Every month I'm going to try to share with you a playlist of songs that I enjoy running to/with (?). Feel free to cop these where ever you buy music, and then immediately turn around and hit the road.
The Catalyst, Linkin Park: I like the slow build of this song, especially on early morning runs. You can see yourself pushing off from your starting point just as the choppy-techy beats drop in. A very affirming song to start out any distance running.
Resistance, Muse: Another slow builder, equally good for a playlist headliner. The soft vocals eventually give way to a powerful ballad that will pull you down the street by your heart strings.
Rolling in the Deep, Adele: A funky, disco-y track that builds quickly just as the heavy thumping of the drums kick in. Great for pace work. When I ran to this the other day I found my feet hitting pavement in time with the beat.
Drumming Song, Florence + The Machine: Another beat-heavy track, when this comes up in my buds it will usually put a smile on my face, which makes me a better runner, for some reason. And what's better than the line of the refrain "sweeter than heaven, hotter than hell?" That usually sums up most of my runs, actually.
Viva la Vida, Cold Play: Ok... admittedly.... I have this song on my iPod, but that doesn't make me gay! It's a good track.... the song's about how this guy first obtains power and then loses it. You know what, you're not even paying attention to this anymore, you've come to your own conclusions. Fuck it, I like running to it.
Pumped Up Kicks, Foster the People: What's a better song to run to than one about gnarly shoes and out running guns and bullets? ...Because I can't understand anything else the vocalist says in this song.
Wolf Like Me, Tv on the Radio: Another beat-heavy track. When I listen to this song on my runs, I feel like I'm being chased thru the woods.
Handlebars, Flobots: Kind of a braggart's song, I like running to this song when I'm feeling slow and just pacing out the last few miles of my run... because the last 1/3 of the song it picks up quick and hard. Try not to mind the political undertones.
Harder, Better, Faster Stronger, Daft Punk: The quintessential techno-workout track, the French Robotic DJ-Duo give us four goals that we should each strive for in our workouts.
Bad Romance, Lady Gaga: Techno-y, thumping, full of energy. Just what you need at mid-run. (True story: I was running on a treadmill at the gym at my old job and thought I was alone. I had plugged my iPod into the stereo system and Gaga's "Boys Boys Boys" started to play loud over the speakers, and since I was on the treadmill I couldn't just hop off and change songs. One of my bosses ended up walking in and called me a "fag.")
The Beast and The Harlot, Avenged Sevenfold: A fast, hard, 80's speed metal track from a band that was born around the same time Axel Rose took his first hit of cocaine.
Animal I Have Become, Three Days Grace: We should each strive to become a fucking animal during our runs or workouts. When I'm running and I hear this song, I picture myself turning into a lion and chasing down tasty-ass gazelles.
Battery, Metallica: Easily the greatest song they ever wrote and performed. Powerful, epic... this song is like the battle scenes from Gladiator and Lord of the Rings, combined.
Lose Yourself, Eminem: This song should really be at the top of the list, not towards the bottom. This is the song I listen to before every competitive event I run in. Just the spoken-word beginning is enough to get me ready to set a PR.
No Love, Eminem featuring Lil' Wayne: Another powerful song that builds.... it covers all the bases: Beastmode, never breaking stride, monopoly boards.... I hear this song and I instantly feel stronger.
Hell of a Life, Kanye West: A track about what it's like to marry a porn star, I just really like running to the beat and hook.
Power, Kanye West: A tribal track, theme music for superheroes.
Monster, Kanye West featuring Rick Ross, Jay-Z and Nicki Minaj: The first three words of this song are all I need to hear before I go run a sub-six minute mile: Bitch, I'ma Monster.
Better & Better, KRS-One, featuring Pee-Doe: A dope beat to run to, and KRS makes a valid point that hip-hop really was better in the 90s.
All of the Lights, Kanye West featuring Rhianna: When I hear this song towards the end of my runs, I picture winning a championship, victory, completion.
My Body, Young the Giant: This is my official training anthem: "My body tells me no, but I won't quit, cuz I want more." Perfect.
Hurt, Johnny Cash: While some of you might bristle at the idea of running to this song... on a clear morning, I can't run and NOT listen to the man in black's tragic voice and what it says.
Pain, Jimmy Eat World: This track, about pain killer addiction, was used by NBC's Sunday Night Football for it's opening montages. I'm thinking someone doesn't listen to lyrics down at NBC....
All I Do is Win, Ludacris, featuring T-Pain, Rick Ross and Snoop Dogg: What else do you need to know about this song? It's called ALL I DO IS WIN. Perfect for finish lines and post-race winner's circles.
Empire Ants, Gorillaz featuring Little Dragon: a cool down track that pumps it up towards the back half. Love the chick's voice.
We Made It, Busta Rhymes featuring Linkin Park: At the bottom of your playlist you need a song that reaffirms all your hard work. Use this one. "I'm a symbol of greatness, call a nigga Morpheus" routinely plays thru my head, post workout.
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