I listen to all types of music.  Classical, Rock, Country, Gregorian Chants (I love it!) and yes some Hip Hop.  Sometimes I know the lyrics of a song well and sometimes I don’t ~  it depends.  I do try to be open to new styles of music.

Listening to my iPod while running has become normal and frankly a must for me.  There’s nothing better than going for a long run and listening to the music you love.  Perhaps you have a novel you’re listening to – that’s also a plus for some people.  The slow songs that make you think and the fast songs that get your heart pumping.  I turn it up – loud.  I even have some fancy earplugs so they won’t pop out of my ears when I really start pounding.  But, I tell you, if that iPod dies or I happen to forget to put it in my gym bag ~ something strange happens.  I start to get upset – it’s SO UPSETTING!  I forgot my iPod – what am I going to do now!  I don’t even want to work out now.  DANG!  Heck, I may get down right cranky!  The below image says it all:/

When I ran the Nippy Niner in the winter, my iPod died after the 1st or 2nd mile.  I was besides myself.  The ground was covered in snow and it was a trail/road run.  It died during the trail part of the run.  I didn’t want to stop so I fiddled ~ and fell.  I fell four times.  It was crazy!  I happened to be by myself at that moment on the trail.  You would have thought I had been lost in the woods for days the way I acted – what was I going to do?  Soon I would have to resort to living off the land – I was lost – I’m confused – how can I function?  No more snappy beats or listening to someone else’s thoughts.  I now had to – wait for it…. do my own thinking and listen to me.  It was just me, the environment and the occasional runner who asked me if I was alright when I fell – awww they were so nice to ask, “why no, I’m not alright – MY IPOD JUST DIED”!

When the shakes and cotton mouth subsided, I began to listen to all the sounds and really notice my surroundings.  It was actually quite beautiful.  The wind rustling through the trees and when the branches shook, the sun glistened off the snow.  Beautiful.  The crunching of the snow beneath my feet, the slow flow of the green river to my right, the old brown decaying dock, the fresh crisp winter air and me falling face first into the snow.  Beautiful.  Serene.  Intense.  I felt like I had to try harder and concentrate more, but it was a pleasant run.

This brings me to the August No iPod Challenge ~ I’ve decided to take myself and I present it to you as well.  That’s right – no music while running or any other activity for a month.  How bad can it be?  Well, I decided to start today!  My, what fun I had this morning!

I mentioned it to my husband “hey I’m going to run all month without my iPod”, I said cheerily.  “That sounds like it’s going to suck” he said.  No really it will be fun and enlightening.

So off I went this morning.  Such a lovely day.  I decided to start off in the neighborhood.  About 200 yards into it – the brain starts cranking – and it went something like this:

– I wonder what everyone is doing at work today?  (Today is my furlough day)

– That guy should cut his lawn.

– Waved to kid in two-toned car.

– Yes, I see you man in your pajama bottoms getting the paper.

– Hello retirees on the shuttle bus!

– Da, da da – starting to sing to myself.

– La, la, la “I’m waking up…ba ba ba de da da… I see – Kathi – ru un ning.  She’s ru u ning too ooh – ooo oo oo yeah yeah”.

– La, la, laaaa “I feel it in my bones… and someone di di n’t clean up after their dog – ooh ooh yeah yeah – I almost ste epped in it it – Thrift Shop down the road”.

– Ahh the Orchards outhouse – pit stop – Intermission.

– “I’m waking up…I’ve just sang this line  three ee ee times – I don’t know the re est ooh ooh yeah yeah – what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”.

I said it was a challenge…didn’t I?

Up to the challenge?  I’d love to hear it!

Run on……..