‘You better lose yourself in the music….’

Look, if you had, one shot, or one opportunity
To seize everything you ever wanted. In one moment
Would you capture it, or just let it slip? Eminem

I now know these opening words inside out.  In my early running days this tune would be ringing in my ears as I nervously stood shoulder to shoulder with my fellow competitors before I set my stall out in the first mile of any race.  It still makes me shiver with anticipation now.

Thank goodness times have changed and we now have access to  virtually any music we require through apps like Spotify all streaming directly from our phones or even watches.

I often look around and try and guess what people are listening to.  My father once told me that he liked to listen to radio 4 on his outings and I dread to think how his sprint finish might have looked as the ‘Archers’ theme kicked in! To each their own.

Back in the day (day in this blog referring to the late 90’s) I remember running with a bright yellow Sony Walkman, supposedly waterproof which was akin to running with a brick in the hand. I suppose in hindsight Sony would argue they didn’t call it a ‘Runman’ for a reason.

Soon after that, I remember running with the ‘Discman’ which so frustratingly jolted every step I took while I tried desperately to listen to Now 25. It was lucky then that Sony launched an upgrade with a three second memory to address that!

Music is a powerful medium in all walks of life and my reasoning for including it in this blog is to highlight its motivational benefits for running.

I’ve always enjoyed running with music and sometimes we all need a little extra motivation to stuck in.  For me music is my fuel.

From a personal perspective it does a number of things for me, but for the main part it represents a form of meditation.

It can distract me from acknowledging  how hard my body is working, and it can also drive me forward when I need to work that little bit harder.

Think how you might feel when your breathing becomes laboured and your legs get a little heavier?  Cue Rocky theme and you immediately feel that little stronger.

My music taste is extremely diverse which lends itself well to the varying tempos of run I venture out on.  During a gentle jog on a warm summer’s evening, I enjoy getting lost in the world of trance, while on the contrary (while trying to achieve a park run personal best on a Saturday morning) I enjoy the raspy voice of Axel Rose and turn to the emphatic sounds of Gun N Roses.

It works as I have managed three PBs this year!

I certainly have my guilty pleasures which I won’t mention.  All I can say is I hope this blog on music helps you ‘reach for the stars’ and that your training isn’t interrupted by any ‘high school musical’!

I love the subjectivity of music and at this point I turn to you my readers!  If you have been reading and enjoying my blog, please take the time to input your e-mail on this site.

In a future blog I am planning on publishing the ultimate running playlist so please also leave your ultimate running song as a comment.

If you also have any suggestions that you would find beneficial for future blogs please also me know in the comments section.

One thought on “‘You better lose yourself in the music….’”

  1. Tried lots of the playlists recommended but found I was getting fed up with the music and kept fiddling with the -next track/ advance and fell into a ditch. I preferred the mid numbingly awful heavy beat music which you can run towpath each pace to the beat. Downside of music is you cannot hear approaching dogs if running in the country – don’t worry however because if you are playing Guns n Roses the dogs will avoid you- keep the blog going
    What do you do if you get blisters?

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