I'm not a fan of wearing headphones while running in races. For me the half marathons were about a community of runners, where we talked to each other and spurred each other on. I also don't like running to a beat, as I like to time my paces and my breathing to their own rhythm.

Having said that, sometimes a good podcast is the motivation I need to get out of the house on a cold and wet evening, and at that point my headphones become invaluable. But how can I listen to music and be able to pay attention to the world around me while running? The answer is Aftershokz Bone Conduction Headphones!  Look at this cheesy video they've made!


The science essentially is that instead of sending sound through your ear, they vibrate the part of your skull next to your ear, which still vibrate your eardrum, making the sound.

They really are great. It's like you've got a radio on somewhere near you (a few times I've laughed or sang along to a song without realising that my wife and kids can't hear the same music!) but you can still hear everything that you'd usually hear when not wearing headphones. It means I can safely run, hear traffic, hear people coming up behind me, but can also enjoy whatever podcast or music I feel like listening to.

The battery life also seems to be really good, and I've had no issues pairing the headset to my phone.

10/10 would recommend!