When I run I have to listen to music. Like for real, I have to listen to music. Not only do I have to listen to music but I will spend hours picking the perfect songs to add to my playlist and if after a run I feel like it doesn’t fit, I delete it instantly and continue my search for more (No one is safe as even Beyonce’s Single Ladies got the axe after a 10k race). I have a wide variety of music that I like to listen to, Foo Fighters to Kanye, you name it I listen to it…..Just no country and no Taylor Swift or One Direction or Selena Gomez…..well, I think you get the idea. Below I have just a few songs that carry me on both my training runs and races. I love to get lost in my music and enjoy my day dreams…..If you’re lucky I will share some of those said day dreams in this post. For the sake of this post let’s say that I am running 10k. Oh and one more thing. Please don’t judge my taste in music, thank you.
When I start off my run, I like something upbeat, cheesy and pop-y, something like…..Pitbull!. Yep, love me some Timber. Not only is it terribly cheesy but it features Ke$ha! Hello!!! Winner! It gets me warmed up and feeling good. I like to think positive quotes and thoughts to set me off on the right foot.
This takes me straight into some Avicii…really I love any Avicii at this point; I Could Be the One, Wake Me Up, or more recently Hey Brother. Now I’m getting nice and warm and my breathing has settled into a nice comfortable breathing pattern.
Are you ready for super cheese? How about some Owl City featuring good old Canadian born Carly Rae and It’s always a good time, this gets me smiling and tries to encourage me to “have a good time” – get it?? 😉
At this point I am at about 5 or 6K into my 10K, so I’m starting to pump my legs faster and harder and I need MKTO, Thank you. This song reminds me of the retreat I went on last March with an incredible group of ladies who have inspired me more than they will ever know, so this song takes me to a happy emotional place that gets my heart even more full. I’m smiling, I’m having fun and this is what I think look like:
Yeah…not quite right, in reality this is what I look like all sweaty and red in the face with flared nostrils…cute
Now is when I need to fly so this is when I need some old fashioned musical theatre. My go to song? Defying Gravity from Wicked and when this song comes on I am speeding and my legs are flying. Especially when it gets to the following part: “I’m through accepting limits ’cause someone says they’re so, some things I cannot change but till I try, I’ll never know!” It reminds me that a lot of people look at me and think I don’t look like a typical runner, so I must not be capable of achieving my race goals. I use that as motivation to keep going and prove that I can and will succeed. It is also during this song that I start to envision my success that I hope will come as a runner, and this is what I see in my mind:
As I am nearing the end of my 10k I need some angry music, queue Kanye West – “uh huh honey” and I Am A God. Enough said, no? I actually have a plethora of Kanye to listen to as I run. I need serious inspiration to get my game face on:
Some might find it a bit much to spend so much time putting together a playlist, but for me it’s a typical Monday J My music inspires me to run faster, further and stronger.
Do you listen to music while training and racing? What do you like to keep you going?
TorontoFitMom 