Tips for when the going gets tough - Page 3 - Spring Marathon

johnnyd31

25/03/2008 at 15:58

Having the same dilema!

All my best runs time wise have been IPod assisted, but most people who have completed the marathon tell me I am going to miss out if I listen to music the whole way.

Really unsure what to do

Racy Tracy

25/03/2008 at 15:59

I'd take it with you and if you decide you don't need it you can always turn it off. I have an arm strap for my nano so I can switch it off and tie up my earphones if I find the crowds support more beneficial.
On the flip side you could end up with no tunes when it gets tough, that would be a real bummer!

The crowds will make a huge difference. Make sure you have your name on your top too as this is a great boost and can be pretty funny if you use your imagination for a funny name

Screamapillar

25/03/2008 at 16:33

I can't run with an MP3 either Relaxed, I wish I could sometimes.

Edited: 25/03/2008 at 16:33

annajo

25/03/2008 at 17:29

I was doing my long run in Richmond Park yesterday and I really noticed all the runners going past who had music players - I was thinking to myself 'wow we are in such a beautiful place, with so many runners around to smile at and say hi to, and instead everyone seems to be trapped in their own world of music and not acknowledging everyone else'. I even saw one couple running past, where one of them had earphones in - whats the point of running together if you're not even listening to what they say?

Personally I can listen to music while I run and I do understand that it helps to pass the time when you're feeling a bit rubbish, but I definitely won't be using any mp3 players at London, I want to get everything out of the atmosphere that I can

Ratatouille strychnine

25/03/2008 at 17:36

I'm thinking of running the FLM with my mp3 player but I'll record and play large segments of silence onto my playlist, so I can be listening to the crowds and the atmosphere for the most part but every now and then, a song can come on to give me a boost.

Is this strategy likely to work?

Artful Hen

25/03/2008 at 17:47

Well, it's one way round the dilemma Ratatouille! I've only ever used my iPod in two races before, but I'm more and more reliant on it for horrid training sessions like intervals when I play it loud so I can't hear my panting... I'm doing Paris and I'll take my iPod, but won't use it until I feel the need which may be never or maybe at around 17 miles... In the half I don't know that it actually helped, but in a 15 miler I was feeling good on a rainy, cold day and when Goodbye Mr A by the Hoosiers and I don't feel like dancing by the Scissor Sisters came on it just made a good run even better. Had a photographer been aroundn at the time they might have got a pic of me smiling, not grimacing with my eyes shut as usual!

I've done two FLMs and the crowd is great - it's just that last year with the heat etc, I think it would have been nice to have something to take my mind off the heat/the brightness/the heat/my pyriformis/the heat.

Bip Bip - I'm cr*p at recognising songs from their titles but I can see that Walk This Way would do the trick ... near the end probably!

I'm going to check out some of the pacing websites...

Nykie

25/03/2008 at 19:03

Ratatouille,

IMO, if you're wearing a top with your name on it, the crowd tends to shout your name for encouragement, and it works. If you're wearing your headphones, maybe they won't shout your name, as obviously they won't know you're listening to silence.

shenders

25/03/2008 at 19:17

I've always run with an i-Pod, but I have it at a sensible background level so I can hear the crowd as well. I think you'd need an MP3 player at likely-to-cause-ear-bleeding volume levels to drown out all the background noise from the crowd and the bands etc.; and I regularly turn it off to talk to other runners!! And some runners without MP3's are not always chatty.

Why does everyone assume a pair of earphones means you are always listening constantly to music at volumes to totally exclude any other sound?

But 'When The Going Gets Tough', it's good to 'Pump Up The Volume' and 'Lose Yourself' in 'The Sound Of Music' !!! I certainly would not have finished some races without it.

Debster

25/03/2008 at 19:36

I've never had crowd support before (did Abingdon mara and Edinburgh so support was VERY sporadic particularly as I am slow) but as it's FLM I'm definitely giving it a whirl without the IPod - will have it in pocket just in case but as I've supported there on many occasions I know I'm less likely to shout out someone's name if they've got earphones on. Maybe a good solution is one earphone in on the side furthest from the crowd - sneaky but you might get best of both worlds.

i am normally glued to my ipod but I think this is one occasion where you might just miss out...

Screamapillar

26/03/2008 at 08:15

Absolutely Debster,

It doesn't matter how near the back you are at the FLM there is always loads of support.

slack susan (less is more)

26/03/2008 at 08:36

dont really run with music - quite like the idea of it but then also enjoy the tranquility of space in the head - can understand how it works though - might put it in my pocket .... prob wont use it - dont miss the sound of the bells of the church at greenwich playing chariots of fire - its a great moment !!

Screamapillar

26/03/2008 at 08:46

Oh yes, so they do Susan

DeedeeDoodle

26/03/2008 at 08:51

I'll have my ipod with me but for when things get really hard.. I know that's what the crowds are there for but sometimes I need a short burst of familiar music to help me along... I'm likely to burst into tears and get very emotional if I hear Chariots of Fire too many times... I'm such a wuss!

Artful Hen

26/03/2008 at 10:05

I'd forgotten the church bells. Brilliant. It's at about 2 miles, isn't it? Little tinkly bells, not big clanging ones. There's a slight bend to the right and the church is on the bend on the left. See - it obviously created an impression when I heard them last year!

ATM

26/03/2008 at 13:31

Race Tracy, you might like this It analyzes your playlist and gives you BPM * beats per minute*. I found it useful in determining the mix that works best for me. This one's good too.

* My playlist is v.cheesy and includes...

What A Wonderful World Joey Ramone

Paint It Black VNV Nation

Jump (for My Love) Pointer Sisters

Route 1 feat Jenny Frost - Crash Landing

The Future Leonard Cohen

Gwen Stefani - Tick Tock ( I know, I know...)

AH, they'll play Chariots of Fire at the Start of the Paris Marathon. See men weep...

Artful Hen

26/03/2008 at 13:46

I heard The Race by Yello this morning. That's def going on.

bip bip

26/03/2008 at 14:07

i run my one and only so far marathon in rome the sunday before easter and the crowd was not as good and encouraging as london -

there were parts of the race were i was running in empty roads outside town and even when we got back in the center of rome as it was quite late by then pedestrians were just strolling around not caring at all

in times like those when i tried to take my headphones off all i could hear was my own steps and panting or the rustle of a road with people shopping - it was actually taking me more out of the race mood to have the headphones off! -

i did remove them whenever i'd see crowd or individuals cheering and encouraging though as i really appreciated it and kept me going but if i hadnt had my music the race would have been a bit lonely ....my tunes surely gave a bounce on my step!

Screamapillar

26/03/2008 at 14:41

That's exactly how I remember it too Artful Hen

Artful Hen

26/03/2008 at 15:11

Bip Bip - hmm - that's exactly why I think I'd always go for the big events - I like a bit of attention as I went my way!

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