I have noticed that whenever I am at the gym or out on a run everyone
around me seems to have earphones (earbuds) in their ears. I obviously don't know specifically what they
are listening to while they are working out or running. But I am sure that each person has a
different type of music, audiobook or podcast plugged into their heads.
Listening to music when you hit the gym or head out on the road to take
your mind off of your effort isn't a new concept. It is proven that listening to music
distracts you from the pain and effort caused
by your workout or run. I have found in
speaking with some of my runner friends controlling and finding music to be in
time with one's pace has a profound effect on perceived effort during a
workout.
Although there are times when I just go out for a run without any music
or podcasts, I run with my iPod almost every time I head out. I enjoy it
because it takes my mind off of the miles I am logging out there. Plus I can catch up on news and events from
some of the podcasts I listen to. It
also allows me to pass the time without really thinking about it because as we runners
know all too well...it can get lonely out there. I will admit that sometimes I am so distracted
that I don't remember what I listened to on my run. This is due to the fact that my mind is
wandering off to things I need to do at work or home or just trying to solve
some problem I have been working for some time.
So what I am putting into my head when I am out there on the road
getting in my training miles or at the gym?
It varies a lot. First, I have
quite an eclectic taste in music. Plus I
really enjoy listening to podcasts. Podcast
episodes are usually pretty long, which really helps when I am going out for 5
plus miles. If you are wanting to listen to podcasts like me, you need to
think about your own general mindset when running. In other words, when you are
running can you concentrate on what you're listening to, or does your mind
wander easily? Depending on your answer
you may want to listen to something more intellectually stimulating like NPR
podcasts or if you have trouble concentrating choose something more
entertaining like an old time radio program.
Here are the podcasts I listen to regularly:
1.
Relic Radio Thrillers (Old Time Radio)
2.
NPR Series: Sunday Puzzle Podcast
3.
Sherlock Holmes Adventures Podcast (Old Time
Radio)
4.
APM: A Prairie Home Companion's News from Lake
Wobegon
5.
Case Closed! Old Time Tales Of Crime (Old Time Radio)
6.
PRI: Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know?
7.
Phedippidations: The Podcast for Runners
8.
This American Life
9.
WBUR-FM: Only A Game Podcast
10.
Orson Welles On The Air (Old Time Radio)
11.
The Moth Podcast
12.
NPR Programs: Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
Podcast
13.
WTF with Marc Maron Podcast
14.
NPR Programs: Fresh Air Podcast
15.
Radiolab from WNYC
As you can see it is quite a variety.
I find that when I am in a mood where I don't want to concentrate, I
typically listen to the Old Time Radio broadcasts. They are just a bit of fluff and not too
different from an audiobook. If I am
focused, I will listen to Fresh Air, Radiolab or The Moth as they have heavier content.
When it comes to music, I listen mostly to classic rock and roll. This is probably because it is the music I
listened to when I was a teenager. But
you will find that I have all kinds of music on my playlists. I mix and match
my playlists depending on the mood I am in that day. Sometimes, I just listen to one artist during
a run that is less than an hour. If I am
going to run for more than an hour and don't want to listen to a variety of artists,
I will pick one who I have a large number of songs from like The Beatles, Led
Zeppelin, The Grateful Dead, etc. I
create playlists to match how I am feeling that week or for a particular race. Here is a typical play list I use for a marathon:
1.
Bittersweet Symphony - The Verve
2.
Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
3.
Let's Get It Started - Black Eyed Peas
4.
Hot Hot Hot - Buster Poindexter and His Banshees
of Blue
5.
Start Me Up - The Rolling Stones
6.
Black Dog - Led Zeppelin
7.
Beautiful Day - U2
8.
Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) - C+C
Music Factory
9.
Kickstart My Heart - Mötley Crüe
10.
Shut Up And Drive - Rihanna
11.
Nowhere Fast - The Smiths
12.
Born To Run - Bruce Springsteen
13.
Bad Moon Rising - Creedence Clearwater Revival
14.
Who Will You Run To - Heart
15.
You Make My Dreams - Hall & Oates
16.
What I Like About You - The Romantics
17.
Roar - Katy Perry
18.
Bad Romance - Lady GaGa
19.
Rev It Up & Go - Stray Cats
20.
Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Green Day
21.
Middle of the Road - The Pretenders
22.
Runnin Down A Dream - Tom Petty
23.
Walk This Way - Aerosmith & Run-D.M.C.
24.
Gives You Hell
- All American Rejects
25.
Wild Thing - Tone-Loc
26.
Lonely Boy - The Black Keys
27.
Cheers (Drink To That) - Rihanna
28.
Beat It - Michael Jackson
29.
Ain't No Other Man - Christina Aguilera
30.
Viva La Vida -
Coldplay
31.
London Calling - The Clash
32.
Get On Your Boots - U2
33.
I Fought The Law - Stray Cats
34.
Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen
35.
Live and Let Die - Paul McCartney & Wings
36.
Rebel Yell - Billy Idol
37.
Kryptonite - 3 Doors Down
38.
