Music or Not?

Ran my first run this evening whilst using the iPod function on my iPhone. Not only did I enjoy it but I made my longest distance yet!

How do tthe others feel about running with music - does it enhance your run or put you off?

I always run to music, can't run without it. It helps my pace, when I'm feeling a little sluggish and something powerful comes on I up my pace.  

There have been numerous forums on here regarding this and a lot of people saying you shouldn't run with music as it's dangerous, you can't concentrate blah de blah, and my argument on that is if it was so dangerous why do runners world  and marathon organisers (for example) have topics on "what is your favourite music to run to".

Then there are the other side who love it. I Love running with music, I have one headphone on only so I can still hear around me.

You run with music if it helps, I would never have got as far as I did previously if I hadn't had music to run to.

I've stopped running with music in races, for safety and pacing sake

In the gym I'll wear my Ipod,

Doing LSRs or club night with the club, I won't, espcially as you can chat to other runner's while on the go.

I do not run with music. I find it a distraction. As Betty Bee says, normally I wouldn't notice it or be able to tell you what's been played.

Some songs do up the pace, others therefore by implication down the pace.

I started to find running with music was more of an annoyance than anything else.

I like to count my pace in my head all the time.

I listen to music when I'm running to and from work each day, it's the same route every day and it gets a bit boring, so music does help pass the time.

Fast paced rock songs mostly for me. I love classical music, but it just doesn't seem to work to run to.

I don't use the ipod during races, for all the usual reasons mentioned (safety etc.) and also on longer races (half/full marathon) it's nice to chat to other runners.

At one half last year there was a girl who'd wired her ipod up to speakers - set to a nice volume.

I can't say if it's safer or not wearing earphones on my work runs. I follow a major route into Leeds, so there's a lot of traffic noise to begin with, there are few junctions on my side of the road and i have so far made damn sure i check for traffic in all directions before crossing(qualifer put in so you can all say "I told you so" when i get flatted tomorrow!). In fact the only incident i've had so far was when i slipped and nearly fell in front of a car - i was coming to a stop at the curb while waiting for the traffic to clear when my foot went out from under me - i don't think wearing headphones had anything to do with it.

The Ipod police again.....    Would you advise someone who was deaf not to run then?

Actually... when I first took up running (umm, 2007) I always had music on. I enjoyed it, but I got to the point where I couldn't run without it. I was dependent on it to get me round, I can remember being in a panic before a plod, because I hadn't charged my iPod. Went without and hated it - it was  a real struggle. 

I took a 6 month injury break last year, and decided to start again without music - and it's SO much better without. I notice my running more, how I feel and what I'm doing, I notice the world around me more, and I feel much more rested and refreshed when I get back, I get more headspace to think. Surprising (not least to myself!) but now I think I'd struggle to run WITH music, it would be too distracting!

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