Using Countdown Timer for Running

The other feature that runners use most often is the countdown timer. You program the watch to count down a certain time, at the end of which it beeps for a few seconds, and then it starts counting down again until it beeps, and so on until you make it stop. Runners will use this feature if they want to alternate bouts of hard and easy running. For example, you may start your countdown timer and run hard. After two minutes, the timer beeps, which is your signal to run very slowly. Two minutes later, it beeps again, and you start running hard, repeating the process as often as you want. Yes, it’s easy to feel like a Pavlovian dog when you use this feature, but it is very helpful when you’re doing faster running of the sort that is detailed in Chapter 19. That’s especially the case when you don’t have access to a measured surface such as a track, or when it’s dark out and you might have a hard time reading your watch. Many runners rely on this “countdown training” to guide them through their hard running in the winter.

Some watches also have a programmable feature that beeps many times a minute. The idea here is that you want to maintain a certain pace and have determined your stride frequency for that pace. You then program the watch so that it beeps to coincide with every time that your right foot should hit the ground while running that pace. I don’t think these beeping pacers are a good idea. There’s just too many variables in effect for them to guide you to your desired pace. Your stride length and frequency are going to change during a run or race, depending on how hilly the terrain is and how tired you’re feeling.

Only when you’re running on a track is the surface going to be the same throughout your run, and tracks are so calibrated that you can check your splits often enough to know whether you’re hitting your desired pace. Also, I’m a big believer in running how you feel, not how fast a beeping watch tells you to. You can find a good running watch with a chronometer, lap counter, and countdown timer for about $50. Get one that’s water-resistant so that you can wear it in the rain. If you run in the dark often, look for one with an illuminating backlight that you can easily switch on and that stays lit for a few seconds.