37 replies to this topic

[NoelJoseph]

I am new to this forum and also doing my first stand alone marathon this Sunday. I read an article recently in the Melbourne Herald Sun talking about running music and timing for the marathon. I found the site at run 2 rhythm and was wondering if any one else is doing the whole thing with music. Has anyone run a marathon with music that can tell me what it's like?
Noel

[orlando]

Noel, I've only run one marathon and I took my ipod with me.  I was glad I had it with me from 35-40k when things were getting tough, but for most of the way I didn't want it.  And that's as someone who regularly trains with music when I'm not running with other people.

My advice to you is that music should be the same as everything else in marathon training.  Don't change anything on the day.  If you've never run with music before, this isn't the time to start, especially not trying to conform to a certain beat.

[Grechy]

I will attempt not to be too controversial here as I have caused the odd forum storm over this topic once to twice before.

As a passionate runner I do not think ipods etc should be allowed during races. Not only does it destroy the race atmosphere but it defeats the purpose of doing a such an event. Listening to music is shutting yourself off from everyone else and not taking in the atmosphere of being in such a great event.

Ipods/music etc is also a big distraction and I have seen a few accidents during races caused by them. But then again as someone said, dont change any of your habits as you enter a marathon so if you have been doing all your running listening to music then I would do it for the marathon as you want things to be the way you are used to it.

If you do more marathons in the future and get more serious then I would consider learning to do it without the headphones. Just my advice.  

[turtle-runner]

Hi,  after just doing my first marathon I do wish I had my IPOD - I think it may of helped switch the mind off during the second half when things started to get tough.   The half marathon I did after the Marathon I had my IPOD and not that I used it all the time - but when I wasn't chatting to my running partner it was easy to hit play and get that little bit of a lift.  The right music for your pace is important too - don't know if it is the music I currently have or training or both - but my pace is slowy speeding up....finally!!

Though in saying that - if you ever team in a Triathlon - I believe IPODs are completely out - so you need to be able to run without the music too.  

First Marathon though - have it there - even if it isn't switch on all race!! Goodluck on the weekend though - and enjoy!!

[grimsey]

Noeljoseph its your first marathon this weekend so whatever you have used in your training this far, don't change anything now.But i have to agree with grechy running with an i-pod takes away so much of the atmosphere from the event and from giving and recieveing encouragement from other runners.
Good luck with your marathon on the weekend.

[clanrunner]

I also agree with Grechy. If you want to submerse yourself in your music and detach yourself from what's around you, then why enter a race? You might as well do a time trial alone somewhere.

But if you're used to running with it, then take it with you, but run with it turned off for as long as you can. You might find yourself immersed in the race and forget about the ipod. See how you go.

It isn't a good idea to be psychologically dependent on your ipod (or a stack of other things) when running, especially in a marathon. There are a lot of things to consider and worry about in a marathon, and a lot of htings that can go wrong. Having an ipod merely adds to that list of things to worry about and that could go wrong.

Back on topic though, running with music (doesn't have to mean running with an ipod). To have a song bouncing around in your head isn't a bad idea, if the rhythm of the song matches your tempo. But make sure it's a song that comes easily into your head- better you go with a song you know well. You might find you have this one song in your head throughout the run. Not blaring in your ears and blocking out everything else, but as a background soundtrack to everything else that's going on in your head. I generally like to have one that has a steady beat that accelerates. For a marathon where I might be carefully pacing myself, a steady and repetitive beat works well.

[lloydy]

Stick with running with it, even if you have it on low and turn it up when you really need it, esp as you are now used to running with music. I weaned myself of music this year and found I maintained better rythm and enjoyed the outdoors more as my head was clearer. In congetsed races like half m's or C2S Ipods mean people don't hear others trying to pass them and that can be a problem.

[DontStop]

I'm hopelessly biased against iPods in races, so my opinion probably doesn't count for much. But like others have said, I believe it's pretty weird to stump up $110 to run in an event with 4000 other people, and then do the whole thing with a device that's designed to keep you in your own little world (as pleasant as that world may be).

But hey - do what you feel comfortable doing. If you haven't done your long runs with your pod, I certainly wouldn't advise starting now. But if you've done all your running with one, then you probably should continue. Just keep the volume down so you're able to hear course marshalls, other competitors, and any cheering you'll get from spectators.

Good luck on sunday!

[Bellthorpe]

 Grechy, on Oct 8 2009, 10:44 PM, said:

As a passionate runner I do not think ipods etc should be allowed during races. Not only does it destroy the race atmosphere but it defeats the purpose of doing a such an event.