Cum On Feel The Noize - Quiet Riot
39.
Subterranean Homesick Blues - Bob Dylan
40.
End Of The Line - Traveling Wilburys
41.
Peace Train - Cat Stevens
42.
Mr. Brightside - The Killers
43.
Come Together - Aerosmith
44.
One Way Or Another - Blondie
45.
Lose Yourself - Eminem
46.
F**k You - Cee Lo Green
47.
Hey, Soul Sister - Train
48.
Sugar, We're Goin Down - Fall Out Boy
49.
Vertigo - U2
50.
Surfin' U.S.A. - The Beach Boys
51.
Long Train Runnin' - The Doobie Brothers
52.
Hips Don't Lie
- Shakira Feat. Wyclef Jean
53.
Always On The Run - Lenny Kravitz
54.
Pump It - Black Eyed Peas
55.
Oh Sh*t! -
Buzzcocks
56.
Kashmir - Led Zeppelin
57.
Run In Place - The Nadas
58.
You Better Run - Pat Benatar
59.
Walk - Foo Fighters
60.
Runnin' With The Devil - Van Halen
61.
Funky Cold Medina - Tone-Loc
62.
I Wanna Be Sedated - The Ramones
63.
Wake Me Up Before You Go Go - Wham!
64.
R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A. - John Mellencamp
65.
Figure It Out - Plain White T's
66.
Dry Town - Miranda Lambert
67.
Objection (Tango) -Shakira
68.
Hot Girls In Love - Loverboy
69.
Joker & The Thief - Wolfmother
70.
Hold My Hand - Hootie & The Blowfish
71.
How You Remind Me - Nickelback
72.
The Pretender - Foo Fighters
73.
American Girl - Tom Petty & The
Heartbreakers
74.
Up Around the Bend - Creedence Clearwater
Revival
75.
Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) - Katy Perry
76.
Saturday Night - Bay City Rollers
77.
Crazy Train - Ozzy Osbourne
78.
Muscle of Love - Alice Cooper
79.
Stay Away - Nirvana
80.
Back In Black - AC/DC
81.
Hey Ya! - Andre 3000
82.
Can't Get Enough of You Baby - Smashmouth
83.
Ticket to Ride - The Beatles
84.
Get The Party Started - P!nk
85.
Don't Stop Me Now - Queen
86.
I Hate California - Uncle Kracker
87.
Happy (From "Despicable Me 2") - Pharrell
Williams
88.
Elevation - U2
89.
Detroit Rock City - Kiss
90.
Midnight Special - Creedence Clearwater Revival
91.
Walking On Sunshine - Katrina & The Waves
92.
Fat Bottomed Girls - Queen
93.
Don't Stop Believin' - Journey
94.
Walk Like An Egyptian - Bangles
95.
Burnin' For You - Blue Öyster Cult
96.
I Ran - A Flock Of Seagulls
97.
Going Down the Road Feelin' Bad - The Grateful
Dead
98.
I Know What Boys Like - The Waitresses
99.
Ramble On - Led Zeppelin
100.
Run for Your Life - The Beatles
As you can see it is quite a variety of musical types and artisits. I like listening to upbeat songs that help
keep me pumped up and motivated especially during the latter miles of a
marathon. All I know is that when I
listen to music while working out it makes me happy. All types of music whether it be happy,
beautiful, or peaceful can help me feel good inside and make the effort seem
easy. When I am sad, angry, or frightened, good music can help me feel happy
again and want to finish what I have started.
Now that I have shared what I enjoy listening to, what do you listen to
when you are on the road or at the gym?
June 23 – 5.10 miles (46:20, 9:04 pace)
June 24– 6.20 miles (58:08, 9:23 pace)
June 25 – 3.20 miles (29:32, 9:14 pace)
June 26 – 4.10 miles (38:16, 9:23 pace)
June 27 – 5.10 miles (47:04, 9:14 pace)
June 28 – 10.20 miles (1:40:49, 9:50 pace)
June 29 – 6.20 miles (58:07, 9:23 pace)
June 30 – 5.10 miles (45:15, 8:49 pace)
July 1 – 6.20 miles (57:50, 9:23 pace)
July 2 – 2.10 miles (19:44, 8:57 pace)
July 3 – 6.20 miles (58:04, 9:23 pace)
July 4 – 6.20 miles (55:36, 8:57 pace)
July 5 – 8.20 miles (1:17:20, 9:23 pace)
July 6 – 6.20 miles (58:18, 9:24 pace)
July 7 – 5.20 miles (48:31, 9:23 pace)
July 8 – 6.20 miles (59:30, 9:31 pace)
July 9 – 2.20 miles (19:26, 8:49 pace)
July 10 – 6.20 miles (55:52, 8:57 pace)
July 11 – 5.20 miles (47:45, 9:14 pace)
July 12 – 8.20 miles (1:17:16, 9:23 pace)
July 13 – 6.20 miles (58:18, 9:24 pace)
Total Miles: 119.7 miles
2014 Total Miles: 1,164.0 miles
