Run number two in my new Saucony Mirage 5s was ok. The nagging shin splints seems to have resolved itself a bit. My legs relaxed after the first 2+ miles of my tempo run this morning. Five miles at mid-tempo pace (9:20) was on the menu. I really didn’t think I was going to be able to do it. I wanted to stop REALLY, REALLY bad at 2 miles, but I forged on and the last 3 miles felt pretty good.

I am wearing my calf sleeves at work today. My legs are still a little off after the 20 miler, so I figured a little time in compression couldn’t hurt. My sleeves are hiding under my pants since the only pair I could find this morning were my neon orange ones. I really need to fold laundry and put it away.

I have a dilemma that I need to figure out before the marathon. I ran my 20 miler without music. I didn’t plan it that way. I’ve been doing so many of my training runs on the treadmill that my Garmin and my iPod have just been sitting on my desk. I charged my Garmin while I ate breakfast and got ready to head out the door that morning, but I neglected to check my iPod. When I turned it on before we started running, the battery was in the red. Instead of being frustrated, I just put it back in the car and off we went. I have to say that I didn’t miss it. I never felt like I needed music to keep me going. Mr. Neon isn’t the most talkative running partner, so it’s not like I had a lot of chattiness to distract me from my lack of music either.

So here’s the dilemma…I’m thinking of running the marathon without music. Even in past races, the music is just there in the background. I don’t really listen to it. The actual songs don’t motivate me so much as the beat. But sometimes I think my better training runs happen when I don’t have music. I can hear my breathing and footsteps, and the lack of music keeps me in tune with myself than with the beat of the song. No music also means one less thing to think about. No iPod and no headphones to worry about.

What does the peanut gallery think? Music? Yes or no?