Interesting observation

[Over60sRunner]

An interesting observation today. After a three-day break from running whilst I was away on a jiving weekend I returned to the gym this morning, but in my hurry to get out of the house I forgot my phone which has my Spotify playlists on it. Now I never before thought that not having my own music would make such a massive difference to a run, but it sure did this morning! I couldn't get into my stride, I felt lack lustre and not in the right headspace from the moment I started, and I gave up the running part of my session after just 25 minutes as I really couldn't keep the momentum going.

Now, I am aware that some of this may well be because I'd been dancing for three days and using a completely different set of leg muscles to my running ones which may have led to some fatigue, but I'm pretty convinced that a great deal of it had to do with the fact that without my usual companion music raising my spirits, keeping me focused on my rhythm and stride, and generally making me feel like I still have, if not a tiger, then at least a small kitten left in my tank, I simply could not get my head in the right space at all.

Has anyone else experienced this same sense of deflation without having everything, as it were, ship shape and Bristol fashion?

Needless to say, when I head out to the gym for my next run on Thursday I will make sure that my mobile phone and it's precious Spotify content is firmly ensconced in my gym bag before I set out!

[Sewnso Graduate]

I totally get it, I have a running playlist & couldn’t use it the other day and had to listen to random songs, it wasn’t the same.

[Teejay113 Graduate]

If you can move then do it see you at the top peace

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Everything going on in our lives can impact on our performance as a runner. Restedness, hydration and nutrition are at the top of my list of variables that need to be optimised to enable enjoyable running.

This post expands on the theme. healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Personally I suspect three days of dancing had more effect on your physical performance than the lack of a playlist.

[Teejay113 Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

TRUFFE! Always good info. Bless

[grumpyoldgirl Graduate]

Hmm, I also suspect the dancing. But I have to run without music, because I lose my natural cadence and end up running in time to the music, which I hate!

[Beads Graduate in reply to grumpyoldgirl]

Ahh, but this could be it. If 60’s has their playlist sorted so that the tracks have the same tempo as their running stride then it having music could put them off the same way having music puts you off.As an aside there’s (or used to be) a website that you could select music based on the beats per minute. If you figure out your running cadence you could try selecting tracks that match. That’s if you fancy listening and running at the same time. I usually run without.

[grumpyoldgirl Graduate in reply to Beads]

Aha! It takes all sorts to make a world and all that, of course! It's funny because I have the radio or music on all the time, running is about the only thing that I don't want music with. You could be right, if I got the right beats it would be fine, but after all this time running without, I think I'm happier without. (I've usually got a song in my head anyway😁)

[Trackiebottoms]

I absolutely get this. I need to listen to certain tunes for different forms of exercise it puts me in the right headspace

[Frenc Graduate]

I completely understand! I swear, absolutely swear by the power of music when doing any form of exercise. They’ve even done studies proving it helps with intensity. I would love to be one of these people who enjoys the sound of their breathing and what’s going on around them, but I need tunes, the louder the better 🤣.

[MaCherie112 Graduate]

Haha! Definitely!!! Your own music makes all the difference. It provides the euphoria, empowerment and the beat. Music is strangely powerful in that way so I totally understand. I remember forgetting my music going to the gym once and the horrible music the gym plays just wasn’t the same. You definitely feel miserable, deflated and depleted, everything is that much more of an effort, so we’ll find you for getting even 25 minutes in!

[Aerialgazelle Graduate]

Oh for sure! Music is massively important to motivation for me - especially in the gym. Like you, I love dancing, so of course we are used to moving to our preferred tracks. When running I belt out the lyrics (try to control myself if in gym or on Parkrun) and imagine doing the dance moves.

[nowster Graduate]

Interesting! I haven't used music since I graduated from C25K, and even when doing that it was a totally random mix of styles and tempos, either my own or from the radio. I now use spoken word podcasts.

I run parkruns "naked", ie. with no headphones at all.

[Hidden]

I think I must be the opposite but totally agree that everything needs to be aligned and in place for a good run.

I would suspect that a weekend of dancing coupled with the gremlin mind games of not having your music are the main culprits.

I started Couch "naked" but quickly loaded my own tunes via Spotify to run to. Eventually I got a little bit irritated and moved to podcasts for a few weeks followed by NRC recommended running music.

Both these gradually started to wear me down and now I'm enjoying just running with no music, no podcasts and no one shouting splits in my ears 🤣

I guess everyone does what they need to do in a way that best suits themselves. There are no right and wrongs.

Happy running all.

[Over60sRunner Graduate]

Thanks for all the input folks. I find it fascinating that we are all after the same goal, but we have so many ways of facilitating it 👍

As grumpyoldgirl says, it takes all sorts to make the world go round 🙂 My music isn't so much about tempo - I have everything from Rockabilly to Northern Soul on there - it's more about the fact that each and every track gives me more smiles to the mile which I find really helpful, especially towards the end of a run when I'm flagging a bit......you'd be surprised what a bit of Reet Petite can do for my leaden legs 😃 Oh, and singing along helps with my breathing....that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it 🤣🤣🤣

[RunDone Graduate]

Interesting for me to read this as I don't have any music when running - I just have my phone in my hand so I can feel the vibrations of each milestone. It's just me and the sounds of the park, with my inner voice. I wonder if I'd run better or worse with music!

[Over60sRunner Graduate]

There's only one way to find out RunDone and that's to give it a go 😀

I actually found the sound of my breathing quite off-putting and my inner voice is sometimes not the most positive or helpful, but we are all differentand I guess it's whatever works for the individual.

Enjoy your running and thanks for the insight!

[Poppdog Graduate]

Not just dancing, jiving, that takes energy and stamina. But I know what you mean it the psychological thing, keys phone playlist lucky socks ok I’m ready to go 😂

[Over60sRunner Graduate]

Just wanted to pop back on and say I ran again this morning with music and was back in 7th heaven, if not physically, but definitely in the good vibes department. Long live rock and roll 😀🎶😄🤘