Saturday 22 September 2007

Music when you run. Good or Bad ?!

Nowthen, as you may know I am a big fan of my Nike-Ipod thingy when I go out running. I use it really to let me know how long I have run and one day I'll get round to calibrating it so it gives accurate distances ! At the moment though it is making me look like quite a good runner with averages of under 10 minute miles. When I calibrate and it realises that its owner actually only has little stubby legs and is not striding out over miles and miles as quickly as it thinks it may well be disappointed !!

Most of the time I have it set to " No Music " as I like to be able to hear things like the birds, the trees, cars crashing towards me, you know ? But today I put it on shuffle, so songs came on in a random order. I was running along a bit that was beginning to feel tricky when Labbi Siffre came on with " Something inside so strong... i know that I can make it.... " I turned it up really loud and Good Grief I felt great !! I kept it up high and started to feel like a girl in a film ! When Carmina Burana came on I could have run for England. It was all I could do to stop myself from singing/wailing out loud.

I have even discovered that I can just keep repeating one song over if I want to, or go on if I don't like one. Isn't it amazing how music can lift you up ?

So now I have to ask myself the question each time I go out " Music or no music ?"

As for the training, it is going well. This week, well today, was the end of my Run/Walk schedule and from Monday I am just running. Well, that's the hope anyway. Monday is a 20 minute run, then Wednesday and Thursday 20 minutes and Saturday the same. I like the way I am feeling. Having read the Julia Williams book ( I mentioned it in my last post ) I feel that I can do this. Every day there is at least one moment when a voice in my head says " I'm in the Marathon !" and every time I come over all warm and smiley !!!

3 comments:

Unknown said...

I love my Nike+. It makes me smile. The trick is updating it every time to the internet! Sometimes I forget! Hahaha. I had to calibrate mine on the track when I first got it. I wasn't far off from average though. Only by .10 of a mile.

I LOVE having good songs to lift me up when I'm on the treadmill. It really gets me going and helps out so much with motivation.

Sue said...

Funny this, as we were having a discussion about the very same thing yesterday when we were on our run. One said she wouldn't take music because of the danger not being able to hear anyone approach etc. The other said it's what keeps her going when she runs alone. I have found that when I listen to music it really does make a difference. I think as long as it's not too high (all the time, the occasional song is good!) and you keep your wits about you, music has a place when running.

Just read back through your entries. Well done on getting into the Marathon!!! Good luck with your training. I have just given that schdule to give to a friend who is always saying she wants to start running....

Also, my husband brought that book home from the library for me to read the other week but I didn't have time then (I belong to a reading group and was under pressure to finish that book). I'm minded to get it out again and have a go - perhaps I shall have it as my choice?

Unknown said...

I think its the security thing about having music on that worries me most. I want to hear if there is a madman creeping up on me. Not that I could run away or anything - but I wouldn't like to be taken totally by surprise, by either a madman or a an out of control car. I think this is just a common sense issue. S