Personally, I have always felt this to be true and I usually listen to music when I run (17:00/35:15). Personal favorite is Goa trance with BPMs from 120 to 140.
My brother is a more serious runner (14:45/31:15) and he only brings his mp3s on some long runs or on the treadmill when its cold outside. He says most "serious runners" don't listen to music when they run.
Now I don't feel guilty listening to my ipod shuffle when running everyday. Seriously, Radio Head, Roni Size, and Jimi Hendrix keep me in a zone on my daily runs. Workouts are another story, I wouldn't wear headphones during hard workouts.
"If the beats OK, I can run all day"
I don't think that the info in that article can be applied to anything beyond recreational exercisers. How about extending the argument further to argue that some songs hold runners back on account of the fact that the tempo is high/fast enough.
My humble opinion, but headphones are for warming up and easy jogging only.
I'm just finishing up my winter break and this was the first I had ever run with headphones. At first I felt guilty as hell but then I realized that I train to race, not for the fun of running, so whatever gets me out the door, right? I really only use my headphones on easy days when I can't get out to the trails. I actually think runs go by faster when I don't listen to music, but my mp3 player helps me get out the door on days when I'm not very motivated. At first I felt that the tempo of the song dictated my pace, but after doing it two or three more times the music seemed to become background noise.
yeah but you're a girl
Notice the article was in the Fashion section? And what about the fact that accepted ideal turnover is 180 footfalls/minute, but the recommendation in that article for running tops out at 160 BPM? It's hard to even find music at 180 BPM.
Bagger wrote:
My humble opinion, but headphones are for warming up and easy jogging only.
Congratulations on being close minded and ignorant.
Solutions to tempo-of-music issues:
1) appropriate music selection (I use a lot of upbeat electronic)
2) skip to next song
3) fartlek (adjust pace to music, with varied tune selection
BTW I am a recently reformed "anti-music" snob. I am now "All-In" (at least for a few days/week, and not around traffic)
Nothing better than doing a fartlek to AC/DC!!!!!
I'm a music major, that's my excuse
actually I love music during easy days. It really helps me get out the door when I'm feeling beat up and not motivated (which is often during the winter and almost never during the spring, summer, and fall).
I actually like to listen to a mix of fast and slow music when I run, I don't need to run to the beat of the music, I just use it to disassociate, but sometimes a fast song really gives you a pick me up.
I ran to the Sara Bareilles album recently, she kicks some ass. Good mix of fast and slow stuff.
issue wrote:
yeah but you're a girl
"Haile Gebrselassie, the Olympian from Ethiopia who has won the gold medal at 10,000 meters, often requested that the techno song “Scatman,” which has a B.P.M. of around 135, be played over the sound system during his races."
is he a girl?
used to really like rowing on ergometer to "City of Angels" by Wang Chung (soundtrack to "To Live and Die in LA")...
I've never understood why its such a problem to use an MP3 player on a run. It doesn't slow me down, it doesn't cause me to lose focus, but it certainly makes longer runs on crappy days much more enjoyable. I don't wear mine during any kind of hard effort day or workout, but i use it quite a bit on standard run days. i don't feel any less serious as a result of wearing it.
I used to run with music occasionally, but after a collision with an SUV I prefer to run without. Now I can hear the vehicles coming.
RIPT wrote:
I've never understood why its such a problem to use an MP3 player on a run. It doesn't slow me down, it doesn't cause me to lose focus, but it certainly makes longer runs on crappy days much more enjoyable. I don't wear mine during any kind of hard effort day or workout, but i use it quite a bit on standard run days. i don't feel any less serious as a result of wearing it.
I can completely understand the argument of hearing traffic. I just don't understand why it makes you any less serious than the person running without an MP3 player. I do a lot of my runs on a bike path, so traffic isn't really an issue for me.
Can someone post a list of electronic music that plays at 180 bpm (or 90 would work too i guess). I've been looking for a while and can't find anything good.
I guess I'm the biggest tool in the bag. I run with my MP3 just about everyday. And I listen to books. I listened to probably 40 books last year. I'm hardcore though: I stick to Radiohead for my workouts. But then again, I've run 16:45 pushing my toddler daughter in a jogging stroller so there you go.
personally, i really enjoy what's going on around me at the time while running unless i'm on a treadmill. for those that run in races with your music, i suggest reading this:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=pearlman/071121
as for music and athletic performance? disassociation during a race is not going to help performance. the feelings of pain or fatigue are to be dealt with, not ignored. your focus most likely needs to increase to maintain pace, form or staying relaxed. music is more of a distraction from the things you should be focusing on.
I was annoyed that the article seemed closed to comments by the time I read it.