Why I Don't Use an IPod While Running

I never run with music. I just don't. I couldn't quite put words to why but this morning during a group run my friend Matt and I discussed it.

Have you ever loved something so much that you just had to take it all in? Standing at the ocean or hiking through the woods or waking up to a cool spring morning. Think about one of those places. What does it smell like? What does it look like? What do you feel with your hands and feet? Can you taste anything? Salt in the air or morning coffee? Also, what do you hear?

When you think of these special places and moments, in many cases all 5 senses are engaged. That is how I feel about running. Oh, don't get me wrong, not every run is some "religious experience" or euphoric. Sometimes it's a terrible run. But it is a meaningful experience to me. I want to be present in that moment.

A lot of times we use music to take our minds off of the task; in this case it is running. It is a chore and burdensome and music is an escape from it. It makes time go faster. It entertains us because we feel bored. We use it so it feels a little less painful. I understand that, but that isn't how I view running.

Running is my opportunity to turn it all off. I don't have to think about what I need to be doing because I am doing it. My schedule for the day. My worries and cares. I can check it all at the door. I originally didn't listen to music because I didn't want to get hit by a car or not hear the dog chasing me down. Now I love the feel of the road on my feet. The taste of sweat on my lips. The view of a beautiful Bangkok morning. The smell of the park and/or the tobacco factory (lol). And the sounds of the morning. I am present in that moment. I have been asked if I pray while I run. Nope. Just turn it all off. But it is a spiritual experience. It is a way for me to commune with God and His creation and be still...so to speak.

You probably think I take running to seriously. Maybe. But you should hear how seriously I take my music too. That's for another day. If you run with music, tell me why. What kind of music motivates you? Why is it important to you?