Guess Your Distance | The No Watch Race - The Running Channel

Aug 13, 2025

Intro

Inspired by the “Guess Your Distance | The No Watch Race” from The Running Channel, we’re breaking down their fun, watch-free challenge so you can try this 5 km “no-watch” workout yourself. It’s a great test of your internal clock! Be sure to watch the full video for all the details.

Key Points

No-tech challenge: Run as close to 5 km as possible without looking at a watch or phone.
Tactics: Pick a flat route, use your known 5 km average pace (e.g., a 20-minute 5K), and count minutes or landmarks (like every 400 m) to gauge distance.
Mental mapping: Visualise a 400-meter track in your head, using landmarks like gates or bridges as checkpoints.
Lesson: You might be surprised how much you rely on technology. This challenge helps you develop a better sense of internal pacing and distance feel. Honing this skill is a game-changer for race day, and a great way to improve it is through dedicated pace work. In fact, Mastering Interval Training: Science-Backed Workouts and How a Smart App Can Personalize Them can help you become more attuned to different efforts.

Workout Example (No-Watch 5 km)

Know your average 5 km pace. This is your baseline. For example, if your average is 4 min/km, you’ll be aiming for a 20-minute total run time. If you’re still working on establishing or improving your speed, our guide to Mastering 5K Speed: Proven Interval Strategies to Cut Minutes off Your Time offers some excellent strategies.
Select a flat, unfamiliar route (a park or canal path is ideal).
Start running and count minutes (or use a mental 400-m “track” in your head).
Use landmarks (e.g., a gate 400 m away) to confirm you’re on track.
Stop when you think you’ve hit 5 km – aiming for your target time (e.g., 20 minutes).
Check the distance after the run and note how close you were.

Practical Tips

Practice a “feel-run” on a known route first to build confidence, then try it on a new route.
Use a simple time-count (e.g., stop after 20 minutes if that’s your usual 5 km time).
Mark landmarks in your mind to break the distance into manageable chunks.
After the run, compare the recorded distance to your estimate and use that feedback to adjust your pacing on future runs.

Closing Note

Give this watch-free 5 km challenge a go and see how accurate your internal pacing is! Once you get the hang of it, you can apply this concept to any distance. Why not try a no-watch 10k next? For those ready to level up, our guide to Mastering the 10K: Proven Training Plans, Pace Strategies, and How a Smart App Can Elevate Your Performance has everything you need. You can easily customise the distance or pace in the Pacing app to match your own speeds. Have fun, and keep running smarter! 🚀