Does Listening to Music Give a 15% Performance Gain?

UK-based sports pyschologist Costas Karageorghis says that listening to music while running may not only improve their outlook on exercise, but even improve endurance levels by more than 15 percent. He is about to publish his findings in the US Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, detailing how he found that when listening to tracks from Madonna to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, most runners found the exercise more pleasurable than usual, even those on the verge of collapsing on the treadmill. In general, they ran further and for longer.

"Think of music as a legal drug," Karageorghis explains, "It reduces the perception of effort by blocking fatigue-related messages to the brain. It elevates positive aspects of mood, like vigour and excitement, and reduces negative aspects, like depression, and this creates the right sporting mindset."

Writer/runner Claire Soares has a good article about meeting the author, and even running in one of his races. Check it out here.

I know I like to get my tunes on during those long runs. Right now "Thunderstruck" from AC/DC is my #1 tune for the week. Perhaps it's because the beats per minute is fairly close to my heart rate, as Karageorghis suggests.

- SD

Your Brain, Motivation, and iPod Playlists

Jeff Leow, a medical student from Austrailia, has a great post on a couple of medical studies that looked into the link between music and motivation to exercise. It includes a short description and diagram of the brain, as well as some videos to keep you entertained.



Highlights include:

* Associations that are unrelated to sport or physical activity may also prove motivating. For example, the theme to a popular television adventure series may promote the desire to engage in physical activity. Moreover, lyrics that are related to determination and strength may also conceivably enhance motivation to exercise more intensely and/or for longer.

* Positive experiences and mindsets yielded positive feelings and a subsequent desire to repeat the behaviour. (Godin, 1994) Therefore, it is important that participation in exercise sessions is a positive experience for individuals (Godin, 1994).

That last one seems kinda "duh" to me, but I think it means "if music makes exercise a positive exerpience, then listen to music when you exercise".

Outlawing iPods for Distance Racing?

There are more iPods per capita in trail running races than any other type of organized race (that's my guess, anyway). But iPods do pose safety risks. Should they be allowed in trail running races?
The Washington Post interviewed RRCA Executive Director Jean Knaack for their story, "One More Hazard for Runners - iPods". Ms. Knaack was quoted:

"While I think it could be potentially disruptive to other runners to pull people from a race field for headphone use, I do think a race director would be justified in not including someone violating the race rules in the official results or refusing to supply them with an official time or finisher medal."

I'm personally a big fan of the iPod and think they can be used respectfully. However, I'm now noticing that the fine print in some of the entry forms prohibit the use of iPods (for example, the Helen Klein 50m entry form states in the disclaimer that "radio headsets are not allowed").

I just thought I would bring it to everyone's attention. I would hate to see somebody get a DNF just because they were groovin' to the tunes.

SD

New iPod+Nike Technology To Blend Music and Workout

Nike and Apple have teamed up to create some new technology that allows the iPod to become more integrated into the running experience, including real-time feedback on your pace (spoken into your headphones), tracking calorie burn on your iPod, and more. Check out the demo here.


Here's an excerpt from the Business Week story:

"The co-branded kit comes with a sensor that fits inside compatible Nike footwear -- sold separately -- and a wireless receiver that attaches to the iPod.

Data on running time, distance, pace and calories burned would be stored on the iPod, which could then display the information on-screen or deliver it audibly through headphones.

After the workout, the data also could be automatically sent to a personal runner's log at the new nikeplus.com Web site whenever the music player is synchronized to Apple's iTunes program.

The iPod will also incorporate a new "Power Song" feature, so a user can instantly queue up a piece of music for extra motivation at the push of a button.

The $100 Nike+ Air Zoom Moire shoe will be the first footwear designed to talk to the iPod, and more are planned, said Trevor Edwards, Nike's vice president of global brand management."

Available July 13th, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

- SD

Product Idea - T-shirt with iPod Headphone Cord Guides

Have you ever made "mods" to products you have purchased? Like sewing in a key pocket on your favorite running hat? Or maybe adding soft rubber to the ends of your sunglasses so they stay in place? It seems like I'm always making some sort of modification to my favorite shirts, shoes, etc. Not that the products are bad, mind you - it most cases they fit like a glove, and I understand a lot of design work went into making that happen. But often the product seems to be missing that one extra thing.

I'm going to add some entries to the blog called "Products I Would Like to See", in hopes that by sharing some field-tested ideas, some forward-thinking company will PLEASE MAKE THESE PRODUCTS! So Nike, Adidas, New Balance, North Face, Mountain Hardwear, and the rest of you, listen up - this is free customer feedback (and probably worth every cent you paid for it)!

