Turn It Up

October 9th, 2009 | Posted by Alison Spath in Breakfast

A typical Friday morning, a typical Friday morning run. I considered waiting to run until this afternoon since the girls will be off with Aunt Ellen for the day, but the blasted weather man is calling for rain so I went out early to beat feet to beat the rain drops.

Today when I was cruising along to a playlist instead of a podcast or audio book, I remembered something Brendan Brazier talks about in Thrive.

When we hear a loud noise unexpectedly, we might jump and get a little surge of adrenaline, which is a survival mechanism that triggers the Fight or Flight response. Brendan says that loud music can create a similar effect. It can get your adrenaline pumping and can increase athletic performance.

I thought of this today as I was rounding the corner at the end of my 5 mile run, almost to the house when one of my more recent favorites queued up – Forever by Chris Brown. (The Office last night anyone? Too stinkin’ funny!)

Brendan writes that loud music can be stimulating in a way that can actually reduce your perception of pain and can allow you to push harder, run faster and longer than normal. It’s basically a way to give yourself a natural energy rush! I know I’ve experienced this before and you probably have too, but I didn’t really understand the biology behind it until I read Thrive.

When Forever came on this morning, I turned it up and immediately felt compelled to rocket off, sprinting hard and fast, blowing right past the house aiming for the opposite end of the street. I felt like I was flying! It was amazing and seemingly came out of no where.

I didn’t turn it up so loud that the sound emanating from my ear buds might wake my sleeping children inside the house as I zoomed by, but it was a higher volume than I would normally run at. I felt perfectly safe as I transformed for 45 seconds from suburban housewife runner to Atalanta on my neighborhood street in broad daylight facing traffic all the while. I’m so rowdy.

Speaking of rowdy – let’s have ice cream for breakfast!

Ice cream – or really banana whip. Potato, Potato.

Bananas For Breakfast

Topped with ground flax seed and sliced almonds. Ava took hers straight up, Maxine opted for Kashi Waffles. That kid doesn’t know what she’s missing.

Banana Whip Friday

Are you dancing to Forever in your chair right now like I am? Go ahead, you can sprint. It’s natural.


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13 Responses

  • Cindy says:

    OKAY…I knew something Brendan knew…instinctively…I LOVE LOVE LOVE a good amped up song.

    it changes my mood faster than coffee, or chocolate or anything.

    My favorite feature in my car is my XM radio…not matter the time of day…a good song is not far away.
    and I like it loud! plus being half deaf doesn’t help.

    I strategically place my UP songs on my iPod too for this reason and I skip songs a lot to help get to that next mile!

    (and it also helps to drown out Wow Wow Wubzy too)
    NICE breakfast.
    I’m sippin my green smoothie right now…as I type, gettin ready to visit SHAMU

  • I get the same effect during weight training when a loud song comes on, I’m like “I am woman of steel”

  • Jennifer says:

    Oh, ABSOLUTELY loud music gets you moving! I totally agree. I have my Zune really high when I’m working out. I can feel it in my bones. (haha) I don’t know “Forever” but I’m an 80’s gal and the song that gets me moving is AC/DC’s “You shook me all night long”. When that song comes on my playlist I’m suddenly flying. :) Maybe it just brings back great memories. :)

  • Whit says:

    Everyone had ICE CREAM for breakfast this morning! No fair! [insert pout here]

  • Holly says:

    ahhh i haven’t seen the office yet! this makes me super pumped though!

    enjoy your mama’s day!

  • Julie says:

    I have to crank the tunes up loud to get myself going. I honest to goodness think I’m going deaf from it. Maybe not totally deaf, but I’m sure it’s not good.
    I think I’m going to re-watch last nights episode tonight. I laughed and awwed so much at the end, I just need to see it again!!
    PS- 30 rock next week. Holla!

  • Lizzy says:

    I have never laughed so hard at the video! sooooo freakin hilarious! I find that loud up beat music does that to me too! i love it! I’m in the process of making my half marathon play list, and i’m adding all sorts of lovely music to it! so excited! :) Lovin the breakie as usual my love! :) have a great friday!

  • Tammy says:

    I think that might be true and I think I experienced that in my run yesterday morning…that’s why Ilove to run to the 80’s “Big hair bands”! Yesterday was a Flashdance moment, as I have the whole soundtrack on my ipod. I’m saving the most rockin songs for the last few miles of my marathon coming up…hope it helps!

  • A says:

    YES YES YES!!!! I loved The Office last night…… and I totally appreciated the wedding scene. If you remember, I linked that YouTube video on my blog a while back! And guess what I did this morning on the way to drop my kids off at the day care??? I PUMPED Forever on my stereo!!! That’s hilarious!!
    About the loud music thing…. I always noticed that I got a surge of energy when I good song came on but I thought it was just because I liked it….. in reality I was turning it up and it was jolting me. I love that kind of information!!! Thanks for sharing!!
    -A

  • I dont run with an ipod every run, maybe about a third of the time. I reserve it for when I Really need the burst aka kick in the butt that the music gives me. And I listen to some really raunchy urban ghetto muzak. It gets me going, what can I say ::)

  • Elizabeth says:

    I used to listen to forever by chris brown awhile back. It really got me pumped, too! And you can’t beat ice cream for breakfast! Yum!!

  • you’re such a fun mom, offering “ice cream” for brekkie

  • maria says:

    I HATE having to run based on the weather. It’s so annoying. Definitely one of the perks of using a treadmill, I guess. But I hate those, too. Haha. Wow, I sound annoying!