Maximizing Music: How to Tune Up Your Ultra Training & Race Day Strategy

Speaker 1:
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Hello and welcome. Let's talk about music for a moment. In today's episode. We're exploring a question that resonates with many in the community how can listening to music help manage the psychological challenges of ultra running, especially when you're out on the course for longer periods? Like us at the back of the pack, you're listening to Choose to End Jor, the show dedicated to the back of the pack runners, where we share uplifting stories, interviews, gear and training tips specific to the tail end heroes of the ultra universe.

Speaker 1:
0:35

My name's Richard Gleeve. I've been running ultra since 2017. I've taken on and finished numerous distances, all the way up through now 220 miles as of two weeks ago, and I'm unashamedly a founder member of the back of the pack, just like you. Having listened to multiple guests on the show wax lyrical at the end of an episode about how their musical song choices represent their mood, their feelings, a time in their training or a race, and how it helped them through, I thought it would be worth taking a few minutes to explore the role of music in ultra running in a bit more depth and how it might be an additional tool to help you get to the finish line. So hang tight, I'll be right back.

Speaker 2:
1:31

This is the Choose to Endure Ultra. Running Podcast with your host, Richard Gleeve.

Speaker 1:
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As back of the pack runners, we often find ourselves on the trail for extended durations which can test our mental fortitude as much as our physical stamina.

Speaker 1:
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Music, in this context, is not just a backdrop to our journey, but a powerful tool to influence our psychological state. Research in sports psychology suggests that music can have a profound impact on our mood and our perception of effort. It acts as a type of positive distraction, pulling focus away from feelings of fatigue, pain or boredom, which are common in all stages of an ultramarathon, but particularly towards the end. By engaging with music, runners can enter a state of flow where your mind is fully immersed in the activity, making the miles go by smoother and faster definitely something I've noticed whenever I've listened to music on the trails. You probably have too. Moreover, music has the power to evoke emotions and memories, providing a mental escape and potentially a big mental boost For back of the pack runners like us, who may face additional mental challenges, such as the quiet of a thinned out course or, if you're anything like me, the psychological impact of being overtaken quite a bit by people running past. Music can offer a comfort, motivation and a sense of companionship, but choosing the right kind of music is crucial. Tempo, rhythm and even the lyrics themselves can all play a role in shaping your running experience. Upbeat, fast-paced tracks can boost energy and encourage a quicker stride, while slower rhythmic tunes can help in maintaining a steady pace. Some runners may even prefer instrumental music that allows for a good bit of introspection, it doesn't require active attention and it helps maintain focus over longer periods. So what types of music are best suited for maintaining motivation and energy during ultramarathans, especially for back of the pack runners? Well, as you might be aware, really any stage of an ultramarathon, but particularly the latter stages, can be particularly challenging as fatigue sets in and motivation wanes.

Speaker 1:
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Right Music in this critical phase can play a role in rekindling the spirit and energy of the runner, but not just any music. The selection needs to resonate with you, offering the right kind of stimulus to keep going, and yes, another one that I've done it's perfectly okay to cry. For many back-of-the-peck runners, this means choosing music that provides an emotional lift and matches their energy level. Songs with positive, uplifting lyrics and strong, energetic beats can reignite motivation and inject a new lease of life into tired legs. Genres like Power Pop, rock and upbeat electronic music are often popular choices for their dynamic and invigorating qualities. Additionally, a personal connection to the music is super vital. Tracks that have special meaning or evoke powerful positive memories can be incredibly motivating. The psychological boost from these songs can transform your mindset, turning fatigue and discouragement into determination and strength. I've been there, I've done it. It's pretty incredible how it works.

Speaker 1:
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Tempo is another critical factor. So there's this concept out there of tempo-pace alignment, which suggests that listening to music with a tempo that matches your desired running pace can help maintain a consistent and efficient stride. So during the late stages of an ultra, where maintaining pace is challenging, songs with the right tempo can actually act almost as a metronome, helping runners subconsciously stay on track without having to overexert. However, it's important to note that musical preference is highly individual. Of course. What energizes you as a runner might not work for someone else. Therefore, you should definitely experiment with different types of music during your training to discover what best helps you maintain motivation and energy. So let's talk a bit more about music and pacing.

Speaker 1:
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Obviously, pacing is a fundamental strategy in ultra running, especially for us back of the pack athletes who need to manage their energy wisely over a much longer time frame and distance. Music can be a double-edged sword in this context. It has the power to motivate and improve performance, yes, but if not used judiciously, it can lead to unintentional pacing errors, such as the classic and we've all seen or done this one start too fast and burn out early syndrome. It turns out, getting amped up prior to the start of the race may not actually be the ideal strategy to employ after all right. So to harness music effectively for pacing, it's essential to understand the concepts of beats per minute. So beats per minute, or BPM, corresponds to the tempo of the music and can influence your stride rate and your heart rate.