What is the purpose of doing such an event?

[orlando]

Can this please not become another rehashing of the ipod debate?  How hard is it to accept that some of us just like running with ipods.  It's fine if you don't want to, but what I'm not fine with is people who like to make judgements about my running experience based on the fact that I do.  If you think that running a race with an ipod would spoil it for you, fair enough, but don't generalise your feelings to the rest of us.

For the record, I've run races both with and without and I train both with and without.  I never have it so loud that I can't hear background noise and if I'm running a race where they're banned, of course I'll abide by the rules.  Having said that, I really don't feel that the experiences are vastly different.  When I'm surrounded by hundreds of other people and cheering spectators, the atmosphere is always going to be different from a solo training run or time trial.  Having earphones in doesn't shut off my other 4 senses.  So please don't tell me that I'm missing out on something or having an inferior race experience.  

Running is such a personal thing that surely it's up for all of us to judge what makes our running enjoyable and worthwhile.  Music and running are two of the great joys in my life and combining the two, for me, only enhances both of them.

To Noel, I re-iterate what I said in my first post.  Feel free take your ipod/other mp3 player of choice/walkman if you like, but your first marathon isn't the time to be trying out anything vastly different from what you've been doing in training.

[Grechy]

 Bellthorpe, on Oct 9 2009, 10:17 AM, said:

What is the purpose of doing such an event?

To run in an event with thousands of others, encourage others, receive encouragement, share your journey, be part of the atmosphere that makes such a great event.

With an ipod you may as well just do a solo 42.2km time trial. Whats even worse is when people turn up to a group training run with an ipod. Why not just do your run by yourself if you dont want to share the company of those around you ?

[rummickrun]

I have done 2 events with an ipod. It must be said that I have the volume low and can hear converstaion clearly. Basically it is like running with the radio on in the background. Although I was tempted to wear my ipod shuffle, I will respect the organisers wishes and not do so. However, I know people who make the marathon a personal challenge against themselves, and therefore music - which is part of the training - continues into the race. Each to their own as long as it's safe I say.

[loubee]

 Grechy, on Oct 9 2009, 08:20 AM, said:

To run in an event with thousands of others, encourage others, receive encouragement, share your journey, be part of the atmosphere that makes such a great event.

With an ipod you may as well just do a solo 42.2km time trial. Whats even worse is when people turn up to a group training run with an ipod. Why not just do your run by yourself if you dont want to share the company of those around you ?

It is possible to combine both Grechy. I ran recently ran my first marathon, I ran with Serena the whole way and both of us had our Ipods. We talked to each other, we talked to others, we thanked volunteers, we laughed with supporters, we cheered others doing it tough and we listened to our music. My marathon was not diminished because I chose to listen to an ipod in some sections.

As Orlando said it's an individual choice.

[Grechy]

 loubee, on Oct 9 2009, 11:35 AM, said:

It is possible to combine both Grechy. I ran recently ran my first marathon, I ran with Serena the whole way and both of us had our Ipods. We talked to each other, we talked to others, we thanked volunteers, we laughed with supporters, we cheered others doing it tough and we listened to our music. My marathon was not diminished because I chose to listen to an ipod in some sections.

As Orlando said it's an individual choice.

I understand what you are saying but certain people around you will be unsure if you can hear them or not. It can also give a negative look on an event when there are thousands of people with earphones.

As a spectator at events I have never known if I should encourage someone if they have headphones on. No one wants to cheer someone if they are unsure if they can hear them.

Regarding not having it up loud, well its just a personal thing but to me music is not music if its not up loud. I tried running with an ipod on a solo run a few years back and I am going to try it again as my long slow training runs do get boring but I would never do it during a serious training session or any sort of race (unless it was an ultra marathon or something like that)

Even though you may be able to hear people when you have your ipod on, the impression you will give to certain people is that you are just damn rude. While I dont think that everyone who uses an ipod is rude, I can understand why some people will feel that way as it does not present a good image when you are doing a group run.

But my final comments on this issue for Sunday... never change your normal habits before a marathon so if thats what you have been doing then I would urge you to keep doing it but as a long term idea I would ditch the Ipod for all races/serious training sessions.

[Paul Every]

 Grechy, on Oct 9 2009, 11:44 AM, said:

.....when you have your ipod on, the impression you will give to certain people is that you are just damn rude.

...and this from Mr I'll-Drop-A-Turd-On-Course-To-Save-A-Minute?  

