Try this on your next trail run, jog through the park, or jaunt around the lake:

 

Run au natural.  Take the ear buds out.

 

I began jogging mainly to stay in shape for rugby season while in college.  During these beginning experiments with jogging I relied on my iPod.  It is the whole reason I was able to withstand the monotonous (and painful) three miles around an Iowa City neighborhood. I would throw on beats and tell myself “don’t think about how much your legs hurt or how trying to breathe right now is a challenge or how much this sucks!” 

 

The music helped. It numbed me.  It allowed me to think about anything other than “oh $#%#$#$ this %#$^# hurts like a son of a #@!#%!” Continue reading