Just Let Me Have My Running Playlist

Running attracts peculiar people. As runners, we have a tendency to strive. Some call it a personal record, some a personal best, but either way you don’t actually accept that time as your best. You can always be faster. Thus the question plagues you constantly: what can I do to increase my speed and shave off seconds?

Myself, I would dearly love to knock off that last 61 seconds and finally bring my fastest half marathon time under two hours. Which is why it may surprise you to learn that there is a well known piece of running advice touted by many speedy people as a hack to faster times… and I am not taking it. I could, but I won’t.

Let’s talk about running’s relationship to music.

LIGHTEN UP, IT’S JUST RUNNING RAGE BAIT

Perhaps you, too, saw this little gem on Threads:

In case the image won’t load, this guy says that if you listen to music while running, you’re, I don’t know, using it as a coping mechanism or something.

And boy were people mad. Rightly so! Any kind of running community gatekeeping kinda sucks. There is no such thing as a “real” runner. A real runner is a person who runs. How they go about it is their own business.

Still, I don’t take most of these quote-unquote hot takes particularly seriously. I think a lot of them are people attempting to spark conversation but don’t realize they have the flame turned up too high. That or they’re trolls, and who cares what trolls think?

It did get me thinking, however…

WOULD TURNING OFF YOUR MUSIC MAKE YOU A BETTER RUNNER?

I have seen many legitimate, seasoned runners with impressive results claim that one of the things that helped them get faster was not listening to music while running. Justifications include:

• You’ll find it easier to hold your ideal pace without the distraction of a beat

• You’ll be able to hear your breathing and make adjustments

• Your focus will be on your run – your form, your goals, your training plan – not your music

All of which is valid and makes sense. I’m still not gonna do it though, because…

MOVEMENT IS MUSIC IS MOVEMENT

For me, music is more than just something to keep me occupied on my runs. In my mind, and my body, music and movement are inextricably linked. And I’m not even talking about my ballet background – this is something more primal.

In fact, this is a phenomenon I often notice and find perplexing at Walt Disney World – how many people in the crowd will watch and enjoy a musical act while… holding perfectly still??? Do you do this? HOW DO YOU DO THIS? How do you not subconsciously sway to the beat? Do you know how hard I would have to focus to not sway to a beat? If I were threatened by an armed robber who shouted at me to freeze, then pulled out a portable speaker and started blasting “Conga”,* do you know what would happen? I WOULD GET SHOT.

* That one was for you, Cosmic Conga-ers!

Thus music, to me, is not merely a companion in running. It is a partner. It is an impetus. Music is woven into the fabric of every step, because music demands those steps.

Obviously this is not how everyone feels, as evidenced by all those aforementioned people who stand quietly in the face of live music. I am not morally superior because I have a chronic rhythm infection. But this does lead me to my next point…

MUSIC MAKES ME WANT TO RUN

Music makes me want to run. It’s like I always say: strength training is a maintenance task; running is my hobby. I lift weights because it’s good for me; I run because while sometimes it’s hard, and a grind, and makes me want to die – somehow, I still love to run. And music is a BIG part of that.

It’s not the same as dancing. You have to pay attention to what you’re doing when you’re dancing. With running, you can turn on your music and let your mind wander. I am a GRAND CHAMPION mind wanderer. Combine that with the way music goes straight to my brain and converts to kinetic energy, and I can go miles tuning in and out of my own thoughts and music, mixing them together or zeroing in on one. It’s my ADHD’s time to shine!

WHAT MAKES RUNNING VALUABLE TO YOU?

But then I guess that’s part of the problem – the wandering mind is not dialed into the body. Hence the points made above about how running without music can help you improve as you hone in on your pace and form. And I get that.

However, I also know that music is what makes running such a joyous activity for me. It is the alchemical catalyst that takes a chore and turns it into a pleasure. It’s what attracts me to the sport and has given our love affair such longevity. New music especially makes me SO excited to run. I’m just not convinced what I might gain from consistently training without music is worth that loss.

VALUE IS SUBJECTIVE – EVEN WHEN THERE’S NO MONEY INVOLVED

I bet you never saw that twist coming, but yes – this is secretly, kind of, a value is subjective post. Money is not the only means by which we can measure value. We can use any metric we want, and in this case, I choose mental health and happiness.

Believe it or not based on… everything I just wrote, I have run without music, and not rarely, either. The most obvious instances would be forgetting my headphones or them dying. More often its been cases where I was concerned about my phone’s battery life, or Disney races where I sometimes prefer to stick with the on-course entertainment. I run just fine without music… but where’s the fun in it?

I love to run to music. In fact, I so love to run to music that I am willing to sacrifice a possible personal record. Should that be the wall that stands between me and my goal, well, I guess I’m not making that goal.

This, however, is – say it with me now! – a subjective assessment. As the angry responses to our ragebaitin’ friend above indicate, nobody likes a gatekeeper. If you prefer to run without music, or stand very ready to do whatever it takes to shave precious seconds off your time, I want that for you! I only mean to suggest that there is more than one reason to run besides getting faster, and choosing to squeeze every last drop of enjoyment out of the activity is equally valid.

… OR MAYBE THERE’S MIDDLE GROUND?

Okay, how about a compromise? I was thinking – maybe I’ll try working some regular physical checkins into my training. You know, pause every couple songs, take stock of my stats, then continue with the tunes. Worth a shot, don’t you think?

At any rate, let us conclude on this note: if you run, you’re a runner. And as long as you’re doing it in a way that makes you happy without infringing upon the rights of other runners, you’re doing great!

By the way, if you’re looking for a new running playlist, I have a bunch:

Disney Parks Music

Classical Music

Old Hollywood Music

’60s & ’70s Music

P.S. The people who listen to podcasts while running I can neither explain nor defend. They’ll have to write their own blog post.

Don’t forget, you can follow FRoA on Threads @fairestrunofall and on Instagram @fairestrunofall. If you have any questions or thoughts, leave a comment or email fairestrunofall@gmail.com. See ya real soon!