There’s lots of gear that can make running 13.1 miles more enjoyable. In addition to a pair of capable shoes, I’d argue that a good pair of earbuds are essential to distract your mind and keep you motivated. When I ran my first half-marathon recently, I decided to put the AirPods 4 with ANC through their paces. Here’s how it went.

Why I Choose AirPods 4 for a Half Marathon

I have literally dozens of wireless earbuds I could use while running a race. I’ve even recommended a few pairs like the Sony Linkbuds and Bose Open Ultra Earbuds which I think are good options because of their transparency awareness.

Primarily, I choose the AirPods 4 with ANC because of their sound quality, connection with the Apple ecosystem, and the size and weight. No other earbuds at the moment can really match all of those qualities.

While I love the fit and sound of the Open Ultra Earbuds, I’ve had trouble with them being able to make phone calls when connected directly to my Apple Watch. In the case of the half-marathon, I wanted to be able to call my wife if something happened or to let her know how far out I was from the finish line. AirPods work seamlessly with other Apple products.

The Linkbuds (or newer Linkbuds Open) are good for certain locations, but they let so much outside noise in that I didn’t think I’d be able to hear what I was listening to well enough with lots of other runners around. The AirPods can get loud enough to hear more details of the songs I’m listening to.

I’ve used my AirPods 3 to do short, three-mile runs in the past so I was confident the newer AirPods 4 could stay in my ears well enough—even though I wasn’t sure how their slightly tweaked shape might alter their overall feel.

How the AirPods 4 Performed During a Race

With only one hiccup, the AirPods 4 with ANC performed exactly as expected across the 13.1-mile course. I connected them directly to my Apple Watch Series 10 and listened to a podcast and Apple Music playlist for the entire two-hour duration.

I popped the minuscule charging case into a pocket and didn’t feel it bouncing or weighing me down at all. The one incident with the AirPods occurred about a mile into the race when I went to adjust the right earbud in my ear and accidentally knocked it out by bumping the stem. It fell onto the sidewalk and eventually bounced into a patch of grass.

Luckily, none of the other racers stepped on it as it crossed their path. I was able to grab it without much disruption and then both earbuds stayed in place for the rest of the race. I was monitoring for whether the earbuds moved around more as they got more sweaty, but I didn’t notice any difference in how secure they felt from start to finish.

I regret not looking at the AirPods 4 battery life at the end of the race to see if there was anything worth mentioning in terms of power drain. They’re rated for about five hours without ANC on and four hours with the feature activated. I’ve worn them for two hours at a time previously, however, so I don’t think running with them poses any different results than watching a long movie.

I picked the AirPods 4 with ANC because they sound amazing for an open-ear design. This stood out at a couple of points throughout the race when certain songs would come on and the resonance and booming bass really helped keep me motivated and on pace.

Are AirPods 4 Good for Running?

I’ll stop short of recommending that everyone go out and buy the AirPods 4 ($129) or AirPods 4 with ANC ($179) specifically for running, but after completing a half-marathon with them I am more confident that they might be some of the best, most versatile running earbuds on the market.

Just like the AirPods Pro 2’s silicone tips work for some people and not others, I get that the regular AirPods might not be secure enough in everyone’s ears. Wingtips are used by some people for a reason. But if you know regular AirPods work for your ears, they might be the perfect running earbuds to consider.

I toggled the ANC mode on briefly during my run and the slight muffling of sound was helpful for a certain area of the race course. But in general, I don’t like actively blocking noise when I’m running on the street.

So if you’re debating between the two AirPods 4 models for running, I would recommend the base model for most people since noise cancellation might not be suitable for this purpose. If you do plan to use them beyond fitness, then the ANC model won’t be a disappointment.