowing the body time to adapt to “running without data guidance.” If anxiety is severe and affects normal running or life, consider seeking help from a professional sports psychologist; do not bear the pressure alone.
Disclaimer: This article is for reference and communication only. The content is sourced from the internet, and copyright belongs to the original author. If there is any infringement, please contact us for removal. Thank you!
Feel free to share this article, let’s grow and improve together!
Running Friends
Heartfelt Words
*The ultimate battlefield for runners is not on the track, but within the heart. When the body is on the brink of its limits, mental resilience is the key to breaking through barriers. “Can I do more? The answer is usually: of course.” — Paul Tergat (former marathon world record holder)
—– Running Assistant
Practical Tips for Running in Hot Weather: 8 Key Details for Safe Running in High Temperatures
Ten Years of Running: The Truths That Enhance Both Body and Life
A Sudden Heart Attack During a 5-Kilometer Morning Run! Discipline is Valuable, but Safety is Priceless
