Subscribe Via RSSListening to the World Around Me
Most runners, I think, can’t imagine running without music. I’ve heard of people getting to the gym and going back home to get their forgotten ipod.
I prefer to skip the ipod and soak in the sounds of the city. Yes, you might find this particularly ironic if you know how sensitive I am to the slightest noises in my home. At home I’m compelled to turn on music and drown out every thud, squeak, and creak because they stand out in such stark contrast to the silence.
Maybe for the same reason, when I’m outside I hear a symphony where others say they hear silence or annoying city noise. There are birds chirping, and once in a while a car honks. Heavy traffic hasn’t started yet, so you can hear the trees rustling. Garbage trucks beep and bang, and construction workers get ready to start their shift. Since it’s as close to nature as I can get where I live, I’ll take it.
Another reason I prefer to run without headphones is that I have amblyopia and for some reason not being able to hear cuts down on my vision and depth perception even further. It’s so bad that I once ran right in front of an oncoming car while wearing headphones even after looking at the car and would have gotten hit if it hadn’t been a cop. (Adventures in Amblyopia has a post about amblyopia and hearing, too.)
This is one of the few benefits of being so over-responsive to sound – while others need the volume turned way, way up for motivation, I can learn to appreciate the subtle chorus of the world around me.
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