Running Unplugged: A Pilot Study on Technological Disengagement and Identity Disruption Among Distance Runners

This study explores the emotional and identity-related dimensions of disconnecting from smartwatch use in distance running. Using a collaborative autoethnographic approach, it examines the experiences of two middle-aged, non-elite runners transitioning from years of smartwatch reliance to a period of technological disengagement. The analysis investigates the emotional and psychological processes of this “cold turkey” journey, focusing on how runners navigate self-perception and autonomy when detached from digital tracking. Four themes emerged: (1) From Metrics to Movement: Rediscovering Freedom in Running, highlighting the liberation of running without performance metrics; (2) Beyond the Screen: Navigating Alternative Running Cues, illustrating how runners subconsciously replaced smartwatch feedback with environmental and bodily cues; (3) Running Without Proof: The Uncertainty of the Untracked Self, capturing the existential discomfort of running without recorded data; and (4) Unplugged and Exposed: The Vulnerability of Running Without a Watch, revealing the psychological attachment to wearable technology and the sense of loss in its absence. This study contributes to discussions on digital technology, self-identity, and the embodied running experience, revealing the tensions between self-tracking, autonomy, and identity validation in contemporary endurance sport.