"We were high on a hillside that opened onto sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, with silently breaking waves before a horizon dotted with crab boats. My friend jabbed at the watch in hopes of shutting it up as it insisted that her splits were off, telling her to hurry, or slow down, she wasn't sure. At the moment, a ghost rainbow was forming beside a solid arc of color already plunging into the sea."
"A couple of days later, I was running the same area when it started to rain. I had my phone on, anticipating an important call, when a group text exploded. My wet touchscreen was non-functional, the beeping incessant and unstoppable. Both situations alerted me to how tech-saturated my running had become. I realized I couldn't remember the last time I'd gone on a long run without a device, and I began to ponder what I was missing by being so plugged in."
Device alerts repeatedly interrupted scenic runs on an Oregon Coast ridge, drawing attention away from wildlife and a rainbow. A wet touchscreen and nonstop beeping during rain further highlighted dependence on devices. Runs had become tech-saturated and presence in the moment diminished when gadgets were present. Running without a watch or phone forced attention back to intuition and surroundings, enabling spontaneous choices about pacing and route. Being device-free increased awareness of terrain, promoted relearning routes, and opened space for wonder and observation of animals and natural phenomena.
Read at iRunFar
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