Music While Running?

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alienrite
alienrite Posts: 314 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm just starting to run and I'm struggling with pace and focus. I'm wondering if my iPod music is too distracting also I have a race where they won't let me use headphones for safety and I'm concerned that training with music and then racing without might be difficult. Music is what gets me through my elliptical sessions though and helps me push that last 15%. Any thought?
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Replies

  • pinkgumdrop123
    pinkgumdrop123 Posts: 262 Member
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    Personally, I cannot listen to music while I run because I find it too distracting. When running I instead like to focus on my breath and I count my steps. That is how I get through my runs.

    My running has improved greatly since I stopped trying to listen to music while doing it!
  • thefaultinourstars
    thefaultinourstars Posts: 15
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    @Pinkgumdrop: I'm the exact opposite - music gives me rythm and keeps me going - without it i'm negatively distracted by my heavy breathing :P
  • pinkgumdrop123
    pinkgumdrop123 Posts: 262 Member
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    @Pinkgumdrop: I'm the exact opposite - music gives me rythm and keeps me going - without it i'm negatively distracted by my heavy breathing :P

    Most runners I know agree with you!! Guess I am weird haha
  • nefbaker
    nefbaker Posts: 79
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    I'm just starting to run and I'm struggling with pace and focus. I'm wondering if my iPod music is too distracting also I have a race where they won't let me use headphones for safety and I'm concerned that training with music and then racing without might be difficult. Music is what gets me through my elliptical sessions though and helps me push that last 15%. Any thought?

    What I have found is in the race there is enough around me to keep me focused and keep my pace, especially if you run with a pace group (half marathons and marathons).

    While training, however, I like a lot of dance club music. Nike put out a 44 minute song that works amazing for a 4 mile run for me.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASP3aZLPsb4
  • AmyB69
    AmyB69 Posts: 117
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    I need to listen to music when I run.
  • alienrite
    alienrite Posts: 314 Member
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    I wouldn't question it but I found that I cannot watch TV on the elliptical and still work hard. Music is perfect then and keeps me pumped. Hiking I can pace and work hard with and without music but running is new for me and surprisingly difficult. My next run, I may try without music...problem is I use Digifit to give me verbal feedback on my heart rate zone and ear buds without music are just annoying. I might have to go old school and use a HRM watch.
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,143 Member
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    When I cant have my music, I sing. May sound silly but its better than nothing for me.
  • pinkgumdrop123
    pinkgumdrop123 Posts: 262 Member
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    I wouldn't question it but I found that I cannot watch TV on the elliptical and still work hard. Music is perfect then and keeps me pumped. Hiking I can pace and work hard with and without music but running is new for me and surprisingly difficult. My next run, I may try without music...problem is I use Digifit to give me verbal feedback on my heart rate zone and ear buds without music are just annoying. I might have to go old school and use a HRM watch.

    I find my HRM really helpful with this.
  • lvespressogirl
    lvespressogirl Posts: 1 Member
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    I prefer to run with music, it does interfere with my pace. I forgot my headphones for a race one time and it turned out to be my fastest time. Now sometimes I run 3 or 4 miles without turning my ipod on. I have to wear my headphones on the treadmill though, because I hate running on the treadmill and I need a huge distraction :)
  • libbygrl
    libbygrl Posts: 10 Member
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    I love to run with music. I keep it low enough so I can hear it, but still hear outside noises like traffic and my breathing. I have run without it, and used the sites around me to take me to that same place. I find that my Garmin with HRM is what keeps me on track the most during my runs.
  • allisonmrn
    allisonmrn Posts: 721 Member
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    I love to listen while I run. Let me recommend to you ROCKMYRUN.com. You can pick music that is mixed together from all diff kinds of criteria. For instance, I runa t a certain pace so I can download mixes with certain BPM to help me keep in cadence. THe beat is with my steps. Also you can download mixes based on types of music,. length of mix, and theres some that if you like to do speed intervals, the mix speeds up and slows down to help push you through. Good luck to you. Running is ADDICTIVE, you've been warned.

    PS theres also a Zombie app for your smartphone that kinda has you runnig from flesh eating zombies that helps get you through too. !! x
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    @Pinkgumdrop: I'm the exact opposite - music gives me rythm and keeps me going - without it i'm negatively distracted by my heavy breathing :P

    Agree with this. If I have to listen to myself breathe, it starts to mess with me and I end up breating way too heavy and have even hyperventilated before.
    Music gets me "out of my head". That said, I pick music that helps me work on my pace. For example, when I started running, I listened to a lot of fast, pop/rap music to keep me going even if I wanted to stop (think Rihanna, David Guetta, etc). Now, I'm working on my pace, so I'm picking more rock music with a heavy, slower base beat (think Sail by AWOLnation, Evanescence, or Linkin Park).
  • Squidgeypaws007
    Squidgeypaws007 Posts: 1,012 Member
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    I love to listen while I run. Let me recommend to you ROCKMYRUN.com. You can pick music that is mixed together from all diff kinds of criteria. For instance, I runa t a certain pace so I can download mixes with certain BPM to help me keep in cadence. THe beat is with my steps. Also you can download mixes based on types of music,. length of mix, and theres some that if you like to do speed intervals, the mix speeds up and slows down to help push you through. Good luck to you. Running is ADDICTIVE, you've been warned.