Grechy, you reckon no one will cheer those wearing an I-pod? I can guarantee running strongly through 35km with throbbing I-pod is more likely to garner a round of applause and a chorus of cheers than dropping your shorts and having a dump.

[orlando]

Clearly those of us who run with ipods are also blind when we put them on - because we can't see the 100s of people around us also running and we can't see the spectators cheering for us.  Really, you should be congratulating us for managing to run at all under such conditions.  

Like i said before, if you don't want to run with an ipod, don't, but please don't presume to know that anyone's experience of running a marathon with one is anything like running a solo 42.2km time trial.

[rummickrun]

For what it's worth (probably not much) I think it is far more dangerous to run on paths/roads with an ipod. Not being able to hear cars, bikes, people lurking bushes etc is really dangerous. I have never ran with an ipod on the streets, track yes, closed circuit race, yes - but never on the streets.

[Coogee1979M]

I won't repeat some of my thoughts about running with music (they are in this thread: http://www.coolrunni...showtopic=23808  for anyone who wants to read).

However I can report a similar experience to loubee about a race I ran less than 3 weeks ago.  It was the Sydney Running Festival Half, and I ran the first 7 or 8 Km with Tesso.  We were both wearing our music playing devices, enjoying our music and chatting to each other as we ran.  At about 2 Km Tesso started singing her song out loud, and so I decided to join in and sing the song to which I was listening.  I enjoyed that race with Tesso (and Johnny Dark) but unfortunately they were both too good for me and I ran the last half of the race by myself.

 loubee, on Oct 9 2009, 10:35 AM, said:

It is possible to combine both Grechy. I ran recently ran my first marathon, I ran with Serena the whole way and both of us had our Ipods. We talked to each other, we talked to others, we thanked volunteers, we laughed with supporters, we cheered others doing it tough and we listened to our music. My marathon was not diminished because I chose to listen to an ipod in some sections.

As Orlando said it's an individual choice.

[Emrun]

 Grechy, on Oct 9 2009, 10:20 AM, said:

To run in an event with thousands of others, encourage others, receive encouragement, share your journey, be part of the atmosphere that makes such a great event.

With an ipod you may as well just do a solo 42.2km time trial. Whats even worse is when people turn up to a group training run with an ipod. Why not just do your run by yourself if you dont want to share the company of those around you ?

Says you

Others might not see it that way

I couldn't give a rats if anyone wants to share my journey or not, it's not a love in.

Ya pay ya 100+ bucks to enter Noel so I say do it any damn way you please, who cares what other people think?

Hope you have a great run.

[JC1]

keep running y'all, just watch out for this guy, has slight blind spot on one side.

Jc

NOTE: Willy marathon no ipod usuage.

Attached Files

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Edited by JC1, 09 October 2009 - 12:02 PM.

[Grechy]

 Paul Every, on Oct 9 2009, 12:14 PM, said:

...and this from Mr I'll-Drop-A-Turd-On-Course-To-Save-A-Minute?  

Grechy, you reckon no one will cheer those wearing an I-pod? I can guarantee running strongly through 35km with throbbing I-pod is more likely to garner a round of applause and a chorus of cheers than dropping your shorts and having a dump.

I will definitely eat some humble pie here and admit that post of yours was pretty good. I cracked up laughing when reading it, but in a good way.

Yes it must come across a bit rude considering what I have said I will do but considering that I have had to exit so many races/training runs due to this purpose, I think making a crazy committment to myself and to this race is really just a one off, its not something I would do for any other race. I suppose the ipods are something people are likely to do in every race.

But as said, that was a worthy post and you sure put me back in my place with that one, and I am not ashamed to have a laugh at my own expense.

[flyingemu]

I've run with and without. Ran Canberra and Sydney without, but ran M7 with music. Several reasons...

1) M7 has little atmosphere, needed the stimulation
2) M7 is not crowded, no safety issues
3) M7 I wanted that sub 4, and wanted The Presets to bring me home the bacon!

I don't train with it either. Personal preference. I did find that at the end of M7, it got distracting and I had to take it off at about 35km. Needed to focus on putting one leg in front of the other and listening took too much effort, hehe.

[Bellthorpe]

 Grechy, on Oct 9 2009, 10:20 AM, said:

Bellthorpe said:

What is the purpose of doing such an event?

To run in an event with thousands of others, encourage others, receive encouragement, share your journey, be part of the atmosphere that makes such a great event.

Ah, I didn't realise that the race organisers had given an official purpose to entrants.

Hang about, they didn't! You just made it up!

