Tunes

I love my iPod. It took me a long, long time to figure it out, and it has blown up on me a couple of times when I tried to do something cute with it, but all in all, it's the greatest little gadget I've ever used for working out.

I am addicted to running with it. The bad news is that in USAT sanctioned events, you are not permitted to use one. I've managed to do two sprint tris and one Olympic tri without one, so I know that I can, but I don't like it. The music drowns out the noise of my labored breathing.

I also use mine in the pool. With www.h2audio.com, you can get a very good waterproof iPod case (only for certain versions so be sure you have a match) and a set of waterproof headphones that aren't too annoying. It took a lot of trial and error on where to stash this thing during my swim (it isn't small and lightweight, being made of bulky plastic with an odd upside down clasp). The armband they sent with it was worthless--one arm weighted down just did not lead to a good swim stroke. I saw some photos of some athletes with the iPod attached to their swim cap--tried that and it felt like an iron rod was digging into my scalp. Finally, I settled on stashing it inside my small fuel belt and wearing that around my waist when I swim. The thing was not designed to NOT fall off during a fast swim, so putting it inside a fuel belt with a zipper closure (the headphone wire sticks out obviously) was the best solution. Of course, the drag wearing such a device slows me a bit, but it's worth it. Sometimes the earbuds pop out, but not too often, and the bonus result of wearing headphones during the swim is that I get minimal water in the ears.

I no longer use my iPod on the bike. I used to wear one earbud while riding and leave the other ear free. But honestly, I am so paranoid about being taken out on the bike by a car, a bus, a tractor, a falling airplane (not to mention walkers, skaters, runners with iPods, and dogs) that I just can't reduce my hearing one whit during a ride. I'm not saying the one earbud thing is bad; I'm just saying it's not for me anymore. Even when I ride a trail rather than a street, I have to be able to hear people passing me and around me. I miss it, but I'd rather be safe.

I have an electic list of songs that range from country western, classic rock, Motown, pop, fifties, swing, and jazz. My "jogging songs" list is the same. A stranger who saw my jogging songs list might conclude I am in need of therapy, or that I simply punched random buttons on the "purchase now" list at iTunes. Not so. I'm just not married to any one particular genre of music, although I do consider rap and disco to both be something you wouldn't wish on anyone, much less your ears.

My pool swim songs are not just my jogging songs, but my whole playlist, so there are some classical pieces, musical numbers, and slow dance songs mixed in. In the pool, everything seems to work with the exception of George Jones. For some reason, George and water don't mix for me. "He Stopped Loving Her Today" sounds tinny in the backwash.

I try to start my runs out with a high motivation song for me, and then let the shuffle program surprise me. Here's some of my "starting the run" songs:

"Danger Zone" (Kenny Loggins)
"Beat It" (Michael Jackson) (no, not ALL of my songs are by dead people)
"Born to Run" (Bruce Springsteen)
"Flashdance (what a feeling)" (Irene Cara)
"Classical Gas" (Mason Williams. No, really. This guitar masterpiece has a solid beat and it always brings to mind a run through a fall morning with leaves on the ground).
"All She Wants to Do is Dance" (Eagles)
"Footloose" (Kenny Loggins)
"Jump" (Pointer Sisters)

For swimming, I want to think long, relaxed strokes to start, so here are some of my swim starting songs:

"Clocks" (Coldplay)
"I Drove All Night" (Celene Dion)
"Layla" (Derek and the Dominoes the ORIGINAL, not the slow one by Clapton)
"Cool Change" (Little River Band...perfect swimming song!)
"Calypso" (John Denver--another perfect water song.)
"Light My Fire" (the Doors)
"Luck be a Lady" (Frank Sinatra-- no joke--got a catchy backbeat)
It's Got to be Rock N Roll Music" (Beach Boys)

That gives you an idea of how scary it is to be in my head!

Last night fairly medium length swim 2300 yards, some drills that made me go fast for a while and just tuckered me out. Tonight is a 45 min easy run, probably done indoors as it's 101 again out there. I do run out in the heat, but not at 7 p.m.!

Happy tunes....