I absolutely LOVE hearing the sounds around me. I love hearing my breathing, and I love hearing my feet hit the ground.
With that, I know pleeeenty of runners (road and trail) that run with music over 75% of the time. Out of all those people I can think of three specifically that are pretty fast accomplished runners, so running with music isn't just for the BOP.
Plus, why NOT run with music?! I remember in college we had the chance to run our own experiments/projects and one group actually picked the effects of music on motivation or something along those lines. Now I doubt it was 100% accurate/controlled, but it turned out the people in that study ran faster with music than without.
Well, I'm here to force my opinion on you and tell you running is better without music!! (just kidding a little bit)
I recently came across a race report for the New York City Marathon. Hopefully the person that wrote that race report will not see this, but if you do, you're more than welcome to post your response.
I was really enjoying the race report till I got to this part. "It was amazing running over the bridge. I was listening to my music but at one point I switched it off just to hear the sound of feet running on concrete. It was so quiet and zen. Truly incredible."
The author was typing about running over the Verrazano Narrows bridge in the opening two miles of the marathon.
Here's my question. WHY in the world would one want to shut out the sounds of this? Running across that bridge last week was incredible. Thousands of people together running across one of the more famous bridges in the world. Odds are that's the only time these people will EVER get the chance to do this, and you're going to drown it out with music?!
It almost made me sad to think that, that person had their music on for the rest of the race and missed the crowds shouting through Brooklynn... Queens... Manhattan... The Bronx... and Central Park. If you've run that marathon before you know exactly what I'm talking about. People 5+ deep on both sides just shouting encouragement. It's truly incredible and uplifting.
Another aspect of music + running that bothers me is trail runners that use music. (remember... it's my opinion before you destroy me!) :)
Last year I was mountain biking on a local trail that also has trail runners/walkers coming the opposite direction. I was heading down a steep, technical drop that had a lot of blind corners.
I'm flying down and look up to see a runner walking up the hill with her head down. I assumed she could hear me coming and would at least move over a bit, but she had music in her ears and never heard me coming. I had to bail off the trail into some brush to avoid slamming into her.
As soon as I hit the brush she looks up and says, "Oh my goodness, I'm sorry. I didn't even hear you coming" ...
Hmmm. Imagine that.
Now, in regards to ultra runners, I know that we're often times out there in the wilderness alone for hours. It know it can get kinda of lonely and boring.
While I can see that music may be a good pick me up here, I can't help but think about 1) how many awesome sounds you're missing out on and 2) how dangerous this could be.
In those big mountain ultras there are often times so many sounds that we never get to hear when living in the city, not to mention the lack of sound that is also incredible! I remember a few years ago sitting in this huge oversized chair at the top of the Pajarito Ski Area in the Jemez 50. I just sat there and soaked in the silence and beauty of the mountains around me. I couldn't have imagined drowning that out with music.
As for being dangerous, I can't help but think about my Where's Waldo 100K experience a few years ago. I was walking up a hill around mile 55 and suddenly heard the sound of a tree getting torn up. I looked up to see a bear scavenging in a downed tree for grub. As soon as I looked at the bear the thing turned around and stomped off.
If I'd had my ears plugged with music there's no way I would have heard that bear. (odds are it would have heard me and stomped off without me every knowing it, but you know what I'm saying)
I guess what I'm getting at here, is that I hope you guys and gals that run with music are taking out the ear buds every once in awhile and soaking in the sounds or lack there of around you. Don't become dependent on your music to get you through a race, because I've come across PLENTY of grumpy runners that are pissed off because their IPod battery died! :) You won't be sorry!
And finally, I want to finish up my little rant with a few questions for those of you that do run with music.
Why do you run with music? and do you ever turn off the music? Do you train and race with music?
Remember, I'm not at all trying to say what's wrong and right, but I am interested in hearing why some people do prefer running with music.
and with that, I ironically leave you with a piece of music :)
-Jacob
I had a similar experience at the Savannah RnR marathon last week. That said, I do enjoy training with music sometimes and it does help me run faster (like a metronome), but in a race, I wish folks would not have the headphones because then I could chat with them. : )
ReplyDeleteI don't run with music in races as much as I used to and, lately, haven't done so at all. During hard training efforts on the trail or road I definitely use music to help drive the effort, especially, on the mundane treadmill. But, within the past few months, I haven't used music since my iPod died and haven't had the desire, time, or interest in replacing, yet, another dead Shuffle.
ReplyDeleteIn the past, during races, when using music I've found myself turning it off when things get rough. This enables me to focus on my body and mind. This past weekend when I DNF'd at mile 82, it would have been helpful to have the music in the later part of the race to use as a "pick-me-up" and possibly take my mind off how torn up my feet were. Remember, I don't run with pacers or use crew, so it can get fairly lonely out there on the trail, especially on point-to-point courses, but that's my choice and how I prefer to run. Strangers volunteering at aid stations doesn't provide much influence or motivation to get me through bad parts of a race, whereas having my favorite tunes could. We could just as easy turn the subject to why people use pacers and crew during a race. It's a slippery slope... ;)
You can listen to music and what is going on around you. They are not mutually exclusive. Try it out http://onegoodearbud.com
ReplyDeleteI run with music, sometimes. I have run in big races to music, particularly because I am focusing on a certain pace and it helps me keep the focus within. Long runs, almost always, unless I'm with a group. Trail runs, rarely if ever, I like the sounds of nature. After a long work day I like to tune out from the world and listen to what I really enjoy, concentrate on the lyrics and the music. I don't need it but I like it and I am glad to have it as an option. The shuffle is such a great option and sometimes the only chance I have to really listen to something I enjoy is when I am running! Particularly on a treadmill in the dead of winter in NY!
ReplyDelete95% of the time I am without music. There are times on longer runs that I will plug one ear in, low, to help me get through them. For me long is around 18-22. I'd say on 7/10 of those runs around 13 or so for a few miles I'll plug in an ear and listen to some Adele or some other soothing soulful female singer (yeah, it's that specific for what helps me). After a couple miles, I turn it back off. This is only on the trail and never during a race or on the road. If I get to a section where it's hard to see, I will pull the ear bud out so I have both ears to hear. I do love the sounds all around me as I run on road or trail! It truly is awesome!
ReplyDeleteI don't even own an ipod. no music here. ;)
ReplyDelete