24 Hour Blogathon - Running and Music

This post is part of a 24 hour blogathon (conducted after a 10 mile run) in support of Solent Mind, a mental health support charity. I would be really grateful if you would help by sponsoring me and help raise some funds for the charity. 

You can find my sponsorship page by clicking this link.

I wanted to post something as part of this Blogathon about running and music – after all they are the two things I’m using to raise funds for Solent Mind today. I’ve already written about how running can be great for mental health, acting as a reset for the brain and linked readers to a really worthwhile long read about why running is a unique therapy for depression and anxiety.

However, I also wanted to write about the very act of running and listening to music whilst doing so. But the point I want to make in the article is so singular that it doesn’t make for a particularly great blog post. Then I thought, sod it, these posts don’t have to be great anyway, I could (and have / will) write gibberish and it doesn’t really matter. What we’re doing here is raising funds for a local mental health charity. That’s what’s important.

So, here’s the point. The one thing that I wanted to write and tell you all.

When I run I never listen to music.

That’s it. Great huh? What a deep and insightful person I am.

OK here’s another point.

I hate ‘running’ playlists. 

Here’s why. When I run it’s an opportunity to really appreciate the environment. I want to feel the wind my on my face, breathe and taste the fresh sea air, see the sun rise or set in glorious beauty over the sea, hear the sound of waves, birds, even the thud of my heavy feet and the differences in sound as they run over concrete, tarmac, cobbles or grass.

Headphones act as a barrier to all of that. They create a shield of no purpose between me and the reality of the environment. I can listen to music all the time at home or in the car, where the sounds rarely change – but when I’m out running, losing my thoughts into the air, feeling more positive about life, the last thing I want to do is block everything out. I want to let the world in to my brain when often it’s at its clearest.

And honestly. Why on earth if I was going to listen to music whilst running would I want to listen to something Ellie Goulding had chosen for me? If I was going to have a running playlist I’d make my own thank you very much. It would probably just be Eye of the Tiger by Survivor on repeat.

But I never will. For me running is about the freedom and immersing myself in the environment.

Now, if you haven’t done yet, how about sponsoring me for the 10 mile run I did this morning and this 24 hour blog posting session. I thought I would raise about £150. I've done £700 so far. Now I'm getting greedy and want more, All the details can be found by clicking here.