I'm going out for a 16m run around NYC (Brooklyn to Queens to Manhattan and back home to Brooklyn) I'll take mine with me (2GB shuffle, which is light with like lots of music on it). I shuffle through different music or stay on one band if i like the pace or mental space it helps me maintain. I have lots punk, dub, pop and most of it inspires me or fixes me into an emotional state. being a musician I'm very prone to be struck by the power of music but while I'm running I dont always focus on the instrument I play, I find a lot of other nooks and crannies in the music.

all that being said during times that I dont know the path i'm running as well, in busier areas or low visibility I will either turn off/pause the ipod or lower the volume to almost nothing for the sake of safety. Additionally, its always a good idea just to turn it off for a while and "unplug" from the world around me.

one other thing, I've heard from other runner friends that motorola is coming out with a watch/gps/heartrate monitor/mp3 player that not only can you download music to while mobile but that analyzes your heart rate with regard to the music being played and will play music accordingly if you set your watch for a target heart rate workout and if you need a "power/speed/pace boost" you can press a button to immediately play songs which tend to increase your heart rate and therefore pace/speed. crazy right? supposedly its like $1000 but its been seen on people wrists.

Wow. that was a long answer. happy running and have a great holiday season and happy new year.

Sounds like an awesome gadget!!!

I found a cd by a group called Obsession. It's a tribute to Elton John with high powered dance music with a really strong bass. Keeps me running on the track for a long time!

I've been doing interval training lately; running until my heart rate gets to about 165, then walk til it drops to about 130, then run again to 165, walk til 130, etc.

Also been concentrating on my core doing sit ups, leg lifts, planks, light weight lifting.

Just not built for it. I'll do sprints or HIIT on a treadmill, or just run 10 minutes for a warmup, but I don't like to run for long distances or lengths of time.

I still work at it, though. I'm working on running an 8 minute mile. Any tips how to do that? Currently I get on a treadmill and just set the speed 0.1 faster than it was last time. I'm up to a 6.5 speed and hope to crank it to 6.6 this week. Go, me!

On edit: It doesn't matter if I'm listening to KMFDM or Enya. I'm equally unmotivated to run no matter what's playing.

My philosophy of exercise is to do what you love. It's admirable that you're working on 8 minute miles, I think you're right in inching up toward it a little at a time.
For me, treadmills are pure torture. I need the variability of terrain, my body can't take the same stressing in the same places over and over. Shortly after I bought my treadmill, I got a stress fracture in my foot. Since then I seldom use it, except for periods of prolonged nasty weather.
I love to get out in the fresh air, but then I live in an area where I have great parks to choose from. It's funny how 20 degrees seems so darn cold when you start running and so darn hot when you finish.

You could do what you have been doing. You could also try running longer to build up endurance. You could also try running a half mile or whatever you could do at your target speed and then a slower speed for the rest. When I was competing for that distance, I did some distance work and shorter speed intervals.
I am not as good as a runner anymore but got a tread mill for Christmas. For me, it is much harder to run fast on a tread mill than on a track or the road. Maybe it is something to get used to, but if I were in your situation, I probably could already run an 8 minute mile.

...I've skipped a few running workouts in a row and instead went home for a punching bag workout. Bag is about as tough of a workout as running, same level of exertion anyway. I know, it's not going to help me on my run time but I just can't stand the gym this time of year. The cardio deck is packed like a Who concert without the Who.

And it's too cold to run outside. Cold and dark. And unsafe with all those crazy drivers.

I have more excuses if anyone would like to hear them.

The only time I don't get them is setting the treadmill on an incline. I prefer to run outside for the varied terrain, but even then...shin splints. I did resolve sciatica with yoga so that doesn't bother me anymore. Any ideas for how to manage those darned shin splints? Would love to be able to run the dog.

I got them to the point I couldn't walk on my legs it was so painful. I can give you a few tips that helped me out.

- Having good form is probably most important. Make sure you're not heel striking. If possible, find a runner/trainer to observe your form and give you some tips.
- Good shoes are a must.
- Good leg strength, in particular calf strength, seems to help get that bounce.
- When starting out, don't do too much at once. Just a few days a week, maybe 30 minutes at a time. No marathons until your legs are acclimated.

Again, I'm not a runner but hopefully that helps.

They helped me, but YMMV. I overpronate and when I started running about two years ago I got hit with both knee problems and shin splints. An elastic brace that fit over my knee helped that, and the socks helped the shin splints. I also decreased my milage and pace for awhile until my legs got acclimated to the activity.

But, yes, as someone else pointed out, shoes are key. I had really bad first pair of running shoes that I had to return. I think they contributed mightily to my knee issue.

Except for the occasional knee twinge now and then, I've been running pain free for more than a year.

I have a couple playlists. One is more pop, Lady Gaga, current pop and the other is older music from the 80s and 90s, most of it faster paced. I sometimes just put it on random for all my songs and just skip the song if I find it boring.

I have not been running in almost a month though - well I have ran three times in the last month, all three ending in ITBS issues. (I had been running at about 8 1/2 miles a couple times a week and one night my knee just got stiff and that was that. I miss running, its such a healthy outlet for me.)

I also would never listen to anything while running. I am a woman, and like to see and hear everything around me when I exercise. Not to mention my dog runs with me when I do that particular activity.

I say my mantra or talk to my running buddy when we are together on the trail (he runs ahead mostly.)

I've been running for 30+ years - old knees are pretty bad so I try to land as lightly as I can. Ouch!

I mainly load up Pop and Classic Rock remixes. Nothing like hearing something like Queens 'We Will rock You' mixed w/ a heavy dance beat to get me up and over that hill.

Last edited Wed Nov 28, 2012, 07:49 AM - Edit history (1)

There are many exercise for fitness but i think running is most common exercise for fitness and health fitness do exercise and running.


http://kudoshealthclub.com.au/

Otherwise, I would fixate on how many miles I have to go. My soundtrack runs the gamut. I have two iPods with music on them. This morning when I went out, I heard everything from The Beatles to Mandy Patinkin.

At first I didn't use the iPod during races, but now I do, especially when I'm on an unfamiliar course. It may not be the best thing to do, but I see enough other runners with them so it really doesn't bother me that much.

Well i don't have any mp3 player I have my iphone and I use that while running. I use a arm mount for it and just play my fav songs. Well I feel if you listen music while running you don't feel any tiredness or long distance. Good thread thanks for sharing your views guys.

Anaheim Hills gym

I've almost always run without any musical accompaniment.

I remember once doing a jog around the college track holding my book sized radio cassette player. (A CD player wasn't going to be any smaller). However, I've got tiny inside ears and the left earpiece kept popping out like a lemming.

I really enjoy live music at events. My favourite was a chamber quartet at the top of a steep hill during a 10k in the English countryside.