Some runners will say it’s an ego thing but I think stopping your watch is more practical than letting it run on. In a race, you don’t have cars, cyclists or phone-drone pedestrians getting in your way, so when you’re training, it’s more useful to see the time and effort you exert when you’re actually on the move.

Sure, you might stop to use the loo (although for some, that can be avoided) or need to detour slightly to grab a drink, but on the whole, there are far fewer obstacles in your way in a Parkrun, RunThrough 10k or marathon than there are on a random run.

Stopping your watch also gives you a chance to have a little active recovery (which you wouldn’t need/want during an actual running event). If you’ve got tight tendons, jogging on the spot can stop them from getting stiff and painful. You can do some hamstring and side stretches, move the hips, pedal out the calves. A stopped watch isn’t an invitation to stand still, but it might give you an opportunity to stretch without worrying that it’s time to get going again.

Running motivation: should you pause your fitness watch at the traffic lights?