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Are your running watch numbers telling you the truth — or just a convincing story?

In this episode of the I Don’t Know Running Podcast, we dig into what your watch can tell you… and where it quietly gets things wrong. From heart rate and VO₂ max to calorie burn, recovery time, and HRV, we talk about why wearable data often feels precise — but isn’t always accurate.

We cover:

Why wrist-based heart rate can spike or “cadence lock”

VO₂ max: badge of honor or educated guess?

How cold, snow, age, stress, and life circumstances skew your data

Why calorie burn numbers are often wildly off

Recovery scores, HRV, and when it’s okay to ignore your watch

Using trends instead of single data points

Learning to trust effort, feel, and experience again

This episode is for runners who love data — but don’t want to be ruled by it. As we age, train through real life, and run in imperfect conditions, expectations need to reset. Your watch is a tool… not the truth.

Listen, question the numbers, and reclaim your training.

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Until then, happy running. 🏃‍♂️

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