Run Run Away

Question:

Hi there This is my first posting to this group, so I apologise if I’m asking something that’s regularly asked. I did look at the last few hundred postings and didn’t see any reference. I was wondering. What are peoples views on listening to music whilst running? I’ve got a little MP3 player so it’s totally immune to any kind of "rolling" (since it has no moving parts) and would like to listen to something to up my rate slightly. I’m 37 and have been running on and off (well more off than on) for the last 10 years. However, I’ve just started again after a longish interval of what amounts to nearly 2 years. On short runs (2.5 miles) I’m doing about 8:45 per mile and on longer runs (6.5 miles) nearly 10 minutes per mile. I’d like to get down to about 8:30 on the longer runs. So I guess I’m asking 2 questions: 1. Is it good to listen to music whilst running? 2. Any recommendations for something with a simple rhythm (that would encourage an 8:30 minute mile Cheers Rob

Response:

I’d like to get down to about 8:30 on the longer runs. So I guess I’m asking 2 questions: 1. Is it good to listen to music whilst running?

If that’s what it takes to motivate you to run, I’d say it is good. However, I would never, ever run outside with earphones on. I believe this to be very dangerous. 2. Any recommendations for something with a simple rhythm (that would encourage an 8:30 minute mile

Instead of music to help with speed, try this: a) ‘easy’ speedwork once a week, something like     5 x 800m in 4:00, with a 400m slow jog recovery     between each interval (close to 4:00). This is     about 8:00/mile pace, which will help make those     8:30/miles feel slower. If you find this session easy,     decrease the recovery time to 200m (2:00). b) ‘fartlek’ run once or twice a week. This means that     on these runs you speed up and slow down at any     time, for however long you want. These runs are     completely unstructured. The only rule is that you     have to vary your pace. For instance, on your     next shorter run (2.5 miles), try speeding up to     8:30/mile of faster for a few blocks, or a few     minutes… you get the idea. These runs are great     because they allow you to tailor your aggressiveness     depending on how you feel right there and then. I     like doing hilly fartleks where I attack the uphills     and recover on the downs. c)  increase your mileage. do this slowly but surely.     I recommend about 3 – 5 miles a week at most, for     3 weeks at  time – then an easy week for recovery.     Then the cycle starts again. — David (in Hamilton, Ont) "Bid me run, and I will strive with things impossible."                                    Shakespeare, Julius Caesar http://www.angelfire.com/nc/swstudio/home.html –

Response:

Hi there This is my first posting to this group, so I apologise if I’m asking something that’s regularly asked. I did look at the last few hundred postings and didn’t see any reference. 1. Is it good to listen to music whilst running?

You’ll be the judge of that – other persons personal preferences can’t really guide you. I for example rather listen to sounds created by nature, but someone else might want to block out traffic and city noises with AC/DC. It all depends. 2. Any recommendations for something with a simple rhythm (that would encourage an 8:30 minute mile

Try google search – Q#2 was just discussed throughly a few weeks back. Jarno — The woods are lovely, dark and deep But I have promises to keep And miles to go before I sleep And miles to go before I sleep.  - Robert Frost

Response:

1. Is it good to listen to music whilst running? If that’s what it takes to motivate you to run, I’d say it is good. However, I would never, ever run outside with earphones on. I believe this to be very dangerous.

i agree with david. if you run on city streets or curvy roads where you can’t see behind bends, i don’t think it’s a good idea to have headphones on. on the other hand, if it’s a rural place with little traffic, i guess it’s not as dangerous. jobs

Response:

Might be dangerous if ya blast it.. Where I run.. I can still hear traffic with my MP3 player playing, and I shut it off when going around unusually curvy or busy segments where I need to be on alert.. But when I have a long cool stretch of road…. OOOOOoooh I jussa luv machine.. Ah don’ work for nobuddy bu choo… ~Willy

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’d like to get down to about 8:30 on the longer runs. So I guess I’m asking 2 questions: 1. Is it good to listen to music whilst running? If that’s what it takes to motivate you to run, I’d say it is good. However, I would never, ever run outside with earphones on. I believe this to be very dangerous. 2. Any recommendations for something with a simple rhythm (that would encourage an 8:30 minute mile Instead of music to help with speed, try this: a) ‘easy’ speedwork once a week, something like     5 x 800m in 4:00, with a 400m slow jog recovery     between each interval (close to 4:00). This is     about 8:00/mile pace, which will help make those     8:30/miles feel slower. If you find this session easy,     decrease the recovery time to 200m (2:00). b) ‘fartlek’ run once or twice a week. This means that     on these runs you speed up and slow down at any     time, for however long you want. These runs are     completely unstructured. The only rule is that you     have to vary your pace. For instance, on your     next shorter run (2.5 miles), try speeding up to     8:30/mile of faster for a few blocks, or a few     minutes… you get the idea. These runs are great     because they allow you to tailor your aggressiveness     depending on how you feel right there and then. I     like doing hilly fartleks where I attack the uphills     and recover on the downs. c)  increase your mileage. do this slowly but surely.     I recommend about 3 – 5 miles a week at most, for     3 weeks at  time – then an easy week for recovery.     Then the cycle starts again. — David (in Hamilton, Ont) "Bid me run, and I will strive with things impossible."                                    Shakespeare, Julius Caesar http://www.angelfire.com/nc/swstudio/home.html –

Response:

i think i know what you want….. i used to go to spinbike classes , where the music is very important to carry the class tempo. We had different songs for diferent stages, most of them 4×4 paterns, if you know something about music, ……so we could pedal exactly when the  hits of the paterns were. If you have a mp3 player and a computer you can edit your own songs, adapting to the tempo that you want (using an editing program , like "djs mk1"   that adjust tempo & pitch and it