One mile, no sweat; two mile, better yet; 50 mile.... ugh

Finally, I am getting around to one of my favorite topics: music.  Running with music and the quintessential debate over whether runners should use music or enjoy the act of running without tunes.

Back up though, let me explain how much I love music.  Back in the dark ages of tapes and boomboxes I used to make mix tapes like they were going out of style.

Out of style they went...

I may be dating myself here, but every Sunday morning Casey Kasem had the top 20 countdown.  And every Sunday there was an argument between my mother and I over whether I needed to attend church because I wanted to tape the best songs off the radio as they were counted down.  She always won, so I just set up my tape player to record them all.  Over the years, I have made more playlists for running than I can count.
I ran with the Sony Sports Walkman (the one I am pretty sure was invented as a diving weight), as well as other various progressions of walkmen over the years.

MP3 players were a huge blessing in weight reduction and after a few generations of those, I am finally in the land of Ipod Nano.  The thing is so small and I love how easy it is to clip on and go.  My latest playlist is 53 of my favorite songs.  All those songs came in real handy in the last race when I got stuck out on the last course  for an additional 20k.

Having explained all this, you might understand my trepidation with the upcoming 50 miler this summer for which headphones are not allowed.  You see, I have only run one race without headphones and that was The Relay.  I was advised that headphones were not allowed and if our team won (which we were attempting to do), we would be disqualified if any member was found in violation. No brainer there.
I knew the Tahoe Rim Trail 50M did not allow headphones when I registered, but I love the course so much and I love a challenge.  So now I need to figure out how to run without my beats.  You see, I don't listen to music because I can't handle silence or because I don't want to converse with others.  I actually listen to music because the beat of it keeps my turnover high even when I fatigue.

Enter: the metronome.  This amazing device, albeit loud and annoying to others, is a savior to help keep me going.  If you want to understand a more correct use for it, watch this video from Natural Running Store.
The metronome can provide the pace beat to teach yourself running at high cadence.  If you have a long stride or other inefficiency, the increased cadence will shorten this, thereby creating a more efficient running form.  This is not some kind of new phenomenon.  In fact, military cadence has long been used to keep troops in line and increase morale.  The first recorded cadence was made in 1944 and is decribed below:

…as a company … was returning from a long tedious march through swamps and rough country, a chant broke the stillness of the night.  Upon investigation, it was found that a Negro soldier by the name of Willie Duckworth, on detached service with the Provisional Training Center, was chanting to build up the spirits of his comrades. 

            It was not long before the infectious rhythm was spreading throughout the ranks.  Footweary soldiers started to pick up their step in cadence with the growing chorus of hearty male voices.  Instead of a down trodden, fatigued company, here marched 200 soldiers with heads up, a spring to their step, and smiles on their faces.  This transformation occurred with the beginning of the Duckworth Chant.

In fact, there is an increasing amount of research and talk regarding cadence as it relates to form, especially the natural running form.  Cadence relates to injuries. Cadence relates to becoming a better runner.
If you are thinking of becoming a better runner, you need to consider purchasing yourself one of these little metronomes.  It will transform your thinking about how you run as well give you feedback on your problems.  Are you having trouble maintaining a consistent cadence? Are you struggling to maintain a quick cadence?  These are all things for which a coach can be a great resource.
For me, I am looking forward to 50 miles of annoying beeping (forgive me if you get stuck running nearby) and a cadences I remember from police academy I can sing along the course:

C-130

(Army Running Cadence)

C130 rollin down the strip
Recon ranger
Gonna take a little trip
Stand up, buckle up,
Shuffle to the door
Jump right out and count to four
And if my chute don't open wide
I have another one by my side
And if that chute don't open round
I'll be the first one on the ground.

If I die on the combat zone

Box me up and ship me home.

 Yea, this is going to be lots of fun...