When I'm going out for a run, I'm really not only getting exercise.  Also I am taking part in a fantasy.  I think of myself as self-willed, a go getter, a person prepared to do anything to push the boundaries and succeed.  The actuality is always much different than this.  If I am having a bad day, if I'm sore or achy, if I'm one degree under, or perhaps if I'm distracted, it will be hard to do my jogging.  That is why I always have headphones for running.  Jogging to music is a perfect way to psych yourself up. 

When I first started, I used my new noise canceling headphones whilst running.  I already owned a nice set of headphones, in fact , so why not put them to good use?  This was a significant mistake.  Not only would they fall off my head, but I actually dropped them and damaged them.  Although they still work, the headset is a bit bent out of shape, and the left ear buzzes a bit.  I noticed that inexpensive ear bud headphones for jogging are a far better idea.  You don't need noise cancellation headphones.  All you need is something which will play the music and get you thru the routine. 

Of course, the kind of earphones for jogging that you use, and the way you hear music, depend on your workout and your environment.  We all like to hear headphones while jogging, but safety has to be the first concern.  If you cannot hear what is going on on around you while wearing your headphones for jogging, you mustn't be wearing them.  That suggests that you should not have the sort of headphones that cancel out noise.  Ear buds are the best way to go because they allow some sound to come thru.  Headphones for jogging are not the same kind that you use for your stereo at home.  Fine quality headphones are actually dangerous because they block outside sounds out.  This is another excuse why it is a good idea to get cheap headphones for jogging. 

Once you get your jogging headphones, you'll have to face the problem of what to hear while you run.  This may be difficult for folk.  My best advice is to get an MP3 player.  Put different music on it, and see what you like.  That way you can see what is the best music for jogging that you own.

The headphones that we wrote about here are just as suitable for runners using a treadmill. There are reviews and descriptions of many  running machines on The Treadmill Blog.