I prefer different things to different exercises.
To outside activities (walk, run, hike, row) - chatting with friends, family members - if I can catch my breath:-)

In gym:
To treadmill - listening oldies (St. Elmos Fire, Danger Zone, Eye of The Tiger etc. - yes I AM old...
To weight training - listening rap music (Gangsters Paradise, Loose Yourself etc.)
To elliptical - reading trashy magazines (Cosmopolitan, Shape, Self etc.)
To bike - reading short stories

At home:
To stretch, to core exercises - watching action/thriller videos, DVD-s

But my absolute favorite: when I am ALONE in our gym (this is a nice small residential gym with one tv - open 24/7) - I am watching FoodTV:-) till an enthusiastic college sport fan arrives with the immediate question: "Are you watching THIS?" Then without waiting for my answer switches to ESPN:-)


How do you entertain/motivate yourself?

Cardio: I have a variety of mix CD's that keep me entertained. I also listen to self-improvement/motivation CDs.

Weights: Loud, head-banging rock, or else I just go without my Discman.

I'm very envious of your half marathon and hope to be able to do one myself, someday.

Emily

I do Curves, so I don't get to choose my music anymore, but in my stairmaster/treadmill days, hands down, it was always Head Like a Hole By Nine Inch Nails. It had the best beat, and it made me WORK that machine. The whole album is pretty good for that, but I've found I can't tolerate it otherwise.

When I had a recumbent stationary bike, I used to play video games on a Dreamcast console. Looney Tunes Space Race was the best one -- not too challenging, good response on the hardware, etc.

When the bearings gave their death rattles, I switched to riding my old road bike on a training stand downstairs (even on a mag trainer, it's too noisy to use upstairs while my wife is watching TV). Now I read technical books (I've got a Blackburn SpeedReader to hold the book) while playing musical video accompaniment to maintain the right level of distraction -- if there's not enough distraction from the book, I start to realize how much my backside hurts, how sweaty I am, etc.

I tried watching music videos on TV, but realized that MTV doesn't stand for Music Television any more. I can watch the Tour de France while I ride, but most televised sports are too boring. Using a slide show program on my PC, I made up some videotapes of eye candy (Internet pinup-type porn pictures) with musical accompaniment -- Mozart or instrumental jazz, salsa, or Brazilian pop music (anything with English lyrics is too distracting, unless I'm doing intervals).

I'm thinking about getting a wireless network access point and putting my laptop on a cart above the handlebars so I can surf the Web while I ride. If you see my posts showing up at 10 PM GMT (instead of 10 AM GMT), you'll know I've achieved my goal.

Emily,
it is interesting, that you too prefer something more aggressive music for weights. About motivation/self-improvement CD-s. I heard about them, but have never seen them. Do you have a collection of these, or listening the same one again and again?
I once tried a motivational video, but it was terrible:-(

Sknymonkey,
I feel similar way about my rap mp3 collection - I could not tolerate it otherwise. Generally I prefer silence at home, without any background noise. (I will check these Nails. I am looking forward to some new music.)

Dean4Prez,
wow! video game, laptop seems very new ideas! And yes, I will check the timing of your posts:-)
Interesting, that English lyrics distract you...

Just thought I';d jump in here. I have been listening to CDs (mainly rap because of the uppity beat) while doing cardio, but last time I took a language CD (learning Italian!) along with the accompanying book and the time FLEW by..

I might try books on tape sometime too, especially any army/war stories make me want to push it.

Sheri

Sheri,
what an interesting new idea - language lessons. I tried books on tape, but somehow they seemed too slow paced. I mean the tempo of the reading, not the story. To read the same books was much better.

For cardio, I usually listen to clubby music.

For weights, I listen to angry rock music or rap that I like.

I use an MP3 for weights, and either the MP3 or CD for cardio. The CD is just too bulky when I am lifting. Always seems to get in the way, or I wind up bumping the pause button in the middle of a set. LOL. RRRRRR.

Galadriell: I have a collection of self-improvement stuff. I like it for cardio machines; but if I'm running outside, then I either go with music CDs or I just go silently and listen to the sound of my own lungs in agony. (Exercise-induced asthma, it's a bitch.)

I've also tried language lessons, but my particular ones (Michel Thomas German) required me to keep stopping the CD and repeating the words, and that was too annoying.

Emily

Oh, that's an easy one. Watching the muscles ripple on all the hot guys at the gym. Lots of mirrors in the gym I go to, and lots of ways to stare without being too obvious. Keeps me so preoccupied that I sometimes work out longer than I had planned.

Joan

That's a coincidence. A couple of days ago, I discovered our local library has a complete 52-tape set of Destinos a Spanish language course produced by WGBH-Boston and the Annenberg-CPB Project (the same group that did French In Action, if you're familiar with that). I've been wanting to brush up on my high-school Spanish, so I tried listening to one of the tapes while I did my weight work. I don't know if I'd really go for the classic style of "listen and repeat" language tape, but Destinos and French In Action have a narrative style that seems to work better for me.

One of the things I don't like about weight training is the idea that I'm wasting time "only" improving my body. With the language video playing in the background and me following along or counting my reps "uno-dos-tres...", I feel like I'm making better use of my limited time.

Dan,

The scene you described seemed familiar to me. The reason I started to use a small mp3 was crashing my CD player. I tried a new weight machine, I was not really familiar with. So accidentaly I put my player under a MOVING part :-)))
Btw I have problem with CD players even during cardio. I do not know, why for example Precor does not know that a CD player has CD size. Ergo, it can not fit into a small cup holder. So meanwhile on the new machines there are two cup holders, nice magazine/book holders, but not a place to put the CD player.

Serrelind,

it means that you WATCH CNN, but listen music?

Dean4Prez,

I liked French in Action - to refresh my French. But I am very beginner in Spanish. This Destinos is good for beginners too?

I remember Destinos from college-- it is great!

I have become a Nickelback fanatic for cardio. Ok, according to their website, they are the most played rock artist accross all radio formats of 2002. However, I tend to live in a little bubble, and I just discovered them-- I am not a big fan of pop culture. ("Who is this Dr. Phil person, and why is everyone always talking about him? Why do we keep referring to people by their first names nowadays?") Anyway...

Can anyone recommend a good book rack for a Landis treadmill?

~~Amaara

I know what you mean about no place for a cd player. On the elliptical machine I put my player vertically in the magazine slot and hope it doesn't topple over. On the bikes I wrap my towel around the bar and balance the player on top - a real bee-yatch if you want to mop your face but otherwise it flies off mid-petal and takes my ears with it!

I usually end up with information overload watching 4 or 5 tv's, listening to CD's or language lessons with the loud overflow from the club speakers.. and watching other people in front of me on the treadmills.
I've thought of switching over to an MP3 player but am really waiting for cost to go down even more. Plus now you have to pay for music downloads on the internet!