Are Beats Good for Going the Distance? One Runner’s Perspective
Life Time Run - May 23, 2012
To run or not to run with music? That is the question.
Everyone has an opinion about listening to music while running. Since the heyday of the Sony Walkman to the ubiquity of the ever-popular iPod, people are running to and with music. On the treadmill or on the road, runners are moving to the beat – literally.
Life Time Run presents a two-part series on running with music. We interviewed two Life Time team members, asking them about their views on the safety and value of running with music.
We spoke with Run Coordinator Nathan McDonald, a Life Time Run Coordinator in Canton Township, Mich., who is in favor of running with music. He says, “I do not know about you but I live in Michigan and I hate the cold! If I’m running on a treadmill for more than an hour, I need something to keep me entertained.”
McDonald listens to music 90 percent of the time when running. Reason number one: It keeps him motivated. Reason number two: it offers a sense of escape. “People know I’m working out when I have headphones on. I’m not here to chat right now! I’m here to push it.”
McDonald enjoys running with music so much that he distributes a weekly music list to Canton Run followers via myLT.com. “My clients have told me it’s nice to have someone filter out the boring music and pick the ‘hit’ that gets you pumped up.”
Having posted music lists for more than a year, his myLT followers look forward to finding out the next motivating jam. McDonald, who also teaches cycle at Life Time, said even his cyclists now follow Canton Run on myLT only to “find that ‘one song’ I played that ‘one time.’”
So what makes a perfect music playlist when running? For McDonald, music sets the tone for his workout. “Outside the simple entertainment factor, it’s important to mix in slower songs with upbeat music to help bring down your heart rate to zone two. I usually tell runners to plan the ‘power’ song for your sprint finish.”
Now, for the ultimate question, “To run or not to run with music?”
McDonald said, “If you are working out alone, I see no reason not listen to music. Some may argue that with headphones in you are less aware of your surroundings and you may have a greater risk of being hit by a car. For me that has not been the case. With or without headphones, cars have cut me off. That’s not to say, though, that you shouldn’t mind proper traffic or safety protocol.”
Before getting into the habit of training with headphones, make sure you check your race guidelines. He said, “Can you listen to music during your event? Are you looking to place or are you just running for fun? Your training should mimic your event.”
However, McDonald cautions, if you are too busy trying to find the perfect song when competing, your competition will pass you by. “The majority of the people that I train are simply looking to finish their first race, and I have no problem with them rocking out to some music on the way. I think that is why events like the Rock ‘n Roll Marathon have become so popular.”
Next month we check in with Rebekah Mayer, the National Training Manager for Life Time Run, on her perspective: to run or not to run with music?