Running is a great cardio workout and a
way for many to clear their minds. Whether you’re training for a race or just
feel like going for a run, there are many benefits to this aerobic activity. I
was speaking to some of the members at the Barnstable Fitness Center in Hyannis, MA who are avid runners
about their training methods when the topic of music came up. It is very common
for people to listen to music while running, but is it really that beneficial?
There are two categories for runners in
regards to why they run. An associator is considered a person who prefers to
focus inwardly during a run: thinking about their day, how they are breathing,
listening to their foot strokes, etc. A dissociator is someone who will spend
their runs looking forward to forget what they’re putting themselves through (Bean,
2010; Kurton & Blair, 2013). Dissociative runners are more likely to listen
to music to help them “forget” they are running; this isn’t always a good
thing. Here are the pros and cons for running with music:
Pros
There are 5 conditions that runners
should consider with music: the tempo, the genre of music, the lyrics in the
song, any memories and emotions the song could trigger, and the order of the
music in your playlist (Kurton & Blair, 2013). A high tempo, fast pace song
can help you keep pace. This type of music also can elevate positive aspects of
your mood such as excitement and happiness, reducing negative aspects such as
tension, fatigue, and even confusion (Bean, 2010).
Joe Carroll PT DPT SCS, owner of Cape Cod Rehab and
an avid runner, says he trains with music but doesn’t race with it. “Sometimes
when I have my headphones on I’m not actually even listening to my music. It’s
just playing,” says Carroll. In this respect, Carroll is using music as
a distraction, selecting playlists with different types of music for different
types of running (i.e. hill workouts, long runs, treadmill runs, etc.).
“External stimulus such as music can actually block some of the internal
stimuli trying to reach the brain- such as fatigue related messages from
muscles (Bean, 2010).”
Cons
While music
is a necessity to get through the long, boring miles on the treadmill for RRCA
Certified Run Coach Jen Skiba, she is a strong believer in leaving the
headphones at home when running outside. "I look at it from a safety
standpoint. It is so easy to get lost in your music and become totally
oblivious at what's going on around you." While music can distract you,
this can be very hazardous while running outside. Being aware of your
surroundings is important. Look out for potential hazards such as cars, the
weather, and even others around you.
While safety is extremely important,
training with music can be detrimental from a training standpoint as well. Two
key factors in determining effort exerted are breathing and foot strike- both
you cannot hear while listening to music (Bean, 2010). Also, if you train only
listening to music, what if your iPod dies? How do you keep pace without it?
Many road races actually ban runners from having head phones in, even causing
disqualifications and ineligibility for elite runners in championship races if
they run with music.
As you can see, there are many pros and
cons to listening to music while running. If you do, try listening with only
one headphone in at a lower volume. Also, try not to run with music every time
you run. You might find that you enjoy your run without it.
Blog post by Nikki Courtney.
References
Bean, A. (2010, December 1). Running With Music. Retrieved December 29,
2015, from http://www.runnersworld.com/workout-music/running-debate-running-with-music
Kurton, M., & Blair, S. (2013, March 13). Running with music: The
case for and against. Retrieved December 29, 2015, from http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/the-running-blog/2013/mar/13/running-with-music-for-against
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