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I'm sure this has been asked many times but.......... (Read 412 times)

JustLikeJF


    Who runs with music and who doesn't and why ?

     

    I'd like to get rid of it, I love being in my head while I'm running but I've found that not hearing my breathing helps me run better. As soon as I hear my breathing I get this panic thing going in my head like I'm straining and it ruins the run.

     

    For now I'm stuck with music, any suggestions.

                                                            

    Zaphod


    President of the Galaxy

      I listened to music on every run when I first started, but soon dropped down to only on the long runs. Now, I never listen to music on any run unless it's the treadmill at the gym - and then only because they are playing it on house speakers. When I run, I concentrate on form, breathing (2 in 3 out, 2 in 3 out), and watching the world around me. I usually run around sunrise, so there are plenty of birds singing and insects chirping and buzzing. I live in a rural area, so I see deer, fox, rabbit, various birds, raccoon, opossums, and even a black bear once in a while. When music is playing in my ears, I tend to concentrate on the music and miss out on what else is going on. Also, musical distraction is dangerous on the roads - you need to be able to hear the cars coming as far away as possible.

      joescott


        I go through phases, cycling in and out of listening to music on the run.  Right now I am in an "out" phase that has to do with being too lazy to load up the MP3 player with some fresh tunes and the rain we've been having a lot of lately that destroys headphones and mp3 players, and also lately it just feels good to be able to run along and hear my feet hitting the wet asphalt, the water running down the storm drains, birds and what not.  But no doubt before long I'll be back into an "in" phase where I take music with me on virtually every run.  For me there are benefits both ways.

        - Joe

        We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.

          I pretty much only run with music when running on a treadmill, which is very rarely. On the treadmill I want to be distracted, outside I don't.

          Runners run


          Mmmmm...beer

            I started out with music on every run, couldn't run without it.  But then in prep for the RockNRoll half last year (my first), I started training without it, because I wanted to hear the bands while I racing.  Then I discovered that I like running without it and being able to hear the world around me.  I'll still listen to music if I'm on a treadmill tho, because it's the only thing that keeps me from going insane while running for an hour staring at the wall.

            -Dave

            My running blog

            Goals | sub-18 5k | sub-3 marathon 2:56:46!!

              I don't listen to music while running.

              In fact, I don't listen to music in the car.

              In fact, I don't listen to talk radio or anything when in the car.

               

              I like to listen to myself think whenever I'm alone running or biking or driving in the car.
              I don't need distractions.

               

              (My wife calls me the music Nazi because I turn the volume of music down whenever and whereever it's playing).

              Life Goals:

              #1: Do what I can do

              #2: Enjoy life

               

               

              jerseyrunner


              Half Fanatic 12680

                I listen to music or a recorded book almost all the time. I enjoy listening to books on long runs (1.5-3 hours). These are mostly on familiar routes with little traffic that I run several times a week. On shorter runs I listen to music and I have different playlists for easy and fast runs. I don't blast the volume so I can still hear sounds and I keep fairly alert. If I am running in a new location I often skip the music so I can pay more attention to my surroundings or just enjoy them. But since most of my runs are on the same roads which are nice, but not exactly magical, I like to enjoy a book or music. My DH and I were running together last weekend, me with earbuds and him without, and I was the one calling out when cars were coming and where to turn so I think it is possible to run safely with earbuds.

                 

                 

                Slo


                  I pretty much only run with music when running on a treadmill, which is very rarely. On the treadmill I want to be distracted, outside I don't.

                   

                  Ditto


                  running metalhead

                    Who runs with music and who doesn't and why ?

                     

                    I'd like to get rid of it, I love being in my head while I'm running but I've found that not hearing my breathing helps me run better. As soon as I hear my breathing I get this panic thing going in my head like I'm straining and it ruins the run.

                     

                    For now I'm stuck with music, any suggestions.

                     

                    Been there, seen it.

                    I'm also kinda music-nazi now, specially because of safety concerns and because I want to avoid annoying others that I don't notice because I can't hear them.

                    I had exactly the same issue. First I listened to death metal while running to avoid listening to my breath for the same reason as you. At the same time I started searching on the web for breathing strategies, etc... I found out there weren't too many. The reason is that it's not necessary (read on).

