the running-with-headphones controversy

Apparently, among serious runners, a class of people among whom I do not count myself, there is a heavy debate on whether or not runners should be on the road with headphones. The running-with-headphones controversy is one you can easily find on boards and blogs all over the internets. Don't believe me? Google is your friend.

There are several primary arguments, most of which I gleaned from the article in the first link in this post. Among them are these:

1. Safety. The argument goes that if you have headphones on, you cannot hear cars, bikes, dogs, muggers, other runners, pteranodons, or zombie robot motorcycle gangs from Venus. You are putting yourself at risk by blocking out, no matter how softly you play your stuff, lower frequency, more subtle sounds that could give you an edge in avoiding an accident. For me, this is not an issue. Generally, I run in my own neighborhood, which has sidewalks on about half of the streets. I run on the correct side of the road. I also look behind me more than I ought to out of sheer paranoia. On the rare occasions I do run outside in a strange place, I turn the volume way down and take my chances. I know the risks, and I accept them.
   
2. Listening to your body. There is an argument out there that you should have your mind focused on your body and the messages it is sending you. That may be fine for "serious runners," but my body is constantly telling me, "Please, you fool, stop." The voices in my head [don't tell me you can't hear them] are usually screaming at me to stop, turn back, walk, or slow down. For that matter, my mind is telling me how much running sucks, how I am too old to do this, that I will hurt myself, that I am not an athlete. Would you rather have that running through your head or "Play that funky music, white boy! Play that funky music riiiiiiight!" The last thing I need to do is listen to my body and my mind. I need to blank out and get the run over with.
3. The Running Experience. If you run with earphones, you are missing out on the joy of the wind whistling past your ears. You are distracted from the sky and the trees, and the whole wondrous world around you. You are missing out on communion with the bliss that is the "runners' high." Bull$h!t. I have never had a runners' high. I don't run to experience nature. I run to get and stay fit. I have an unpleasant job to do, and I want to get it over with as painlessly as possible.
   

There are other arguments that you should check out, if you are interested. For me, there is no issue. First and foremost, headphones [or, more accurately, ear buds] are an essential piece of gear for me. They are more important than shoes. If I am to run, and stay out there on the road, I have to be transported elsewhere by my glorious 4Gb iPod nano. If that makes me less than a real runner, then so be it. I have never claimed to be any such thing.

Lord, have mercy on the impolitic soul that tries to get in my face about wearing headphones on a run, for they will get none from me.

Tags: article, gear, issues, motivation, workouts, running, jogging