Some of those things might resonate with you, but not be part of the purpose of others. Some people might enter to:

• Win
  
• Test themselves
  
• Celebrate their fitness
  
• Have a fun day out with friends
  
• Prove their cardiologist/spouse wrong

I for one have never entered an event with any of your suggestions as part of my 'purpose'. If can encourage others or receive encouragement, for example, that's great. But it's not part of my reason for entering. I race because I enjoy racing, and seek always to do better times. Or in some events (cross country) to try to get a medal.

Nonetheless, I don't think you'll be entering too many more such events. I understand that race organisers are all joining up to sign a 'Race Code of Conduct', which will address such things as iPods. One clause on all entries will be "have you ever used a hackneyed cliché such as 'share your journey' when describing this race?" A 'yes' will mean that entry is declined.

[Grechy]

 Bellthorpe, on Oct 9 2009, 04:46 PM, said:

To run in an event with thousands of others, encourage others, receive encouragement, share your journey, be part of the atmosphere that makes such a great event.


Ah, I didn't realise that the race organisers had given an official purpose to entrants.

Hang about, they didn't! You just made it up!

Some of those things might resonate with you, but not be part of the purpose of others. Some people might enter to:

• Win
  
• Test themselves
  
• Celebrate their fitness
  
• Have a fun day out with friends
  
• Prove their cardiologist/spouse wrong

I for one have never entered an event with any of your suggestions as part of my 'purpose'. If can encourage others or receive encouragement, for example, that's great. But it's not part of my reason for entering. I race because I enjoy racing, and seek always to do better times. Or in some events (cross country) to try to get a medal.

Nonetheless, I don't think you'll be entering too many more such events. I understand that race organisers are all joining up to sign a 'Race Code of Conduct', which will address such things as iPods. One clause on all entries will be "have you ever used a hackneyed cliché such as 'share your journey' when describing this race?" A 'yes' will mean that entry is declined.

Bellthorpe fair enough and I think we are getting into this a bit full on but I suppose if all you want to do is test yourself and you are not interested in the race atmosphere etc then you could always just do a solo time trial. Also people who want to win do not use Ipods in races, well I have never known of anyone who has won a Marathon using an Ipod. (But I would be interested if it has happened so please fill me in if it has)

The way I see it is that people such as Mottram, Moneghetti etc dont use Ipods and they know more about running than any of us so I suppose I think that if you want to reach your full potential then you are best of to follow their example.

I am happy to admit that Ipods may be useful and if it encourages more people to take up running then I am all for it but my running experience tells me that for long term improvement we are better without it. I think I could safely say that on Sunday there will be a larger percentage of Ipod users behind me and not too many Ipod users in front of me.

But at the end of the day if its what you enjoy then keep doing it. The more participants the better.

One more thing that makes me not in favour of the Ipod which I have mentioned on another forum: My taste in music (LRB, Dragon Aussie Crawl etc) is not the sort of stuff that puts you in the mood for running so perhaps if I had better taste in music then maybe I would think differently.

I have no idea about modern music so I am sure I dont even know of the bands that runners listen to with their Ipods these days.

[McKnickers]

what harms it doing - and if it keeps you going for longer go for it!

Do what feels right for you

Enjoy and good Luck

[Bellthorpe]

 Grechy, on Oct 9 2009, 04:23 PM, said:

Also people who want to win do not use Ipods in races, well I have never known of anyone who has won a Marathon using an Ipod. (But I would be interested if it has happened so please fill me in if it has)

Of course. Just last week. I was browsing the Milwaukee Wisconsin Journal Sentinel two days ago, before this thread even started.

Quote

I am happy to admit that Ipods may be useful and if it encourages more people to take up running then I am all for it but my running experience tells me that for long term improvement we are better without it. I think I could safely say that on Sunday there will be a larger percentage of Ipod users behind me and not too many Ipod users in front of me.

Sure. I can say the same thing about any race I go in. But it's because they're slower runners, not because they're using iPods.

Quote

But at the end of the day if its what you enjoy then keep doing it.

Eh? I don't have an iPod. Wouldn't dream of using one.

[Lors]

Just thought I'd add my tuppence worth for what its worth. I run with or without my ipod times are the same either way. I race to better my own times and run with Masters weekly. We all enjoy the social aspect at the start and the finish but in the race I run and its nice to be encouraged but if your not then so what. This argument that your a better runner if you don't use an ipod is becoming very boring. People run for various reasons each to their own I say.

Edited by Lors, 09 October 2009 - 09:45 PM.

