Recently, I read an article by Matthew Gurewitsch in the online version of the New York Times. The topic was musical therapy and, more specifically, the research into how music affects our well-being. Theories abound as to whether or not music, especially classical music, can aid in the recovery from ailments ranging all the way from high blood pressure to broken bones.
I don’t profess to hold an opinion, uneducated as I am on the topic, and until I see some hard evidence either supporting or refuting the claims, I will withhold judgement. But I can attest to one fact: music definitely plays a role in my perception of the difficulty of a task. This is especially evident lately; as a born-again runner who is having to slowly rebuild her endurance (and oh, how slowly, at my age…), I have come to rely on music to pull me through my hardest laps. My small pink iPod nano is my closest companion on my runs – oh sure, tech-fan that I am, GPS programs such as those offered by Run Keeper and Nike thrill me. But if I find myself at the track without GPS, I am quite content to run without it. Just not without my nano.
I have to admit to possessing a bit of a geek-streak. And I am definitely an Apple fan – I live on my MacBook Pro laptop and my iPhone, and I own two iPod nanos. The first is one of the original nanos released, and was a Christmas gift, ordered directly from China. Inscribed on the back with my personal motto “No Excuses, No Regrets”, it was retired from active duty only because its small memory couldn’t hold all my music. It is, however, still in use as a backup to my current hot pink version, also a gift – and also inscribed on the back. And although my phone is also loaded with most of my music, I rarely use it for that purpose, preferring the tiny size of the nano and the ease with which I can carry it on all my runs.
So it was with some amusement that I read Bill McKibben’s article, “Simple Steps”, in the November ’09 issue of Runner’s World. He opens, optimistically enough, with a reference to “Walden” and expounds on Thoreau’s advice to “Simplify, simplify, simplify”. I found myself nodding in agreement when he talked about the joy of running and how all our gear can just get in the way of that. I smiled when he said that it was even possible to run without shoes – or clothing, if your neighbours tolerated it. And I laughed when he talked about coordinating your heart rate with the tunes on your iPod (I don’t, but I have already publicly confessed to loving a song that matches my stride!). But in the end, he lost me, totally and completely, when he summed up with this sentence: “If you don’t wear your earbuds when you make love, consider leaving them off when you head out the door today.”
Okay, I understand that the point is to get past the trappings of running and to pay attention to the joy of running itself. And the author does hedge a bit by allowing that some of us may need some sort of paraphernalia (his word) to run. But to my mind, comparing the accoutrements of running to those of lovemaking? Well, that borders on the blasphemous… It’s apparent that either this man is running on a whole different level than I have ever experienced – or he really needs to work on his love life; I’m not sure which.
But I do know this. If I’m forced to compare lovemaking and running, well, the activity that does not require me to wear a running bra, shorts, socks, shoes, and hat (though, on occasion, sunscreen is a good idea…) is certainly not diminished in any way by musical accompaniment – and frankly, sometimes just the right, carefully chosen soundtrack is an absolute enhancement. So, too, with running, the activity that does require all the aforementioned equipment. And the best way I know to provide this is via the earbuds attached to that little pink oblong hooked on my waistband. This is my musical therapy, my portable encouragement – and as much a part of my outfit as my shoes.
Run without earbuds? Not on your life! Because for me, that would just be running naked.
The Most Essential Part of My Running Outfit!
See, I work out with the Big Mac jingle, sung by Bono, on a continuous loop:
“Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun.”
Is that wrong?
Hey I’m all about the beef myself (but hold the sesame seed bun); if that’s wrong, I don’t wanna be right…. so maybe I need to add this to my playlist….
Just one question: if it’s on a continuous loop, how do you know when it’s time to quit?…. oh, right, when the shaking and the urge to vomit become uncontrollable…
It’s like an internal clock. Spewing = break time. Not very hard to remember. I’m beginning to understand my own physiology. When I begin to see green spots in my left eye lid, or when my lips begin twitching uncontrollably, it’s probably time for some water. We learn as we go.
[...] people practice meditation to relieve the stress. Some people exercise with their Ipod, and that seems to help. When I get on the maniac machine of death and start churning and [...]