Running while listening to music over earphones is supposedly a bad habit to get into. If you’re pounding the pavement while something’s jammed into your ears blocking surrounding sound, you’re ripe pickings for getting run over before you even know what hit you. Also, being too in tune with your music might mean you’re not listening to your body enough, making you prone to pushing too hard, too fast.
Still, it’s undeniable that music can give you that extra push, particularly if you’re trying to beat a personal record. I’ve run races with and without music in my ears; I know my legs have a faster turnover when I’ve got a high-tempo song on, rather than if I were just listening to the sound of my own breathing.
So, maybe the next best thing to running without music is running with a good pair of earphones that stay in your ear but allow ambient sound to come through. For Christmas this year, I got myself a pair of Nike Flow sports earphones.
Going with the Flow
Rather than being of the in-ear variety, the Flows clip onto the earlobes and nestle comfortably atop the ear canal. This means they won’t fall off and I get great sound even without turning the volume way up. In turn, I can hear sounds around me, including the hum of a car engine and tires getting uncomfortably close. The Flows are also sweat-resistant, which is a must for sweaty runners like myself.
I used the Flows at the Philstar Run last Sunday and despite a hiccup with my left earphone (it slipped off whenever I flipped my cap to dunk water on my head), I’m really very happy with it. Γ
I may check these out. Right now I just use my little ipod earphones.
Hi Kevin, Philips sells a version at half the price. These Nikes are actually manufactured by Philips.