Fun and Fitness for the 40-Something

Last month, I wrote that I rarely listen to music when I run or otherwise work out. Instead, I listen to podcasts. As I explained, I just find podcasts more distracting than music. And now I know I’m not the only one who sees the benefits of podcasts over music!

Yesterday, I got this email from my sister, a dedicated walker and now runner who spends hours on the paths:

“As you know, I tend to listen to music while I’m out on the path. When I do listen to spoken-word stuff, it’s always been just while walking. Today, though, I decided to try it during my run, to see if that worked for me.

I don’t know if/how it affected my pace—sometimes the beat of music helps me pep things up—but it was, I think, a better mental distraction from the exertion. It helped that I was listening to a really good ‘This American Life.’ David Sedaris‘ item on the details of St. Nicholas in Holland was especially diverting. I must have read it at one time, but only his readings do him full justice.”

My sister also listens to books on her iPod, something I don’t do (unless it’s a book of essays, a la Sedaris). I’ve wondered if audio books would be as effective as podcasts because you can’t listen to an entire book in a walk and chapters leave you wanting more. She theorized that “books on tape” that leave you wanting more might actually increase motivation to work out the next day—to see what happens next.

As for her point about how only David Sedaris’ readings of his work do him full justice, I couldn’t agree more. Here’s the text version of the St. Nicholas story she mentioned. The audio version is available on his “Live at Carnegie Hall” CD or here. His use of tone and emphasis adds so much to the story. You will definitely LOL.