    PS theres also a Zombie app for your smartphone that kinda has you runnig from flesh eating zombies that helps get you through too. !! x

    Oooh, that sounds good - thanks :D
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
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    Personally, I cannot listen to music while I run because I find it too distracting. When running I instead like to focus on my breath and I count my steps. That is how I get through my runs.

    My running has improved greatly since I stopped trying to listen to music while doing it!

    Though I don't currently run, I'm the exact same. I find music far too distracting to do any form of workout while listening to it (one reason why I never go to a gym). I do much better without music.

    I did try it once, while mountain biking. Nearly went face-first into two trees. Never again.
  • mynameiscarrie
    mynameiscarrie Posts: 963 Member
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    Agree with this. If I have to listen to myself breathe, it starts to mess with me and I end up breating way too heavy and have even hyperventilated before.

    this happens to me a lot! i have to remember to focus on the music, not my tempo or my breathing or else it gets bad.

    I'm also curious as to what race would say no music? I, personally, wouldn't sign up for a race that had that as a rule. You could play music through your phone speaker if you wanted, though.
  • alienrite
    alienrite Posts: 314 Member
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    I love to listen while I run. Let me recommend to you ROCKMYRUN.com. You can pick music that is mixed together from all diff kinds of criteria. For instance, I runa t a certain pace so I can download mixes with certain BPM to help me keep in cadence. THe beat is with my steps. Also you can download mixes based on types of music,. length of mix, and theres some that if you like to do speed intervals, the mix speeds up and slows down to help push you through. Good luck to you. Running is ADDICTIVE, you've been warned.

    PS theres also a Zombie app for your smartphone that kinda has you runnig from flesh eating zombies that helps get you through too. !! x

    That website sounds perfect. I need music for my daily elliptical and struggle to find the right playlist. My HRM is enough gadget for me though...the Zombie app seems too distracting until I learn to sustain a pace. I almost feel like I'm learning to drive and couldn't even flip my cassette without almost crashing.
  • thefaultinourstars
    thefaultinourstars Posts: 15
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    @Pinkgumdrop: I'm the exact opposite - music gives me rythm and keeps me going - without it i'm negatively distracted by my heavy breathing :P

    Agree with this. If I have to listen to myself breathe, it starts to mess with me and I end up breating way too heavy and have even hyperventilated before.
    Music gets me "out of my head". That said, I pick music that helps me work on my pace. For example, when I started running, I listened to a lot of fast, pop/rap music to keep me going even if I wanted to stop (think Rihanna, David Guetta, etc). Now, I'm working on my pace, so I'm picking more rock music with a heavy, slower base beat (think Sail by AWOLnation, Evanescence, or Linkin Park).

    same, except that i usually listen to really hardcore stuff (Parkway Drive, The Architects, As I Lay Dying etc.)
  • alienrite
    alienrite Posts: 314 Member
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    Agree with this. If I have to listen to myself breathe, it starts to mess with me and I end up breating way too heavy and have even hyperventilated before.

    this happens to me a lot! i have to remember to focus on the music, not my tempo or my breathing or else it gets bad.

    I'm also curious as to what race would say no music? I, personally, wouldn't sign up for a race that had that as a rule. You could play music through your phone speaker if you wanted, though.

    The race is a 200 mile team race with 14 check/relay points and many thousand runners. I understand the restriction in this case.
  • starlite_79
    starlite_79 Posts: 88 Member
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    i think that if i knew i had a race coming up where headphones were not permitted, i would want to prepare myself to run under those conditions and do some training runs sans music. anything you can do to acclimate yourself as closely to race day conditions as possible is going to help you feel more comfortable and hopefully perform better on the big day.

    i am grateful for the fact that i've not yet had to run a music-free race, so all of my training runs & races have been with the assistance of my trusty ipod.

    for the days where you do want music to aid with your running, take a look at the website jog.fm. you tell it what pace you run and it'll give you a list of songs where the beat matches your pace.
  • MDChin
    MDChin Posts: 19 Member
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    I've noticed that BPM can really pick up your pace when running, so try and go for tracks with a higher bpm (around 140-175) depending on what type of music you're into. A lot of people also upload mixes of songs, so you're never 'slowed down' by a tedious intro.

    Here's a mix I made for someone. Not sure if it's your type of music but it helps me out when running at gym. http://www36.zippyshare.com/v/89272679/file.html

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