Running with a Metronome…
I’m a slow runner. Actually, I’m not really sure that I’m a slow runner or that I have taken a lot of walking breaks with no consistency. To try to alleviate the breaks or at least cut them down to a minimum, my coach, Danielle Sullivan of Iron Fit Endurance, told me to use a metronome when I run.
At first, I searched my house. Everyone played an instrument at some point, there must be one around.
When I found one, I couldn’t get it to work. So, I decided to download a metronome on the Google Playstore.
I’ve been religiously using it for every run. I stopped listening to music and now I hear beep, beep, beep, bop, beep, beep, beep, bop…
I use it when I am on the treadmill. And, recently, I started using it outside. My first run outside with it was in Florida. I ran down the street, passed some homeless people – beep, beep, beep, bop, beep, beep, beep, bop… The folks looked at me but I didn’t pay any attention. I was in my zone.
Beep, beep, beep, bop, beep, beep, beep, bop…
The other day, it was absolutely gorgeous out, which is unusual for February in New York, and I decided to take the run outdoors. I prepared myself wearing my Iron Fit Endurance (IFE) hat, my IFE pants and my IFE jacket and was out the door with my metronome. Beep, beep, beep, bop, beep, beep, beep, bop…
I tried to get in the zone. But, every time I passed a dog, the owner had to hold the dog back. (I’m guessing the metronome bothered his ears?) Every time I passed people on the boardwalk they looked mesmerized. Where they intrigued with my beep, beep, beep, bop, beep, beep, beep, bop…?
Well, my cadence stays steady at 164/165 with the metronome. So the question is, do I continue to use it or do I wear headphones?