So here goes...

Product Idea - The Mountain Hardwear© T-Shirt with iPod Headphone Cord Guides

You guys know I'm a huge fan of the iPod for trail running. Trail running is one of the few sports that encourages the use of an iPod, even during events. I just have one problem - the headphone cord that seems to magically grab itself on every passing branch, causing an instant "ear-ectomy". Not to mention that one out of three times your headphones get a yank like that, they don't work for crap afterwards. So I'm looking to a cheaper part of the ensemble - the t-shirt - to help out.


The idea is to have two mods to the back of your favorite t-shirt. First, a velcro loop right below the neckline that can quickly secure your headphone cord behind you. This would make sure you have enough "slack" to turn your head, but not so much slack that your cord is whipping around. By keeping it close to the center of your back, the cord has less of a chance of getting caught on passing branches.

The second addition would be a "sleeve" that runs down the arm to wear most people wear their iPod when exercising. This would keep the cord close to the body, and be a super-cool fashion statement. Well, to fellow running geeks anyway. ;-) A similar sleeve could run down the center of the back for those who carry their iPods in a fanny pack, belt, or shorts pocket.

I've tried the velcro attachment (yes, dudes can sew!) and it worked pretty well. It had the added feature of holding my headphones when I wasn't using them (I just took off my headphones, reached behind me, then gave the cord a tug, like a wetsuit zipper leash). Total weight - 2 grams. Total cost - 20 cents, plus 30 minutes of labor.

My suggested vendor for this product idea is Mountain Hardwear.

I have a lot of t-shirts (don't we all?), but always seem to reach for the form-fitting Mountain Hardwear shirts when it comes time to race. Plus Mountain Hardwear has limited offerings on iPod-related products.

There are alternatives to the hiding the headphone cord, but they have limitations. Logitech makes a wireless headphone for iPod, but the headphones are pretty bulky for running, and cost ($149) as much as the iPod itself. There are also t-shirts with pockets for your iPod, such as the ShuffleShirt or ScotteVest, but I will tell you, it's hard to run if your iPod is loosely dangling in your sleeve. It's better to have it snug against your body somehow. Perhaps the iPod Nano is small enough that the weight isn't an issue, but to date, none of the shirt-with-iPod-pockets have worked for me when running.

So that's the idea. If you have other mod ideas, let me know and link to them! I'm sure the product designers at our favorite co's would love it.

- SD

My iPod Playlist for Running Ultra Marathons

I've been getting lots of requests for my current iPod playlist for running ultras from my previous post (thanks everybody). You'll find it below - 8 hours of high stompin' tunes to keep your pace up. For those of you on iTunes, I created an iMix called "Dunlap's Ultra Marathon Mix" with the top 20 songs for easy downloading; just search on the title and you should find it. Some of the best stuff isn't available on iTunes - I would highly suggest Freq Nasty, ILS, Prodigy's Dirt Chamber Sessions, and Boom Boom Satellites. You can them from Amazon.com.

If you have other suggestions, I'm sure others would appreciate it if you would add a comment below. And be careful out there - I almost ran over a horse the other day because my tunes were blaring. Keep the volume low or you might eat hoof.

Have fun!

SD

You Walk Away, Filter (The Amalgamut)

Block Rockin' Beats, The Chemical Brothers (Dig Your Own Hole)

Vertigo, U2 (How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb)

Leave You Far Behind, Lunatic Calm (The Matrix)

Superunknown, Soundgarden (Superunknown)

2 Females, Freq Nasty (Bring Me The Head Of Freq Nasty)

Shake Break Bounce, The Chemical Brothers (Push the Button)

Name of the Game, The Crystal Method (Tweekend)

Ready, Steady, Go, Paul Oakenfold (Bunkka)

Get Up Get Off , The Prodigy (Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned)

Feel Good Time, Pink (?)

Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now), C & C Music Factory (Sony Music 100 Years: R&B - From Doo-Wop to Hip-Hop)

Been A Long Time, Richard Humpty Vission (Richard Humpty Vission)

ONENESS, BOOM BOOM SATELLITES (Out Loud)

La Machina Latina, Freq Nasty (Bring Me The Head Of Freq Nasty)

Smartbomb, BT (Movement In Still Life)

6 Space (Next Level), ILS (Soul Trader)

Over the Line, The Crystal Method (Tweekend)

Left Right, The Chemical Brothers (Push the Button)

No Soul, ILS (Soul Trader)

High Roller, The Crystal Method (Vegas)

The Boxer, The Chemical Brothers (Push the Button)

Going Under, Evanescence (Fallen)

