If you ask a beginner recreational runner what matters most in running, the answer is usually "pace." "How fast did I run today? Can I hit 4:00/km pace? Can I PB?"

But if you ask an experienced runner, the answer may be different:Besides speed, finding and consistently executing your rhythm is equally an important ability.

Shokz elite athlete Shen Jiasheng shared an experience on site. With 17 years in sport, he recalled that on the track his coach's most frequent instruction was "mind your rhythm." Not long ago he regrettably withdrew from UTMB (Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc), which was partly related to running too fast in the first half and not managing his rhythm.

There's a blunt truth in the marathon community: a great first half is fleeting; being able to keep a steady cruising pace after 35 km is what makes a true master. Countless runners have confirmed this through experience — running too fast early can exact a heavier physical price later; while reasonably allocating effort and maintaining a relatively steady rhythm in the race's latter stages often tests a runner's judgment of their own condition.

So, what is "rhythm"?

First it needs to be made clear: rhythm ≠ cadence. Cadence isrunningrhythm's one dimension, but rhythm is far more than that. Rhythm is a runner's integrated perception and regulation of their own state — pace strategy, energy distribution, breathing rhythm, psychological state: all elements coordinated together form a runner's "rhythm." It is a macro concept.

In training systems there is indeed a method specifically used to strengthen rhythm called "tempo run" (Tempo Run), but it is more a training tool to improve the body's ability to maintain steady output for a longer time.

The "rhythm" discussed in the "Rhythm Control" event is not limited to any single training method; it is closer to a runner's real-course judgment and control of their state — when to speed up, when to rein it in, and how to maintain form and breathing under fatigue.

This ability can be called "pace control."The core shift from a beginner to an intermediate runner lies in moving from "being carried by the race atmosphere, getting pulled along by others" to "taking active control of the rhythm" — allocating effort proactively according to your training status and race strategy. Behind pace control is a clear awareness of your limits and the patience to rein in excitement.

What makes the Shokz Running "Rhythm Control" seeding race interesting is not that it's a "race" per se, but that a special format turns the originally abstract ability to manage rhythm into a competitive variable that directly affects the outcome.

The competition is conducted in five legs.The first three legs，Pacing accuracy，More important than running fast.Each leg is assigned a different1 kilometertarget time; deviating from the target incurs time penalties. This is an extreme test of a runner's "rhythm perception." Without a watch, can you, relying only on bodily sensation, run a pace close to the target time? This ability is exactly the core quality that tempo-run training seeks to build.

In addition to the target time,the courseevery250 meter there's also a"rhythm Buff"timing point; the more stable you run across the four intervals, the more bonus you earn.This is an extremely valuable variable. In a real marathon, steady rhythm means more economical energy use, a lower risk of "hitting the wall," and a more predictable race result.

In the final two legs, the race logic changes.——No longer just about running accurately — it's time to start“Fast and precise”。Earlier you used "precision" to accumulate an advantage; in the end you must rely on "speed" to cash it in. But "speed" has conditions: before the sprint, runners need to predict their finishing time.，Deviating from that prediction also incurs penalties. That means even in the later stages you must have a clear judgment of your rhythm.

No watchor other devicesto tell you your current pace，No external data — only the body's perception，This is the very essence of "rhythm": it is nota simplenumber, but an "internal clock" within your body.

In thiscompetitiveexperiment, the only external aid a runner can obtain is the earsonthat pair ofequipped with a professional sports metronomeOpenRun Pro 2s. BPM is chosen before the race and locked after the start — it cannot be adjusted. That means every runner must decide their rhythm strategy before the gun. Once locked, you can no longer rely on external cues to adjust; you must "lock on" to that rhythm with your body while running.

At the venue you can see different teams adopt different rhythm strategies. Some teams choose "conservative targets" for the first three legs to ensure they don't deviate or take penalties, holding pace steady and waiting to attack later. Others play the "rhythm Buff," accumulating bonuses through consistently steady pacing to create bigger sprinting room in the final two legs.

No single strategy is absolutely correct. What’s truly interesting is how five people, based on their abilities and team tactics, ...“Precise, steady, fast”Strung together, they make a complete race.

Rhythm is an internal perception, but it can be reinforced by external cues.

Coach Chen Jinyang shared this view at the event: a metronome is essentially a regular "auditory stimulus," and improving neural response efficiency requires external stimulation.Regular auditory training can increase cadence—originally largely determined by genetics—by 10%-20%.An increase in cadence ultimately translates into faster running speed.

Shokz's newly released OpenRun Pro 2s is an interesting attempt along that logic.In this flagship bone-conduction sports headset, a professional sports metronome function has been added for the first time. It allows the beat to play alongside music and podcasts without interruption; the headset buttons can start/stop it directly, so it can be used independently of a phone; it supports a 50-220 BPM range, with accuracy ≤1 BPM, and independent volume control.

So it doesn't simply display a fixed BPM number; rather, by delivering a steady rhythmic audio it establishes a continuous auditory reference at the runner's ear, helping the runner during training“to hear their own rhythm and gradually develop body-awareness.

In the "Rhythm Control" qualifying race, this feature was directly built into the rules: all competitors wore OpenRun Pro 2s, and the built-in metronome became the only permitted“rhythm reference. This design elevates the product feature from“an "auxiliary tool" to“a "race variable." The tempo you choose before the race is one your body has to deliver.

Besides that, the OpenRun Pro 2s is alsothe world's first bone-conduction headset to support Dolby audio—the dual bone-conduction driver architecture delivers a new step-change in open-ear sound. 12-hour battery life and a 5-minute quick charge meet long-distance and ad-hoc training needs; an IP57 dust-, water- and sweat-resistant design suits multi-scenario land-based training environments. The whole unit weighs only about 31 g, uses an open-ear structure that doesn't block the ear canal, and still allows awareness of the surroundings while running.

But more noteworthy than these specs is the clear logic behind the product. For runners, the value of a pair of headphones is clearly not just providing music while you run. Beyond better sound and a more secure fit, can it truly become part of a runner's trainingand racing?The process—offering some practical help—is also worth discussing.

The "Pace Control" seeding race happens to provide a very direct entry point.。A race, a feature—both actually address the same concrete question.——When you start running seriously, headphones—beyond playing audio—can alsodo more forrunners?

04

Pace,

is a runner's deepest conversation with themselves.

Back to the track at Yangshupu Power Plant Ruins Park.

At the moment the final leg crossed the finish line, the result had already been decided. But more memorable than the placings were the choices each team made in the five-leg relay: when to hold steady, when to surge, when to trust your own judgment, and when to trust your teammates.

When watches are taken away and pacing is blocked, the runner ultimately has to return to their own body.

A runner's progression is never about how fast they ran in a single race, but about whether they can control their own pace in any situation—regardless of form, course difficulty, or opponent strength.

This is roughly what "Pace Control" aims to discuss.：Don't let the pace lead you,but insteadtake control of it.