Musical Motivation For Runners

03/18/2010

Life Application, Music, Triathlon

Anytime I go for a run, I take my iPod shuffle so I can listen to my favorite up beat tunes for that extra motivation I seem to need. Up beat songs seem to keep my legs moving a little faster.

I read this article in Runner’s World recently. It made me think about some of my friends who are running the Country Music Half Marathon with Powered By Hope. I love articles like this because they give me a little more motivation to get out there and run.

The article is called Musical Motivation For Runners – Gonna Fly Now. It’s very interesting how music has such power over our ability to perform. It also leads me to think about how powerful of a role music plays in our lives everyday no matter where in the world we live. Every culture on earth has music at its core. Pretty amazing when you stop to think about it.

Music takes me different places when I run. It keeps me motivated, focused, and energized. It helps me to think clearly through thoughts I’m trying to figure out and it helps me to problem solve. Music also helps me to be creative and it throws me into a mind set of brainstorming that sets me on a path I would never really take otherwise.

The other side of this is I’ve been running with Randy Elrod for almost two years now. When we run together we never listen to music. The whole run consists of us catching up, tackling some new ideas and problem solving others. It’s very productive for our friendship and by the end of it we are excited we finished and that we accomplished more than a just run.

What helps you stay motivated while you run? Music? Conversation? Listening to the cars fly by you?


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  • http://Randyelrod.com randyelrod

    Endorphins Rock.Music Rocks.Great Converstion Rocks. Friends Rock! Rock Music Rocks! What could be better??

    Randy

  • http://www.jamiemiles.com Jamie

    Right now have Ringo Starr's Photograph playing on iPod. But I shall turn it off to write in second and lately, most unbelievably, I have been leaving it behind on my runs. With spring coming, I am enjoying the birds, the lawnmovers, people…music shuts all that out. If I'm forced inside, it's glued to me on that machine. But for now, this musicophile is running unplugged and loving it. (Can't really believe it.) Now ~ Hard Days Night just started..by ~ well, anyone knows that.

  • http://michellesidles.com Michelle

    My husband and I will chat at the beginning of a run… but really nothing makes a run better than my Shuffle. :) And when I'm dragging I will fast forward my Shuffle until Lenny Kravitz's Always On The Run comes on.

    • http://michellesidles.com Michelle

      oh yes… and then there is that song from Mulan Rouge: Lady Marmalade? (I was just belting it out to my husband while I was listening to it while running yesterday. It always makes him smile when I sing about "MOCHA CHOCALATA!" ;) hahah!!!

  • http://intensedebate.com/profiles/jayemarie Jacklyn Johnston

    My ipod broke this past year and it might have been the best thing for me! Before that I couldn't run without it and now I love the quiet. I love the early mornings and the time to think. I can hear my feet on the pavement and my breathing. However, I will be going out to get a shuffle for the marathon. I don't want to hear my panting :) I agree about the conversation though. My running partner and I pass the miles catching up. Great post! So what's on your ipod right now?

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/SpenceSmith SpenceSmith

      ha!! i never thought i could run without my shuffle but now i know i can and sometimes i really love it for the same reasons:)

  • Mary West

    I am not a runner but i walk everywhere I need to go. This has helped me tremendously by keeping me in shape. I've been wearing the same size clothes for 22 years. I have a phone that has a radio component to it and I listen to Christian music. I also enjoy that time by conversing with the Lord every step of the way. Im even close enough to walk to work! Amen!

  • Annie

    I go between my ipod and nothing. I always put my ipod on shuffle so it's a surprise. I love my old school music from back in the day. It always gives me an extra spring to my step. Some days, I need to cut out the noise and head over to one of the trails at Edwin Warner and just soak up nature and appreciate the beautiful parks right in my back yard. My quiet runs on the trails usually consist of some heart to heart conversations with God. I love being in the middle of His creation. It's a great way for me to disconnect from the world and reconnect with Him.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/Lindsey_Nobles Lindsey_Nobles

    I have gotten lazy about venturing out by myself. I always find someone to go with me. You've reminded me that I miss listening to music and thinking. That's on tap for this weekend. Especially if the weather is nice!

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/torybee torybee

    I don't do anything.
    :-)

    But my husband runs (and bikes and runs) a LOT! Nearly every day at lunchtime. He did 10 miles yesterday at a nice little pace. He chooses to run without music.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/DerekDRobertson DerekDRobertson

    When I was running and need to to get back to doing I did listen to music. Although I would prefer to have a running partner and enjoy the conversation.

  • http://web.me.com/lauriecole7 Laurie

    I just blogged about this several days ago!

  • http://www.jdeddins.blogspot.com JD Eddins

    I think it's interesting that in the latest issue of Runner's World there is article about Meditative Running that encourages runners to disconnect the earbuds. Personally I rarely run with an iPod. When I ran my first marathon I had the iPod with me, but I didn't start listening to it until was at mile 20 or so (I really need it the motivation then because I was dying!) For me, running is my quiet time.

  • http://www.thetriathlonsite.com/ DavidHussey

    Thanks so much for the great post.I am looking forward to new posts and searching through older ones!Thanks.