Pearl's Girl, Underworld (Everything Everything: Live [IMPORT] [LIVE])

Keep Hope Alive, The Crystal Method (Vegas)

Prime Audio Soup, Meat Beat Manifesto (The Matrix)

Spitfire, The Prodigy (Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned)

Welcome To The Fold, Filter (Title Of Record)

SCATTERIN’ MONKEY, BOOM BOOM SATELLITES (Out Loud)

This Love, Maroon 5 (Songs About Jane)

Basket Case, Green Day (Dookie)

Hypocrites (Naked Funk Remix), Junior Delgado (Y4K: Mixed By FreQ Nasty - Next Level Breaks)

Time To Build, The Beastie Boys (To The 5 Boroughs)

Whats That, Exodus Quartet (The Best Of Acid Jazz: In The Mix)

Sil Num Tao, Freq Nasty (Bring Me The Head Of Freq Nasty)

Spybreak (Short One), Propellerheads (The Matrix)

Roll It Up, The Crystal Method (Tweekend)

PUSH EJECT, BOOM BOOM SATELLITES (Out Loud)

Cherub Rock, Smashing Pumpkins (Siamese Dream)

Girl You Have No Faith In Medicine, The White Stripes (Elephant)

Keep Hope Alive, The Crystal Method (Vegas)

You'll Be Under My Wheels , The Prodigy (Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned)

Break On Through (To the Other Side) [Remix], BT vs. The Doors (Break On Through (To the Other Side) [Remix] - Single)

Da Funk, Total Fusion Featuring Evenson (Y4K: Mixed By FreQ Nasty - Next Level Breaks)

Wicked Dub, Tayo Meets Acid Rockers Uptown (Y4K: Mixed By FreQ Nasty - Next Level Breaks)

Here I Am, Lexicon Avenue (Y4K: Mixed By FreQ Nasty - Next Level Breaks)

Leave, R.E.M. (New Adventures In Hi-Fi)

Brooklyn 2 Brixton (Featuring Kovas), Freq Nasty (Bring Me The Head Of Freq Nasty)

Oh Word?, The Beastie Boys (To The 5 Boroughs)

Duboniks Comin' Thru, Duboniks (The Best Of Acid Jazz: In The Mix)

The KLF / Frankie Bones / Meat Beat Manifesto / Herbie Hancock / Mark The 45 King / Proppeller Heads / Beastie Boys, DJ Mink (The Dirtchamber Sessions Vol. 1)

Mindfields, The Prodigy (The Matrix)

Star 69, R.E.M. (Monster)

Down, 311 (311)

Showtime, Big Dada Sound (Xen Cuts (Disc 1) [Box Set])

Soul Pride, Neptune (Xen Cuts (Disc 2))

Sweeter Love, Blue Six (Beautiful Tomorrow)

Heavyweight, Sharpshooters (The Best Of Acid Jazz: In The Mix)

3 Play It Cool, Crazy Penis (The Outernational Sound)

Drop Your Weapon, Crazy Penis (A Nice Hot Bath With...)

Simbarere, Antonio Carlos & Jocafi (The Outernational Sound)

Re-Return Of The Original Artform, Major Force (The Outernational Sound)

Don't Stop 'Till You Get Enough, Michael Jackson (Off The Wall)

Pressure Zone, Beck (Midnite Vultures)

Bombs Away, Paris Texas (Like You Like An Arsonist)

Wake Up, Rage Against The Machine (Rage Against The Machine)

Lord Of The Null Lines (Aquasky Vs Master Blaster Remix), Hyper-On Experience (Y4K: Mixed By FreQ Nasty - Next Level Breaks)

My House Is Your House, Phil Keiran (Y4K: Mixed By FreQ Nasty - Next Level Breaks)

One Thing Leads to Another, The Fixx (Reach the Beach)

In a Big Country, Big Country (I Want My 80's Box! (Box Set))

The Fly, U2 (Achtung Baby)

Fashionably Late (Thunderbull Remix), First Floor Brothers (DJ Chicken George -- Chicken Soup Vol. 4)

Tanguedia III, Nickodemus & Osiris (DJ Chicken George -- Chicken Soup Vol. 4)

Feel Alright, ILS (Soul Trader)

Trapped, ILS (Soul Trader)

Magic Man, Heart (Dreamboat Annie)

Bodyrock, Moby (Play)

Ray Of Light, Madonna (Ray Of Light)

Rock And Roll Is Dead, Lenny Kravitz (Greatest Hits)

Star 69, R.E.M. (Monster)

Ain't No Right, Jane's Addiction (Ritual De Lo Habitual)

Disposable Heroes, Metallica (Master Of Puppets)

Photograph, Def Leppard (Pyromania)

Burden In My Hand, Soundgarden (Down On The Upside [IMPORT])

Cold Hard Bitch, JET (Get Born)

Through The Never, Metallica (Black Album)

Over the Line, The Crystal Method (Tweekend)

Spitfire, The Prodigy (Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned)

Memphis Bells , The Prodigy (Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned)

Wake Up Call , The Prodigy (Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned)

You'll Be Under My Wheels , The Prodigy (Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned)

The Way It Is , The Prodigy (Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned)

I Don't Care Anymore, Phil Collins (Hello, I Must Be Going!)

