Music While Running?
alienrite
Posts: 314 Member
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
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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!0 -
@Pinkgumdrop: I'm the exact opposite - music gives me rythm and keeps me going - without it i'm negatively distracted by my heavy breathing :P0
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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 haha0 -
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 0 -
I need to listen to music when I run.0
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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.0
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When I cant have my music, I sing. May sound silly but its better than nothing for me.0
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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.0 -
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
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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.0
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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. !! x0 -
@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).0 -
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
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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.0 -
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.0 -
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.0 -
@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.)0 -
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.0 -
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.0 -
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.html0 -
@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).
Ha ha I have all of the songs you listed on my workout playlist!0 -
@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).
It is strange that my breathing is great as long as I don't think about. As soon as I notice it, either good or bad, I start puffing. I trained with respirators for work and had a similar problem especially with on-demand supplies. My focus seems to need to stay on my form and foot pace.0 -
@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.)
There's a cardio rap station I use on Pandora. Occasionally I use the classic rock cardio too.0 -
I used to run with an mp3 player and would rather miss a run than run without it if I forgot to pack it.
Now I prefer to listen to the pattern of my breath and I am more aware of the trees, the ground, the air and humans, birds and animals around. The music was blocking me from being "in the moment".0 -
To alisonmrn thanks for the great tip I'm going straight to that site.
I love to listen to music when I run or any other exercise. I choose music that's got a good beat and puts me in a good mood distracting me from the pain of my burning leg muscles lol.
I'm a big rock/metal/cheesy rock fan and my "power song" on my workout playlist is iron maiden- run free. Makes me bounce and run like I'm a kid again :bigsmile:0 -
Most people seem to need music to run. I'm so weird. I listen to podcasts and audio books. I like to get lost in thought when I run.0
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Most people seem to need music to run. I'm so weird. I listen to podcasts and audio books. I like to get lost in thought when I run.
I lose the ability to follow spoken word stories when my HR gets above 80% and my thoughts just float. Like skipping stones on a pond. Part of the magic for me. Music lets me come and go which is great.0 -
I love listening to music and the Warrior Dash and a zombie run were the only races I did without music. (Warrior Dash because I didn't think it would survive the mud and water, zombie run because I wouldn't survive if I couldn't hear them coming).
I have it low enough that I can hear my surroundings... carry on a conversation with someone next to me, hear a dog's tags jingling, hear someone vacuuming inside their house, hear the music playing in cars driving by, hear a sparrow fart in a tree above me, etc.0 -
It is so much nicer to run with your stride matching the music. At least that is what keeps me going. I sing and plod along listening to dorky songs like "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" that I would not be caught dead listening to any other time.0
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By the way if you have one song that is a perfect tempo for you and want more, go to jog.fm and do a search on that song. It will show you tons more.0
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