Used to be I didn’t carry any sort of device while running. However, because I really want to be a fancy boy, I’ve positioned myself at the forefront of a new trend – carrying binoculars while running. More about this in a minute.

A couple women once complimented me for not getting sucked into carrying a device that has GPS tracking. They told me sometimes the pleasure of running is lessened by giving so much attention to all the stats a device gives.

I had to deflect the compliment because the reason I don’t carry a device is that I lack initiative. Sometimes I am interested in the pace or how far it was, and I’ll ask someone I ran with who has one.

Usually, judging my pace and distance works for me, and I can often be pretty close. It’s only recently that I finally started using any kind of device – a headlamp for nighttime running.

In a post from earlier this year, How to Become a Really Slow Runner, I detailed how I’ve slowed down immensely. This is the real reason I run with binoculars—not because I’m trying to be a fancy boy.

When I’m unfamiliar with the route at a running club get-together, and I’ve fallen way behind everyone else, I can keep the group in sight. This prevents me from losing my way and becoming lost.