When I was about to leave for my run today I realized my ipod was dead. At first this annoyed me- but then I looked out the window at the serene blue sky, the sun already lightening with the onset of late afternoon, and I headed out happy to leave the ipod at home.
There are so many reasons why I run loving with music (which I'll save for a future post), but there's also something to be said for running without it. When I ran my marathon I ran the whole time without listening to my ipod. I wanted to soak in the experience entirely, to be fully present for each step of the 26.2 miles. When you run without music you are keenly aware of each footfall. I am totally in tune with how my body feels-- noticing the exact moment when my body settles into the rhythm, more aware of soreness that I should attend to, even more able to appreciate the bliss of the runner's high (which is a real thing). I observe my surroundings more closely, allow myself to get lost in my own thoughts, and even had a quick conversation with a fellow runner (also sans ipod) with whom my path crossed today 5 miles deep.
More of my running happens with an ipod than without, and that will likely remain true. But for today, at least, I am happy that I found my ipod uncharged, and wouldn't mind making an effort to head out without it more often.
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