Beyond the iPod: Why I race music-free (most of the time)
Music is illegal in all USAT sanctioned triathons. So when I started training I knew that all of my tris would be done without the pump of the headhphones. I’ve yet to do any tris that were very long, but I’ve run a couple of longer road races without music.
First off, I have no issue with training with an iPod. They have endless benefits. Music has lifted my spirits on many a long run and encouraged me on countless bore-fests on the dreadmill. I have no problem with people wearing them in races, either. Do your thang, whatever gets you to the finish line. Just turn the music down… a little… so you can hear me yelling at you so you can get out of my way.. or not.. whatever..
My first ever road race, The Houston Turkey Trot 2010, was a 5K I ran with Hot Keri. Rule: If your BFF offers to run with you in your first race and be your pace booty, forget the headphones. So I didn’t use them for the race. I had trained nearly exclusively with my iPod up to that point, however, because I had done C25K with the audio cues. That 5K was my first music free race.
When I started my Half training, I used the headphones because running, at that time, was so difficult, and such a chore, music was often the ONLY thing that pushed me through those HORRIBLE 5 milers. Y’all remember those, don’t deny it. But I was challenged, oddly enough in a Lululemon store, do it (the race) without music, you won’t be sorry. I told the kind young man who worked there I’d consider it, then decided I’d carry the iPod in the race if things got ugly. But I never pulled them out of my pocket. And it was then that I realized something about running music free, it’s really liberating.
Over the course of the last year I’ve run many other races, all of them music free. I don’t consider myself better than anyone because I do this. I just do it because I love the sound of the race. I love hearing the crowd support, the music, the sound of the cups when they hit the street at the aid stations - magical. I love the sound of the passing traffic, and I love hearing my own heartbeat. This year in Austin I ran with my iPod stored, again, in my back pocket. I nearly left it in the hotel room, but I stowed it away and sort of forgot about it til I tried to lay down on my back at the finish line.
For me, connecting to the world in a race is unlike anything else. I like chatting with people along the way. I like encouraging people, shouting out things like.. NICE NEWTONS!! and.. love your shirt!!! I suppose I could do these things with Eminem screaming at me through earphones, but I’d miss a lot in return. I’d miss things like the woman I jogged beside on Sunday who told me she had stage 3 pancreatic cancer and the doctors told her 2 years ago she’d be dead in six months. She’s still alive (and running) and her doctor is baffled. I’d miss the sound of the huddled little kids chanting on the side of road along 1st street.. go go go!! And I’d miss hearing the sound of my name being called when someone reads my bib - also magical. Lastly, I’d miss the best sound in any race - the roar of the finish line.
If you’ve never done a race without headphones, try it. You might hate it, but you might also love it. I will very likely carry my iPod in the marathon coming up. Who knows if I will call on it for support. But it’s kind of exciting to imagine how that race is going to sound. :)
