For my first 8 or 9 years as a runner, I never ran with music. It was never something that I thought I needed or craved. Once I got used to running, I quite like being able to hear the sound of my footsteps, nearby birds chirping, rain falling to the ground, noises from cars whizzing by and so forth. Sometimes a song would come in to my head and I would “listen” to it from memory, but I would never actually listen to music while I ran.
Eventually I got an iPod and I began to take it with me on a run. It opened up a whole new world for me. I felt that combining two of my favorite activities brought a beauty that I hadn’t experienced before. Music provided a pleasant distraction in many ways. If my body was telling me that it was tired and it’s time toturn around, I could simply put on an upbeat, energetic song to help lift my spirits up. If I wanted to shut out my surroundings and be unaware of anyone trying to get my attention while I was on the run, I could just increase the volume of my iPOD and prevent myself from hearing them.
Music also proved to be a useful tool during my runs. I would spend hours making up playlists for my runs, distinguishing between those runs that were long distance and shorter tempo runs. It also became a way that I could listen to music on my iPod that I wasn’t that acquainted with. I made playlists based on how I wanted to pace myelf. For example, for my last marathon, my playlist began with slower. instrumental and folk songs then eventually changed to hip-hop, rap, and heavy electronic music. If I was doing mile repeats at the track, I would listen to songs that were as long as my goal mile time.
While all this is quite helpful and great, there is also a negative aspect to allowing myself to become so distracted in a run. It makes me unaware of my surroundings which can surely be dangerous. Because of the volume of music, I am unaware of traffic noise and it’s much easier to become immersed in my run and forget that I am running next to traffic. I take for granted traffic signs and situations where I have the right-of-way, knowing that many drivers are distracted and may not aware of my presence as they’re trying to make a left hand turn into a parking lot or a street. I have the tendency to not run in a straight line, so if someone is running or biking behind me I pose a danger to myself and to them if they are trying to pass me.
In all honesty, I do think that music takes away some of the beauty of running, but it doing so it also creates a different kind of beauty. Right now, I am trying to get in the habit of not taking my iPod with me on every run. I feel that I need to be slightly more self-aware and aware of my surroundings. As runners, I think we all need to just listen to our bodies sometimes and hear the sound of our own breath and footsteps. I also that there is something beautiful about running to your favorite music and songs that motivate you- it almost feels like the run is your interpretation to the song. A person tends to speed up at the faster parts of the song and slows down as the music slows. On that note (pun intended), I’m going to share with you some of my favorite songs to listen to while running. I hope they can provide enjoyment and motivation for you. Keep Running!
Big Love,
Bon Iver- Calgary(Azedia Remix)
Skrillex- Summit
Deadmau5- Strobe
Passion Pit- Little Secrets
Metric- Gold Gun Girls
J Cole/ Amber Coffman- She Knows
LCD Soundsystem- I Can Change
Caribou- Leave House
Neon Indian- Polish Girl
Yeasayer- One
The National- Bloodbuzz Ohio
St. Lucia- We Got It Wrong
Explosions in the Sky- Your Hands In Mine
Ellie Goulding- Hanging On
Jessie Ware – Wildest Moments (Remix ft. A$AP Rocky)
Pretty Lights- Solar Sailor
Silversun Pickups- Dream at Tempo 119
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes- Om Nashi Me
Flume- Holdin’ On
Hot Chip- One Life Stand
Ratatat- Mumtaz Khan
Chvrches- Science/Visions
Haim- Falling (Duke Dumont Remix)
Lindsay Sterling- Electric Daisy Violin
M83- Run Into Flowers
bonzailove 