The last time I was training for a marathon, once my long run got up to about 15 miles, I found it hard to run without music. It’s usually a pretty black and white issue for runners – they’re either for or against listening to music when they run. I find it to be kind of a distraction, which is why it works best for me when I’m slogging through LONG long runs and trying to pretend I feel as fantastic at mile 17 as I did at mile 2.
After throwing together random songs last time, I sat down and came up with these 3 awesome running playlists for your long run. Pretty sure you’ll be able to guess my age (hint: I’m older than millennial), but since it’s my birthday on Saturday, it’s kind of nice timing. 🙂
Each playlist is 2 hours long and of course you can combine them to make one ridiculously long (and ridiculously awesome) playlist.
What I listen to when I’m working out or running is different to what I listen to at home, in the car, or just out and about. I love Pink Floyd, Powderfinger, U2, all of The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Colin Hay and lots more, but what works for just hanging out doesn’t always translate for running. While these songs are different BPM’s and they’re not chosen because they’re ‘fast,’ they don’t fail to get me psyched to run, or psyched to keep going (which is more important, after all!). That’s why these are playlists for your long run.
“How You Like Me Now” – do you remember that song was used in a car commercial with the Yo Gabba Gabba characters? I remember seeing it and not having ANY idea who the cute little weird-looking creatures were. Oh, how life changes when you have kids! At one point when training in 2013, Moono’s “I Love Bugs!” was on one of my running playlists (I still dig that song.)
I used to work for a fancy retail store and when we closed the shop at the end of the day, we would crank “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and dance around the store while we did our closing. That same group of colleagues and I went out drinking one night and ended up dancing ON the bar to “Hey Ya!” in the West Village in NYC in the wee hours of the morning. Lots of fun times with that job. 🙂 They are both also excellent songs to run to!!
“Freedom 90” I bought on cassette single (you may need to google that!) and I would play it, stop it, flip it, play it again, repeat about 20 times. I was in love with that song. I still love it. “Stacked Actors” is my favorite Foo Fighters song ever. My husband and I love the Foo Fighters – I’ve seen them in concert three times and and he’s seen them six times. When we renewed our vows in Australia in 2005, we walked down the aisle to “Walking After You.” At our wedding in 2002 we chose “Air On a G String” by Bach, which is a favorite of both of us as well.
Okay, your turn!
Favorite running song (or songs)?
What did you, or would you, walk down the aisle to?
What have you, or would you, dance on a bar to?
I’ve recently discovered I do like to listen to music when I do my long walks – – but I’m also discovered I suck at the playlist.
Who knew?
(Ok I did :-))
You need to get Miss 10 to help. I bet there will be a lot of terrible stuff (“in my day we listened to good music” I’ve totally said that) but I’m always surprised by what kids fall in love with music-wise. Me eldest nephew who is now almost 18 loved Iggy Pop when he was about 6 years old!
AH!!! Love! So many songs of greatness and unfortunately I need not Google “cassette tape” as I had the same “single” of Freedom 90. Good Lord!! And I absolutely love everything Beastie Boys, Jane’s Addiction and Foo Fighters. I actually find that toward the end of a super long run I need silence. I get so sick of music in my head and it’s just starts to annoy me. Is that weird? Probably! Anyway, thanks for this MUCH needed music list…and I walked down a sandy beach aisle to the sound of steel drums in Key West.
Allie recently posted…The Rundown – Room to Breathe
Not weird at all! I totally get that. There have been times on long runs when I just turn it off for a while because it almost becomes too distracting. And now I have steel drums in my head and I not-so-inexplicably want a rum cocktail!!
I am constantly on the look out for new songs and new playlists! I get sick of songs so quickly when I’m teaching to them and then I also hear them on the radio. Sometimes, going back to old songs is the way to go for me!
I walked down the aisle to the oh-so-common Cannon in D!
Britt@MyOwnBalance recently posted…Friday’s Food & Fitness
It’s oh-so-common because it’s so beautiful! 🙂 I get sick of songs too – I have to make massive playlists all at once and play them on random for it to work for me.
Great songs. Some of them I already have on my playlist. So funny that you listed Barbie Girl. I was recently on a cruise and that was one of the songs they played for a trivia question. I haven’t heard that song in ever!
lacey@fairytalesandfitness.com recently posted…Race Medals that change from year to year and ones that stay the same
That song is so perfect for running! It’s just the right tempo and it’s funny too so it keeps your mind off your legs!
I have to admit i always run with music, i like having it on the background. It motivates me and make me focus better 🙂 As for what type of music… older rock and country is my choice of music for the past few years! Yes I did say country… 😛
ellen recently posted…New PR and a pretty awesome race!!!
Country, huh?? I never would have guessed!
HELL YEAH! I have a few playlists of my own, and they include several songs from all of these playlists.:) We have awesome taste, darling.
Tiffany @ The Chi-Athlete recently posted…Mardi Gras Chaser 5K [Race and Weekend Recap]
Yay! And yes to having fabulous shared taste in music!!
I made my first ever playlist last year before Sydney half marathon. I was a bit ambivalent about running it and it was the only race I ran last year with music but I swear the music made a difference on the day. Every time a song came on I was like ‘Oooh I love this song’ and my tempo would lift a bit. I ended up running a way better time than I’d expected.
Char recently posted…That’s Just Not Right.
I’ve never run with music in a race, but I understand what you mean. When I finally made playlists last time I trained for a marathon, that first long run out there with music was awesome. There were a couple of times I actually broke out in a little dance while running!! (Luckily I lived in NYC at the time so no one even blinked an eyelid).