Running with Music

The topic of running with music is a pretty controversial one. In 2006, the USATF (USA Track & Field, one of the sports official groups) banned the use of headphones at races. This sparked huge debates among runners and race directors, so much so that the USATF amended its rule in 2008 to allow race directors to decide whether or not to allow headphones.

Like most topics in the running world, there are both pros and cons to running with music.

Music can be a motivation to many runners. The right music with the right beat can help you stay on pace or even increase your pace. It can distract you from pain or fatigue during a run making the run seem to go by faster and easier. It can also make the task of running more fun, especially if you are a big music fan or if you find running to normally be a pretty boring sport.

With all that being said, it's hard to imagine that there are downsides to running with music. However, when you run with music your safety may be at stake. The USATF's reasoning for the headphone ban was that runners with headphones are less likely to hear race instructions and emergency vehicles. Just like driving while using a cell phone can impair your reaction time and judgment, running with headphones can cause you to be less aware of your surroundings. I mentioned earlier that running with music can distract you from pain or fatigue. That can be a good thing or it could be a bad thing. You may be running through pain that you should actually stop for, such as a stress fracture.

That brings us to the TIP OF THE WEEK. If you choose to run with music, be smart about it. Run in a safe area, such as a park or on a trail, away from vehicles. Be consciously aware of your surroundings. Ensure that if your hearing is limited, you are using your other senses, such as sight and touch, in overdrive to keep yourself safe.

I choose to not run with music, but that's my own personal choice. I tried it a few times, but I couldn't get the headphones to stay in comfortably. Besides, I do my best thinking on runs. I'd rather not have music to distract me from that.