I admit, sometimes I do wish I’d know what distance is remaining. But only sometimes, when I am getting really tired or experiencing some discomfort while running.
“Streaking is the act of running naked through a public place as a prank, a dare, for publicity or an act of protest. It is often associated with sporting events but can occur in more secluded areas. It usually involves running quickly which also reflects the original meaning of the word before it became associated with nudity. Streakers are often pursued by sporting officials or by the police. In some instances, streakers are not fully nude, instead wearing minimal clothing” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streaking)
‘Naked running’ (or running naked), however, refers to running free, without a sport watch, activity tracker, gadget, or music.
I prefer to be aware of my surrounds while running, rather than music in my ears. It is advocated as a more mindful approach to running (or walking).
My dislike is informed by a number of reasons:
- I’ve experienced a chest heart-rate strap as a nuisance. Furthermore, the battery sometimes fails without warning; the strap sags at times; and the strap need to be washed regularly.
- Similarly, the battery of a separate GPS gadget sometimes fails; or in ignorance the GPS might be positioned out of range (e.g. on ankle, instead of upper arm) of the watch; or may fail to pick up satellites.
- It is a nuisance having to activate a watch when starting a race, and to ensure that the associated device/s are synchronised and functioning. Trying to read the small display (of some watches/activity trackers) during the run is further not easy.
- The batteries of the watch may also fail during a long race. The straps of watches do wear out and may need to be replaced.
The data transfer device (or connection); the device software; and the PC’s operating software might further be working fine when all of a sudden the update in one results in compatibility problems for the other.
The rate of increasing sophistication of the data-tracking technology of sport gadgets is further a source of frustration, in that it suggests a need for continuous upgrade and escalating expenditure. One wonders if the escalation in the range of immediate feedback accessibility by runners is in the interest of runners, or mere profit-making pursuits.
There are many blog posts and articles praising and highlighting the advantages of naked running.
One of the advantages of participating in a timed race, is that while participants would enjoy the benefits of naked running, the time it took each participant is taken.