As of yesterday there is only two more weeks until the half-marathon! Yikes!
I was perusing the marathon’s website Saturday night and I came across these words: “headsets/headphones are strictly prohibited.”
Nooooo!! What will I do without Sally?!
Side note: After Lisa D told me she named her iPod, I decided to name mine Sally.
I’m the girl who would go home from the gym without working out if I got there and realized I’d forgotten my iPod. I’m conditioned to listen to music when I workout, any kind of workout, and it got me through some of my toughest runs. I honestly don’t think I’d be achieving my goal of running a half-marathon without Sally! If I’m climbing a tough hill or nearing the end of a run I can just focus in on the music. It allows me to be in my own little bubble and the music puts me in this meditative state, it carries me through the run.
So, I decided that I’d do my 9-mile run yesterday, sans Sally. OK, OK, that’s a fib. I put her in my water belt. I felt better knowing she was there even if I wasn’t listening to her.
Well, let me tell you, that run was hell. It took me 96 minutes but it felt like 960 minutes! My water bottle sloshing around was annoying me, my breathing was annoying me, I could see landmarks in the far distance ahead of me but it seemed like it took forever to get there. I found myself stopping and walking more than I liked. It was all around not fun.
And I will admit it: around mile 6, I pulled Sally out. There was a HUGE hill coming up and I needed her (and Britney) to get me through it, then I left her on for the last 2.5 miles after the hill too.
For the next two weeks I’m leaving Sally at home so I won’t be tempted to pull her out halfway through the run. I’m gonna have to adapt to it or else I think it will really throw me for a loop at the marathon.
Do you guy’s run/workout with or without music? What are some of your secrets for getting through a run/workout with NO music?
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{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
No way! never! I totally need it! I’m the same as you. What is the big deal about having music? I wish I had some advice for you… but I don’t!
i usually never wear headphones when im running! im weird! haha. but i used them on my 10k and i think it really helped! afterwards i found out though that you cant have headphones, woops. i don’t know why though?
i found this out too. but you also have to remember the atmosphere of which we’re running in right now is solo. When we do our race, there’ll be tons of people around. so it’s probably a safety measure. however i spoke to someone, she said she took her ipod with her, but like 1/2 way through she put one ear bud in and turned on the music. I figure i will still have my ipod with me during my race this coming saturday!
i did 10.7 miles yesterday — wheee! now with the next 3 days being 14 - 15 hour days, im hoping i can keep up my eating right, and still do my training in the mornings.
When my iPod died on me the other time I would’ve turned back home if I wasn’t already on my way home
It was obviously not as long as your run, but by focusing on my stride and my breathing I was able to run without music 
I’m sure you’ll do great, I so can’t wait to hear ALL about the half-marathon! i’m seriously thinking of doing one in like 6 months or so 
I bet you’ll be OK during an actual race with all the adrenaline of it!
I named my iPod “I’m a Goat”. I don’t know why I thought it’d be funny if my iPod thought it was a goat. But anyways.
Good luck running without music. I’d probably just give up. You’re obviously more motivated than I am. Maybe I just need some coffee.
Oh God, that’s all I can think about.
I rarely run with music. On a hard run or during a race I’ll often chant silly little mantras in my head like “you can do it. this hill’s got nothin’ on you!” or I’ll sing inspiring songs in my head like “eye of the tiger” and just enjoy the scenery.
Now that I have an iPod, I couldn’t live without it. I LOVE having music when I run, especially super fast or upbeat music. Studies found that people who listen to music when they work out tend to burn more calories, probably because they focus on the music and it distracts from other sensations, like your legs feeling like they’re gonna fall off, haha.
They probably don’t allow headphones because if it is a roadrace, they want you to be able to listen for cars and pay attention to other cues like someone coming up behind though. Though to be honest, I don’t understand why you couldn’t just keep one earphone in, which is what I do when I run anyway.
That said, I think you can still totally do it without the iPod. Especially on race day, you’ll be totally full of adrenaline and people will cheer for you and you won’t need the music. You’ll do fine!
~Amanda
That really stinks Amber!! Why won’t they let you have headphones? That seems silly!
I totally need music to run. NEED IT!
thanks for the sweet comment about my run! i have a question? Are you still using the marathon training plan you posted about? i remember bookmarking it when you wroet about it. how do you like it? do you stick to it or do you try and do your own runs? let me know what you think thanks for all your help
i tend to race without music, but will hit the outdoor training runs with the shuffle. indoor treadmill work is always done with tv. but for a race, i like to live in the moment and not be engulfed in tunes. you can talk to other racers, soak in the sights of a new course… and just have fun without distractions.
I always work out with music, but I’ve never had a problem with leaving the music at home on race day. Races have a really unique atmosphere to them. You’re running with other people (even when you’re all spread out) and there’s just an excitement in the air.
I need my music too. I ran my first half marathon without one, but I had a friend running with me. Like Ashley said, there is so much excitement on race day, you should be fine.
Oh that sucks that you can't bring Sally w/ you. Thanks for the shout-out, by the way!
I trained w/ my iPod, but haven't used it for any of my races. Since you are running w/ Eric, hopefully you'll be fine. Plus as others have said, there is so much race day adrenaline! You'll push through.
It seems like more & more races are banning headphones/music.
Ditto! Must have my ipod to run or workout always. Will leave the gym or turn around on a run if it dies.
music is definitely necessary for working out. otherwise it is just like you said: you start to focus on (or get annoyed by) things like your breathing or water sloshing! for me, since I am asthmatic, I definitely get annoyed at my breathing. It is like I focus on it too much, trying to regulate it, and it just makes it worse. so music, when I actually do work out, is required. I can’t believe you are not allowed to have your iPod for the marathon!! must be a safety thing.
I wonder why they have that rule. Is it some sort of safety issue?
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yikes! no music? I don’t really listen to music that much, but could ee how some people really depend on it. I’m sure you’ll still do GREAT!
Heck No, I get music and TV….wait, do you run outside? Whoa. Not to that step yet. Just inside on the treadmill or elliptical.
Best of luck on your half marathon…that’s really inspiring.
Wow. I don’t know if I could do the whole no headset thing… that sucks!!
When I did my half marathon the rule about no headphones scared me too. I heard it was basically impossible to enforce and as long as it wasn't visible at the start I could use it during the race, no problem. So I took my iPod and had it in the pocket of my fleece, but I really never felt a need for it.
The support of the croud and entertainment along the course was enough. And I think listening to my iPod would have taken away from the race. WHICH. IS. CRAZY. because I never workout without it.
You could try singing/humming to yourself while you run. It takes a little bit more energy though!