Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Experimenting Part I

So, the guidelines for the Go! St. Louis half say that iPods are "strongly discouraged." Not banned, just frowned upon...I don't want to be that asshole with the ear buds in, but 13.1 miles is also a very long way to go with no tunes. Currently, my plan is this: I will go music-less during the beginning of the race when quarters are close, but when the pack thins out and I need some motivation, I'll pull out the iPod. I'll keep the headphone cord contained. Heck, I might even buy a Shuffle to slip on my belt. But, in the meantime, since I always run with music, I've decided to try getting used to running a few miles in silence.

This afternoon was attempt #1. I started work early so I could quit while it was still warm (i.e., 37 degrees) and get in a 5 miler before dark. It was all I could do not to strap on my armband as I headed out the door, but I stayed strong.

The result? I finished in my usual amount of time. My splits were very similar. My only issues were mental (and easy enough to get over, I suppose)--I hated listening to myself breathe. Let me tell you, I sound like I am way out of shape! I blame bad allergies! And, even though my Garmin contradicts this, I felt a little lethargic, like I wasn't getting the energy boost from hearing my "favorite" song just when I needed it.

Not bad for the first go round. It's supposed to be warmish for the next couple of days, so hopefully I'll get to give it a try again later in the week.
Do you listen to music while you run or use the time to clear your head in silence?
How do you feel about iPod/mp3 players during races?

1 comment:

  1. Outdoors I don't run with music. Headphones drive me batty and I can't keep them in while sitting still, never mind while running. I actually love to just listen to the world around me. Your own sounds become comforting after a while and you really become in tune to yourself.

    Indoors however I crank up the tunes because there's nothing to listen to and nothing to look at it my gym so I get bored super quick.

    Personally I don't care if someone wears an iPod/mps in a race, as long as they are aware of their surroundings. Though I've been run over and cut off by people not wearing these devices lots of times, so it's more about being aware than what people are listening to.

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