I've also downloaded the book but haven't dared confront it yet.
I am firmly in the excess gear and gadget camp, partly (I suspect) in the hope that these are shortcuts to improvement. Of course, they are not, and I'm an even more crap runner with the gear than I ever was without it.
I'm torn. Of course, I love the idea of the
au naturel approach, and I can see that it makes sense to rely more on the equipment we were given at birth. And no one outside the industry is going to be too upset that the manufacturers are coming under attack.
But to pick up on MLCMM's question, the Askwith approach just isn't practical for everyone. If you don't live around the corner from a stretch of grassy, open countryside, you have to be a bit more padded, for a start.
The spreadsheet question. Hmm, yes I am a geek. I've always loved the spreadsheet part of the pastime but I've never seen it as adding unnecessary complexity. It's a motivator, and a history. Looking back at my efforts, it;s almost a blog in itself as it helps me recall the long runs, or reminds me of the plods in Cuba and Japan and Iceland.
But I make these points half-heartedly. Even without reading the book, I feel pretty sure Askwith is making a good point. Whatever our standard, we all share the knowledge of the buzz you get from a run. This core pleasure is available despite the technology and not because of it. The tools don't even improve it. They often threaten it. Think of all those people you see in races on cold days with expensive running jackets tied around their waists because they didn't believe they were ever going to warm up. The number of times people feel a thrill to check their watch at the end of a run or race must be exceeded by the times when the emotion is disappointment.
I'd like to think there's a balance. I suspect I'll never give up the toys completely, but -- presuming I eventually force myself out the door again -- perhaps I can think of at least plodding without the ipod and heart rate monitor, and maybe even the watch. The watch is more of a way of automatically having a record of the run via the download. It's never been a tool for making me less slow.
I'm looking forward to the book. FITC is excellent, so I have high expectations. I've recently been plotting a healthier regime, including exercise, so it might help to push me out there. I'm not in the immediate countryside here, but there are some nice woods at the end of the road, and the lake is only 6 minutes and 24 seconds away according to my...
