I’m a creature of habit.  I eat one of two things for breakfast every morning, usually after drinking approximately half a cup of coffee.  I gravitate to the same treadmill at the gym (UEF) and have been know to sweetly request that an ignorant occupant vacate the premises.  When I head out for a run alone I automatically grab my Garmin, iPod/iPhone, and various hydration or fuel accoutrements depending on the mileage.

Since marathon training is basically the ability to overcome a series of mental and physical personal challenges, I thought it would be enlightening to confront my reliance on gadgets.  Although all a person really needs to run is a decent pair of shoes, other gear can certainly make the experience more enjoyable.  I know people used to run in cotton shirts and shorts before all the synthetic performance fabrics were invented, but EWWWW.  Sweat-drenched cotton both constricts a body’s movement and smells like teen spirit.  While I was not willing to forgo my Coolmax sports bra, tank top, shorts or socks for today’s 5-mile run, I’m very proud to report that I hit the pavement without my Garmin or any iProducts.

I wish I could say it felt freeing from the get-go not to be fussing with ear bud cords, touch screen icons or GPS buttons.  However, I did not enjoy the sound of my spastic breath or the noise my cinder bock feet made barreling down the road.  Eventually I settled in to this foreign state of running.  I ticked through my to do list,  admired some natural beauty, and tried not to think about my pace since I had no way to check it.  When I arrived back home, I sprinted inside to see the clock.  Phew!  I did just fine speed-wise, obviously not as well letting go of my dependence on modern technology.  There’s always next time.