Pump up the Jam

It's about that time for me to start getting my race day plans together. I'm down to less than 2 weeks until the B.A.A. Boston Marathon and getting antsy in my taper, so I try to occupy myself with starting to prep. This includes a long list of things ranging from painting my toenails if they are bruised, to getting my haircut if my pony tail is too long and is chafing the area between my shoulder blades (yes, that is a real thing), to deciding if I'm going to listen to music and selecting my playlist.

If you are new to this hobby, you may not know that this topic can be quite a hot one among marathoners. Some people feel strongly that listening to music completely detracts from the race experience and puts yourself and fellow runners in danger since you can't hear pleas to watch out or other instructions or alerts. Others feel that music can really provide you with a boost of energy when you need it and be a comforting part of your routine that helps you stay calm and focused.

I have run the gamut on this issue from not even taking music, all the way to hitting "play" before I even cross the starting line. For me, it completely depends on the race and how I foresee it playing out.

But let me get this out of the way: Check the rules. I always obey the rules. Never take music if it is not allowed. Okay, moving on....

I didn't take music to my very first marathon because my husband was running it next to me, and that would just be rude. I also never considered it when I ran the 2015 Big Sur Marathon for two reasons. First, I was pacing my best friend in her first marathon (again...rude. Although it would have been funny to see her reaction if I would have just popped in some ear buds in the middle of her talking...dang it, missed opportunity).  And second, that race is an experience of unparalleled natural beauty. I really wanted to soak in all the sights and sounds of that course. I'm so glad I did. The classical piano you hear through the valley  once you crest Hurricane Point is one of the most memorable marathon moments I've had.

But there have been times when I know I needed some beats and I didn't hesitate to bust them out early. One of them was the 2014 TCS New York City Marathon. I was injured for this race and I had been practically living in my Doctors office for days getting stretched, taped, iced - you name it -leading up to this thing. Prior to the race I wasn't able to run more than 2 miles without needing to stop. I was worried I was going to be out on this course All. Day. Long. I put the world's longest playlist together and right after I heard the classical "New York, New York" play at the start, I started up "No Sleep Til Brooklyn" and all the rest to get my mind focused on getting to the end. I needed the company.

Me, at the NY Finish, thinking "Oh thank God I made it!" It actually went much better than I expected, but do you see the suitcase of gear I am sporting around my waist? I had packed for an extended stay!

I also used music through the entire Paris Marathon in 2014 for a completely different result. That was my first back to back experience (running two marathons in a short amount of time). I was doing the Chunnel Challenge, running Paris one Sunday and the Virgin Money London Marathon the following Sunday. I had a strategy to run that first race 1-2 minutes slower per mile than my normal pace. I know this sounds like a dream, but I assure you it's actually a tough task. I experimented at home and realized that if I listened to classical music, I naturally slowed down. So, I fired up some french classics and Vivaldi and I ran past all the sights of Paris in bliss. Really, I can't imagine not having done that. It added so much richness, and to this day it remains my favorite marathon experience start to finish (and it worked, btw).

Now, usually I land somewhere in the middle. My preferable habit is to create a new playlist for each race (it personalizes the experience, which I dig) and take it with me...only to pull it out when I really need a boost. The truth is, I do find my pace picks up when I'm listening to one of my fav's (Madonna's Ray of Light has to be #1 and it is on every playlist) so if I'm noticing a dip in the second half of the race - I don't hesitate to put in the ear buds. But I do try to only use one side. I find this helps me pay attention to crowds or "pardon me" moments and I still get to absorb some of the crowd. And, the crowd is a huge part of why I love doing the Abbott World Marathon Majors, so I definitely wouldn't want to completely short change that part of it.

So if you are deciding whether to pump up your jam, think about how you envision your race day going and whether you've relied heavily on music in your training or not. Consider trying out just using one side of your ear buds. You will want to practice though, because it takes time to figure out how to wrap that extra chord around your race outfit!

Until next time....