Running without Music

After reading Why Should Run Without Music I decided to give it a try. And to experience it to the fullest, I decided to run completely analog today, without any battery-operated devices. I had a 5k scheduled so if I didn’t like it, it wasn’t a very long run. 

So how was it?

For starters, it gave me the inspiration for this post, so what’s not to like?

Apart from that productive outcome, this was my experience:

1. I noticed that I used a song from my Running playlist to help me get into my rhythm. This song almost became a mantra as I repeated the lines over and over in my head: “This is my kingdom come, this is my kingdom come”. Don’t ask why I had ‘Demons’ from Imagine Dragons in my head.
2. About 2kms into my run I started to match my steps to my breathing. Then that became my focus.
3. I paid much more attention to my running form than during other runs. I corrected my arms and I watched the length of my steps making sure they stayed under my torso. I was actively monitoring my body.
4. It was meditative, especially once I got into the breathing rhythm. It helped that I ran a familiar stretch along the lake. Although the water is different every day, it is too familiar to pay much attention to.

The side effect of going analog was that I did not have an external source to pace myself. Even though it was after 6pm, it was still quite warm and I think I started too fast, which resulted in being out of breath halfway through my run. Once I got my breathing under control the rest of my run went fine.

What I did miss was the music to motivate me to run a couple more kms. Usually when I am about done with my run but the song is not finished yet, I keep on running because I like listening to the music. And then another song comes on, and another and before you know it you have doubled your distance. I did miss that final motivation.

Other than that, running without music was a better experience than I thought and I will certainly do it again in future.