[NoelJoseph]

Thonks everybody for the fantastic feed back, although I must say I am as confused as ever when considering so many passionate pros and cons.
I have been doing most of my long runs with music and got run2rhythm. I do find that running with music that is in sync with my steps is great. I don't know whether or not I could stand 'mucking around' with my earphones  and wires etc for 4 hours.
I did my last long run (34km) with the music and it helped time my paces. it also helped my relax.
I have decided not to use the ipod during the marathon but I think for long training runs it is great.
For running music have a look at www.run2r.com
I can't wait for tommorrow now and I will report back as how I go.
Noel

[Kandingo]

NoelJoseph
no connection to that site do you ?? it would be a bit lame if you had only started this thread to then say I use this ...

as for listening to music - do what you want unless they have strict ruling. Mr Anti Ipod has softened his i -tunes from earlier outbursts and I missed the dump and run thread PE was talking about...if he did that in a race a good swift kick would be in order...except for my shoes!!

[Bellthorpe]

You got it Kandingo. We've been spammed!

A Google search for 'noel' and 'run2r.com' reveals all. A variety of 'noel's spamming running sites.

For example, check all the posts by 'Noel Charles' on runnersworld.com.

Note that on the run2r.com website the readers's comments include a glowing reference form Noel Britt.

Someone else twigged on runnersworld.co.uk.

I'd be happier if the poster just came out and said he was associated with the site, instead of lying about 'finding the site'.

[PavementWarrior]

Heh.

By the way I prefer no ipod whilst running - its good meditation!

[JBee]

 orlando, on Oct 9 2009, 10:24 AM, said:

Can this please not become another rehashing of the ipod debate?  How hard is it to accept that some of us just like running with ipods.  It's fine if you don't want to, but what I'm not fine with is people who like to make judgements about my running experience based on the fact that I do.  If you think that running a race with an ipod would spoil it for you, fair enough, but don't generalise your feelings to the rest of us.

For the record, I've run races both with and without and I train both with and without.  I never have it so loud that I can't hear background noise and if I'm running a race where they're banned, of course I'll abide by the rules.  Having said that, I really don't feel that the experiences are vastly different.  When I'm surrounded by hundreds of other people and cheering spectators, the atmosphere is always going to be different from a solo training run or time trial.  Having earphones in doesn't shut off my other 4 senses.  So please don't tell me that I'm missing out on something or having an inferior race experience.  

Running is such a personal thing that surely it's up for all of us to judge what makes our running enjoyable and worthwhile.  Music and running are two of the great joys in my life and combining the two, for me, only enhances both of them.

To Noel, I re-iterate what I said in my first post.  Feel free take your ipod/other mp3 player of choice/walkman if you like, but your first marathon isn't the time to be trying out anything vastly different from what you've been doing in training.

Couldn't agree more with Orlando and Loubee - I ran Sydney Marathon last month with my ipod on all the way, but not so loud that it blocks everything else out. Still felt the incredible atmosphere - still heard all the cheers - and still able to encourage my fellow runners & cool runners! Each to their own - but I really don't think it's as big a deal as some people are making out. 4 hours (in my case!) is a long time to be running and there are definitely moments where the music is a welcome distraction. Having said that I also found on the actual marathon I was so "in the zone" mentally I was barely aware of any music playing anyway - I was just tuned out, focusing on keeping going, and going, and going.................!!

[Leofisio]

OMG... a website trying to match music with pace...

Once in a while, I like to run with my ipod... but I listen to music that I like... not the one that paces me...

To adjust my pace I prefer either to train more for it or to follow a pacer

Leo

Edited by Leofisio, 11 October 2009 - 08:02 PM.

[TFive]

 Paul Every, on Oct 9 2009, 12:14 PM, said:

...and this from Mr I'll-Drop-A-Turd-On-Course-To-Save-A-Minute?  

Grechy, you reckon no one will cheer those wearing an I-pod? I can guarantee running strongly through 35km with throbbing I-pod is more likely to garner a round of applause and a chorus of cheers than dropping your shorts and having a dump.

Classic  

[TFive]

 PavementWarrior, on Oct 10 2009, 03:53 PM, said:

Heh.

By the way I prefer no ipod whilst running - its good meditation!

Yep, that's the way I see it - moving meditation.

[brewer]

In the race yesterday I threw a few "Go CoolRunners!" that seemed to be ignored, it was then that I noticed the ear buds.

I was amused to observe a lady in the full singing along to her iPod.

[cjr]

I like running and racing with music. It's my choice. I don't understand why other people care so much

[rummickrun]

I am for ipods for a new reason now. The guy singing roxanne appallingly through pit lane inspired me to put in a 20sec burst - way to help my splits!