after running a few miles at AdMU, i'm in a bit of a self-induced high. anyway, i've turned my efforts to unravelling one of life's greatest questions: is it better to run with music (via ipod or zen), or without?

after some very very deep thought (har har), i have distilled these pros and cons:

Running with Music/Audio

PROS- time passes faster | boredom from running in the same place is reduced | music is a lovely companion | with audio books, you can learn while running!

CONS - it's more difficult to monitor your own breathing when you can't hear it- something important to some runners | music can distract you from monitoring your pace and speed (only a problem if you take a scientific approach to running) | when you hit the 30 minute mark, your ears are so sweaty, and the earphones can slide off at the worst times

When i run with music, the one thing i miss most is the mental conversation i normally have with myself.

that sounds so schizo, but those of you who run KNOW you do this too. it's nice to have to tell yourself that every step you take after hitting the wall (the exhaustion point) is a small victory. You remind yourself that you just need to put one foot in front of the other- again and again and again.

When you add all those little steps so adamantly fought for, -if i may borrow words from "any given sunday" the distance you gain spells the difference between winning and losing. NAKS. feel the melodrama!!!:D at any rate, the harder the run, the happier the runner.

so on my next run i'm leaving the shuffle at home. i'm going to listen to my breathing, and when i hit that wall, i'm going to talk myself to the finish line.