Speaker 1:
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For effective pacing, it stands to reason, then, that you should look to choose songs with a BPM that aligns with your desired stride rate at any given time, especially during the early stages of an ultra. This means selecting slower, steadier tracks that help maintain a consistent and sustainable pace, preventing that rush of adrenaline that the faster, more intense music might induce. And then, as the race progresses, and depending on your condition and the strategy you're trying to go for, the music can gradually shift to faster tempos to help maintain or even slightly increase pace, especially when energy levels start to wane. But this transition should be managed carefully, though, so that you avoid sudden spikes in effort that could then lead to fatigue again. Creating a playlist, or even multiple distinct playlists, like I have, with a well thought out progression of tempos, can serve as a pacing guide and actually assist your pacing strategy throughout the race. Is that something you've considered at all? Starting with songs that have a lower BPM and gradually increasing the tempo can mimic the natural progression of your pacing strategy in ultras, where you might start conservatively and then pick up the pace as you gauge your energy in the race conditions. It's important to not solely rely on music for pacing, though being attuned to the body's signals and the race environment is pretty crucial. Music should complement, not override, the natural pacing instinct and overall race strategy, and this might mean sometimes turning off the music entirely in order to focus on your body's internal cues and your surroundings. Additionally, the strategic use of music in training and racing can have significantly different purposes and effects on you as an ultra-runner, particularly, again, for those of us who are at the back of the pack. So let's break down the strategies for each scenario During training.

Speaker 1:
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Training is the perfect time to experiment with different types of music, just as it is with other, more physical attributes to understand what motivates you, what calms you and what helps you maintain a steady pace. Variety in your music selection can also keep long training sessions interesting and prevent monotony. Use music to simulate race day conditions and practice how you'll manage your playlist or multiple playlists, during the race. This includes playing music that matches various terrains and the expected emotional highs and lows of your upcoming race. Music can help focus during hard training sessions, too, or, conversely, provide you a mental escape during your easier long runs. Upbeat music can drive those interval trainings, while softer instrumental tracks might be better suited as an addition to long, slow distance runs, and then utilize songs with different BPMs to help control your pace, too, during training runs. This will help you become more attuned to maintaining different paces, with or without the music, which again can be crucial on race day as part of your overall strategy.

Speaker 1:
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Now, during a race, make sure you create a race day playlist that progresses in a way that reflects what your overall strategy is going to be. Start, as we've said, with that more calming, slower pace music to make sure you don't go out too fast, and then gradually look to introduce more upbeat tracks to maintain motivation and energy. Now you can reserve specific songs that you know give you a significant emotional or motivational lift for the toughest parts of the race. I know you've thought about this, maybe you even do this Places like steep climbs or when you know you typically hit a mental low. For me that's like mile 30 and mile 60. Pretty much every race I do, I know I'm going to hit a low there. So I make sure that I have specific songs lined up really for each of those 10-mile sections 30 to 40 and 60 to 70, because I know I need the boost at that moment. Also, as we mentioned, be prepared to run without music if needed Technical difficulties can occur or sometimes race rules might actually limit the use of headphones and, additionally, being aware of your surroundings especially on remote trail runs or, as I found out recently on road ultras where traffic's whizzing by is pretty crucial for your safety.

Speaker 1:
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And then be mindful of the volume that you're listening to music to and your earbud use if you're running in crowded sections or when race etiquette demands awareness of fellow competitors and the environment. How often have you run by someone, or had someone run by you, who's blasting music completely oblivious to everybody else around them? Pretty freaking, annoying, I would say Okay. So those of us that have done a few of these adventure type altars, you know that the solitude and mental fatigue are significant challenges, especially when we spend many hours on the trail, often in the back. Now, here again, music can play a pretty interesting role in mitigating these challenges. Solitude in altars can lead to feelings of isolation, especially when runners are so spread out and support from crowds or fellow competitors is sparse. Music in those instances can act as a companion on those solitary stretches, providing a sense of connection and comfort. It can break the silence of those long, lonely trails and create yourself a more lively, a more engaging atmosphere. By filling the quiet with familiar and hopefully energizing tunes, you can feel less alone and feel more connected to that shared race experience.

Speaker 1:
13:13

Now, mental fatigue manifests as decreased concentration, waning motivation and a sense of overwhelming tiredness. Music has the power to re-energize the mind, stimulate mental engagement and distract from all that discomfort and fatigue. The right song choices at the right moments can offer a psychological boost, reigniting focus and determination. For example, songs with uplifting lyrics or strong rhythmic beats can provide a mental lift, encouraging runners to push through tough moments. I know you know this. I'm pretty sure you've probably listened to music and certain songs during training and thought, oh yeah, that's great. I wonder if you've ever thought about it in these contexts, though, actually as part of your training and race strategy. While music can be a powerful tool for combating solitude and mental fatigue, it's also important to remember to balance its use with periods of mindfulness, self-reflection and engagement with the surrounding environment. That's why we do trail running after all right. This balance helps maintain full awareness of the experience, ensuring that you have the best chance to stay present in the moment and be able to respond to any changing dynamics of the race.

