Music for Runners

Music for the Active Runner

Let's face it, we could all use a little motivation to get out and keep fit. Many of us are full time employees, parents, volunteers, friends and caretakers. It is hard to get out of bed before the sun rises and just as hard to find the energy to go running after we've had a full day on the job. There are two things that motivate me most; the weather, over which I have no control, and my musical playlists.

Granted, everyone has their own musical tastes, but I thought I would share some of the music that motivates me. Maybe if you sample it, you'll find some songs that inspire you as well.

Starting Out

When I start a run, I tend to take it a little slowly, until my muscles feel warmed up and I can regulate my breathing and heart rate. I don't talk. I try to lose myself in the run; in my own thoughts and in the music. I like to run about 10 to 20 minutes at a warm up pace. It takes about 3 to 5 songs.

Ramping It Up

Once you feel that you've eased into your race pace, you'll want the music on your playlist to motivate you to be able to maintain it. Depending on how long you plan to run, you may select anywhere from 8 to 20 songs. The point isn't just how fast the music is, but also, what the beat is like. I don't typically listen to rap or rave music as a matter of course, but some of the tunes have beats that lend themselves quite handily to running. The better the song, the more I tend to forget about my discomforts and the length of the run ahead of me. The following are a few of my up-tempo favorites. Unfortunately, many of the links I started with are now unavailable to share, but you may look up the following songs if you're interested: Icky Thump by White Stripes; Bamboleo by The Gypsy Kings; Blue Orchid by White Stripes and Temptation Waits by Garbage.

Just a warning that the Eminem selection has extremely explicit lyrics that are not suitable for most people. I like the beat a lot, but the content is pretty offensive.

The Cool Down

Your music should be timed to the extent possible, to coincide with your anticipated cool down. The music will need to be of a slower pace. Let your heart rate begin to slow as you descend from race pace to cool down pace. Choose the music that speaks to you. Choose tunes that are more soothing and comforting; those that will reward you for a job well done.