                    So what I did at a given moment was changing from Death Metal to Doom Metal and some Space Rock, the reason for that was that it held no relation to my breathing rhythm. It  seemed to work for some time... until I found the Real Truth(TM) about running and breathing:

                    Almost nobody who has been running for some time wastes a second thought about breathing (unless she/he is sprinting). Why? Because we run at a pace that allows us to run without getting into oxygen debt. The correct pace for your everyday running is the pace where you can talk speaking a whole phrase. If you start getting out of breath or have difficulties speaking, slow down, even to a walk or just stop. In a few weeks you will have accomplished two things: Getting a sense of your pace for running continuously and you will also have improved your aerobic condition allowing you to run faster without getting out of breath. And this will continue improving with time until you will be able to start doing some more advanced stuff like intervals where your aim will be to reach the pace where you get out of breath (grossly explained).

                    If you do the above you can leave your MP3 player at home. I would actually start straight away as it will allow you to concentrate in keeping your pace low.


                     







                    - Egmond ( 14 januari )            :  1:41:40 (21K)
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                      I think people sometimes get too uptight about the running with/without music thing.  If it helps you, why not run with it?  Sometimes when I run with music, I think of it as an invisible running partner, to keep me on pace.  I also find it enjoyable to run with outside without the mp3 to enjoy the sounds of nature or to have a conversation with other runners.   I agree that it is difficult to run on a treadmill without any distraction (tv or music) but that can be done too!   If you want to "wean" yourself off of music, try this.  Start you run with the mp3 player off and only agree to start it after a set amount of time without it (say 1 mile).  You can build up your tolerance in this manner and might even find that after a while you enjoy running without the sound blaring in your ears.

                      "Shut up Legs!" Jens Voigt

                      Wing


                      Joggaholic

                        On treadmill: No (I watch Netflix instead)

                        On short runs < 2 hrs: No

                        On long runs: Yes

                        On runs requiring attention such as looking out for skunks early in the morning with a flashlight: No

                        Slo


                          I think people sometimes get too uptight about the running with/without music thing. 

                           

                          My take...Running can be like a religious experience. Some people are comptemplative, some are charismatic, some go thru the motions and the non-runners are athiest.

                          npaden


                            It depends on about 15 or 20 different things for me.  What's going on in my life at the time, what route I'm running, what type of run I'm doing, what the weather is like, etc.

                             

                            I pretty much do all of the above and sometimes listen to podcasts as well (didn't see those mentioned yet).  When I do listen to music, etc., I only put in one ear bud and try to keep that the one facing away from traffic.  Plus I generally only listen to music on back country roads were I generally only see 2 or 3 vehicles in a 6 to 8 mile run.

                            Age: 50 Weight: 224 Height: 6'3" (Goal weight 195)

                            Current PR's:  Mara 3:14:36* (2017); HM 1:36:13 (2017); 10K 43:59 (2014); 5K 21:12 (2016)

                            Julia1971


                              I run with music because, for me, it makes an enjoyable experience even more fun. My running playlist are generally made up of motivational songs about achieving, appreciating life, etc.  Those songs prompt me to think about those things and odds are, it'll be the only time during the day that I do. I also live in a big city and run on the sidewalks and multi use trails. If I were running in the street with cars, I would not wear them. (My closest call with a car involved a cab that jumped the curb and missed hitting me by only a few inches. I'm sure if I had been hit, people would have blamed the headphones).  I also have a staunch no jaywalking policy when I wear them. I also don't race with them when they're prohibited. And, I actually feel I'm pretty aware of what's going on around me.


                              Latent Runner

                                Who runs with music and who doesn't and why ?

                                 

                                I'd like to get rid of it, I love being in my head while I'm running but I've found that not hearing my breathing helps me run better. As soon as I hear my breathing I get this panic thing going in my head like I'm straining and it ruins the run.

                                 

                                For now I'm stuck with music, any suggestions.

                                 

                                Hmmm, I've never run with music, and I doubt I ever will.  That said, I run on wooded trails where Mother Nature provides plenty of music.  This time of the year I hear (and often see) bull frogs, great blue herons, ducks, geese, song birds of all sorts, crickets, grasshoppers, cicadas, turkeys, the swift hoof beats of deer lunging across the trail, the clip-clop of a recreational horseback rider, and many other less frequent sounds like the nail clicking of a fisher (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisher_(animal)) as it is climbing a tree next to the trail.

                                Fat old man PRs:

                                • 1-mile (point to point, gravity assist): 5:50
                                • 2-mile: 13:49
                                • 5K (gravity assist last mile): 21:31
                                • 5-Mile: 37:24
                                • 10K (first 10K of my Half Marathon): 48:16
                                • 10-Mile (first 10 miles of my Half Marathon): 1:17:40
                                • Half Marathon: 1:42:13
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