Speaker 1:
14:34

Listening to music during ultra runs also involves a few kind of more practical considerations to ensure both enjoyment and safety of the runners. Safety is paramount when running, especially during ultra marathons that often traverse remote and challenging terrain makes a lot of sense. We, as runners, should maintain awareness of our environment as much as we can. This means keep the volume at a level where you can still hear ambient sounds, like a approaching runner's, wildlife or vehicular traffic. Some runners opt to only do one earbud in and one earbud out so that they can balance music listening with environmental awareness. Maybe you can use over-the-ear headphones or those bone conduction headphones. In some race sections, particularly technical trails or high traffic areas, it might be safer to pause the music altogether to concentrate fully on the surroundings. This is something I definitely do whenever I'm near a road or I know there's a challenging section of trail coming, and I do that. I don't play music at all at night.

Speaker 1:
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An ultramarathon is not just a physical journey, of course, but it's an emotional and psychological one, and that means variety of intensity and mood. So consider preparing specific playlists, as we said, for known difficult sections of the race Steep climbs or where you're going to historically feel low. Include soothing tracks to help in recovery phases or maybe even at specific aid stations where calming down, refocusing and possibly even pushing you into sleep might be essential. Choosing the right equipment for music listening can affect performance and enjoyment during an ultra too. Earbuds are the most common choice for owners due to their portability and the personal listening experience. However, in certain ultra settings where being aware of your surroundings is pretty crucial, portable speakers attached to your pack could be a good alternative, allowing ambient sound while still enjoying music. Just be aware of others around you. You don't want to be that super annoying individual.

Speaker 1:
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A long battery life is critical too, especially since we'll be out there for a while. Right, ensure your device can last the duration of the race, considering that using music and possibly GPS tracking can drain battery quickly. If you're listening to music on your watch, that's also your GPS device. I know I have a Garmin that does that. Maybe you do too, but yeah, it drains your battery really fast listening to music and running the GPS. It might even be wise to carry a small lightweight power bank for longer races. If that's what you're going to do, your choice of equipment should be probably water resistant and durable, capable of withstanding those long hours and a variety of weather conditions.

Speaker 1:
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Pay attention to comfort too. I learned this one the hard way. Ill-fitting earbuds or particularly heavy devices can definitely become a distraction over time, and when you're out on the trail there's nowhere to ditch those until you get to at least the next aid station, and even then you've got to go back and find them at some point. Incorporating these practical tips and considerations alongside the mental and emotional benefits is going to significantly enhance your experience of listening to music during your runs, helping you, hopefully, to maintain pace, motivation and enjoyment, while you're staying safe and, most importantly, aware of your environment.

Speaker 1:
18:12

Ultimately, music can be a really transformative element of your ultra running. Particularly for those of us at the back of the pack, it can provide a powerful physiological and emotional response that might just make the difference between crossing the finish line or DNFing a race, between getting up out of the chair from an aid station and carrying on down the trail or not. It can be an additional tool in your arsenal and something to assist during training as well. I propose using music is about finding the right soundtrack that not only keeps you moving but also uplifts your spirit, helping you navigate the emotional highs and lows of the ultra experience and ultimately, be more successful. So don't be afraid to create some different playlists or even go out and check the free, choose to enjoy song playlist on Spotify.

Speaker 1:
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Get out there and test it out.

Speaker 1:
19:09

It can't be bad if it helps and if you're anything like me, we can use all the flipping help we can find on these things.

Speaker 1:
19:16

While you're doing that, don't forget to subscribe to the show, get notified each time a new episode comes out and, of course, follow, share and love those reviews those help me tell the story of what we're doing right and also help me know what to change if you don't like some things. Doing any of those really does help as well with the algorithms, which, in turn, helps others find the show, which means knowledge and experience that you guys are providing and I'm sharing gets out to the wider audience. It's us helping us. You can find us on Instagram, over on Facebook and at ChooseToEnjoycom, and also over on YouTube as well, so be sure to head over to any of those and check us out and jump into conversations and debates, just like this one, if you have a moment. We value everyone's opinion. That's what really makes this ultra community great. Until then, thanks for listening. Run long, run strong and keep choosing to listen to music that inspires you.

Speaker 2:
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Thanks for running with us at the ChooseToEnjoy podcast. We hope you enjoyed the show. We had a blast. If you did, make sure to like, rate and review, and we'll be back soon. Keep racking up the miles and the stories and we'll catch you at the next trailhead. Until then, remember to run long, run strong.