Science Force - Antidoping Trax, Science Force (Chill Out Cafe Vol 1. Irma)

Slok - One To Go, Slok (Chill Out Cafe Vol 1. Irma)

Busenfreund, Walkner Moestl (Suzuki In Dub)

Rez/Cowgirl, Underworld (Everything Everything: Live [IMPORT] [LIVE])

Spellbound, Tango (DJ Kicks (Disc 1))

Twist, Underworld (A Hundred Days Off)

Peace Train, Cat Stevens (Greatest Hits)

The Best iPod Playlist for Running an Ultra Marathon

Trail running is one of the few sports that allows (even encourages) the use of iPods or other personal music devices. But how do you choose the optimal playlist for a long trail run? I had some questions/comments about this from earlier posts, so I thought I would share my tactics.


(Photo for purchase from the amazing Don Charles Lundell)


Before I talk iPod, let me first say that my #1 choice of soundtrack for a trail run is nature itself. There are few things in life as peaceful as getting deep into the wilderness, left only with your breath, footsteps, and the scurrying of resident animals as you 'round the corner. Chill. Relax. Ooohhhmmm. Connect with nature.

Okay, back to the blog. ;oP Although nature's soundtrack is wonderful, it's not really the best pacing ally. Sometimes it's helpful to have some tunes to pull you along, particularly for the 20+ milers. But the choice of music is very important - you would be surprised at how much it can affect your pace, for good or bad. I've tried a few strategies in the last couple of months, and here are my tips. Please do comment if you have others.

1) Know what motivates you for each type of terrain. What kind of music puts a smile on your face? Helps you relax? Gets you pumped? In a long trail run, there's a spot for each. For climbs, I've found there's nothing like some agro rock (Metallica, Prodigy, Filter, Boom Boom Satellites, Soundgarden, etc.) to help pump you up and "attack" the hills (very t-zone, I admit). For the downhills, something a bit less edgy is good (REM, Beastie Boys, Seal), and preferrably with a melody now that you can sing along. For the flat stuff, I've found a good beat count can help you pace right, such as electronica or breakbeat funk (Tricky, Freq Nasty, ILS, Madonna, etc.). ILS Soul Trader is my "most played", so it must be a good one. Sometimes the right lyrics can get you going too - I've been surprised by how uplifting Michael Jackson "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" can be when you need a pick me up.

2) Map your playlist to your course. Check out the altitude map for your run, and do your best to organize your tunes based on the course layout. This can also help you pace the sections (ie, "I must be going fast since I've reached the hill and Enya is still playing" or "Michael Bolton is playing and I still haven't killed myself...something must be wrong"...just kidding).

3) Don't start too strong. If you're doing an ultra, one of the worst things you can do is go out too strong. In the Woodside 50k, I thought I should "pump myself up" with a little Prodigy to start, and covered the first 2 miles in 13 minutes....oops, so much for those 250 needed calories. Best to ease into your playlist if you can.

4) Reward yourself with some funny songs. It's great to throw in a non-pace song every hour or so, especially if they can get a good laugh. Tenacious D is perfect for this kind of thing, or perhaps a old ABBA favorite or clip of Chris Rock. It will raise your spirits. I see a lot of trail runners do this with food too, like stashing a Snickers to reward yourself for being half-way done.

5) Easy on the Echoplex near the end of your run. If you're ending your five hour run with songs full of reverb, echos, and Leslie rotating speakers, you are tempting fate, my friend. Jimi Hendrix "Are You Experienced?" and The Beatle's "Revolution #9" are nothing short of suicide-by-face-plant in the final miles.

6) Stop air guitaring when you see the cameraman. My fellow racers have found great humor in my subconscience antics. Just don't let it get captured on film. ;oP

Let me know if you have other tips or favorite songs. I would be happy to post my 5-hour playlist from the Woodside 50k if you're interested.

Chill,

SD

[Note - On 2/15/05, I posted my 8-hour playlist here]