This is great stuff!
I especially like the part about our feet and whether not not people are "meant" to run. It's so important to develop proper form, and concrete and treadmills ruin this. Have you read Born to run?? It really hits on that topic. One of my favorite books.
I love running, but I'm totally the opposite about listening to stuff - just a distraction for me, I guess I just love to think. I like the aspect of really engaging my entire body and mind - sort of treating a run like a yoga session. I also find my clearest thoughts happen running. Everyone is different!
I live in Detroit, so totally know the whole cold running game too. I like to find basketball leagues to justify not running in the winter :)
Thanks for reaching out! I have not heard of "Born to Run" but will definitely look it up. I am very avid reader and love getting recos. I want to read more about running as my interest in it grows. One of my favorite post-modern style writers, Murakami is also a long distance runner and wrote a book, "What I Talk About When I Talk About Running: A Memoir? I have heard rave reviews about this as well.
You're right. Everyone is different. Some music gets me out of my head. All the sudden I am just running without thinking. It's awesome. However, there are a few times my phone died, and I just ran in silence. I am starting to like that as well, but I am still a huge overthinker. The music blocks my thoughts and gets me to where I need to be, but I aspire to lose it at some point once I can get more control on my thinking. I do yoga 1-2 times a week too, and I like when they have the ambient music in the background. I think I still have a way to go but I'll get there.
I love Detroit. I go once a year for the electronic music festival. Great city, and with an emerging craft beer scene that keeps me wanting to come back.
Cheers bud!
Just ordered that book.
Now that I live downtown, I always wonder how people with headphones in can be totally aware of cars. I'm notttt really trying to get hit.
Beer scene is definitely growing here! Check out Batch if you haven't. My friend just took over as head brewer for Detroit Beer Co.. They were always a major let down to me brewing the same boring beers over and over, but he's changing things. I helped open Eastern Market Brewing Co. - that made me realize I actually never want to open a brewery myself! Brewer there is maybe the nicest guy ever.
I hear ya. Running in the city is difficult. Too many stoplights and dangers, hard to focus. We have Lake Shore Drive and I think Detroit has some running space near Windsor border and the boardwalk by Downtown, right? But if you don't live right along the lake, the idea of the casual run becomes less feasible. I used to do the four corners of my block, but that gets boring. Running at 4 AM when no one is around works, but that's usually when the "crazies" are out and that's sooo early. I try to drive or commute somewhere else and go run at the park district as much as I can where there's lots of space.
Thanks for the brewery recos, I will check it out! Last year I did Traffic Jam and Snug as well as Motor City Brewing across the street. The year before, Jolly Pumpkin. I'll have to check those out if I can make it down this year!