Best Running Workout Playlist

Whether you are training for a marathon or just trying to get in a 20 minute jog a few times a week, running to music can help you feel propelled through their workout, as if the wind is to your back and a nice gentle force is helping you along. For many runners, just the act of running brings on a natural high and they can reach a cruising zone on their own. For the rest of, a playist with fast-paced, fun music can give an extra added motivation to keep going and to get into a healthy groove.

Research has even demonstrated that fast-paced music helps athletic performance. Athletes listening to high energy music accomplish more in their workouts, push themselves harder, and report enjoying their workouts more.

• Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It), Beyonce 3:15
• The Real Slim Shady, Eminem 4:44
• Scatman (Ski Ba Bop Ba Dop Bop), Scatman 3:34
• We R Who We R, Ke$ha 3:35
• Moves Like Jagger, Christina Aguilera, 3:21
• Telephone, Lady Gaga 3:45
• Just Dance, Lady Gaga 3:40
• Born This Way, Lady Gaga 4:20
• Bad Romance, Lady Gaga, 4:23
• Sk8er Boy, Avril Lavigne 3:26
• Tik Tok, Ke$ha 3:20

Everyone grooves to a different beat. The list above is a sure hit for me. When I go running, this playlist moves me along. Sometimes I don't even realize that I've made it through most of my workout!

• Identify the songs that motivate you the most.Try an easy run listening to these songs to get a sense of which ones propel you through your workout. Some songs may feel like they are slowing you down, but for others you'll find yourself naturally running at a faster pace, hopefully without even noticing.
• Create a playlist order that matches your workout. Include a "warm up" song, one that gets you energized, but maybe has a slower beat than some of the others. For me, this is Beyonce's Single Ladies. Save the most motivating songs for the middle-end of the workout when you need an added boost. I sometimes repeat Lady Gaga's Telephone over an over because it gives me such a good push!
• Try out "shuffle" mode. For some, hearing the same songs over and over again in the same order may get boring, so the shuffle mode can add some needed variety!
• Keep trying out new songs to make your own perfect playlist!