I’ve discovered at the gym two different ways to enjoy music and the treadmill together.
"I am your energy"
I used to go running on the bike path, but never listened to music while doing so because the rhythm of the music messed up with the rhythm of my footfalls, the discordance caused me extra work mentally, and thus physically. I never experienced what music can do for energy levels. Now that I jog more often on the treadmill, my speed is set and forced, and my mind doesn’t have to pay attention to pace. This led me to try listening to music again while running, and I’m glad I did. Girl Talk, specifically Feed the Animals is like pure sonically-delivered energy. When I start that album and pump it up, I can turn the daunting prospect of the begrudged run into something enjoyable and full of energy. The difference from running without it is amazing, like flipping a switch.
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The other way I love music and the treadmill is to de-stress and space out. The sensation of a brisk walk with closed eyes was unknown to me before I started using the treadmill. Though, I have to say that on occasion I’ve played chicken with myself to see how far I dared to walk with my eyes closed. Its a stupid game to play. I’m sure I’ll walk off a cliff someday, or worse yet, step in some dog shit. On the treadmill, all I have to do is hold on in front of me and I can shut my eyes, walk briskly, and play Radiohead’s In Rainbows album all loud and just space out. It’s super therapeutic.
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