I really dislike 3:30 am wake-up calls.
But sometimes, they’re necessary. I’m at the Syracuse airport, waiting for the flight that will take me to the flight that will take me to San Jose, CA. I’ll be speaking in the area thanks to the San Jose Writing Project.
If you live around San Jose, please gather up everyone you know and join me at 4 pm, Friday, May 2nd (i.e. tomorrow) at Hicklebee’s bookstore.
A question came up in the Comments this week about what music I listen to when I’m running. They’re about to call my plane, so I can’t give you my playlist right now – I will as soon as I get a chance.
But I’d love to know about you. What are your favorite songs to listen to when you run or exercise?
3:30 am. Argh!!!
Here’s a few random songs from my exercise playlists. The main qualifications are: Fast and strong beat.
Kiss – Rock N Roll All Nite
No Doubt – Just a Girl
3 Doors Down – Kryptonite
Police – On any other day
Dandy Warhols – Bohemian Like You
GoGos – How Much More
Madonna – Ray of Light
David Bowie – Modern Love
U2 – I will Follow
Joe Jackson – I’m the Man
You get the picture.
I like fast because I try to keep my heart rate over a certain level and I find the faster the music the faster I move my butt.
Enjoy San Jose! I’m going there this summer – my boyfriend’s dad is being inducted into the Fencing Hall of Fame (he was an Olympic fencer).
I love Hysteria, Starlight, and Supermassive Black Hole by Muse for running. When I’m on the elliptical I can listen to pretty much whatever, but I need something with a fast beat when I’m running.
Welcome to California!
Still having my coffee here but the first three songs on my exercise playlist are by Michael Buble–strong even pace songs–Fever, Moondance, and Sway.
Also lots of Phil Collins.
I need to vary it–the best running playlist is one that I’m familiar-but-not-too-familiar with.
Songs that jump out right now as being good to run to include Vienna Teng’s Hope on Fire and Jonathan Coulton’s Skullcrusher Mountain. But that changes week to week.
I used to be a must-have-music runner, but I’ve discovered something better for me. Podcasts. Usually discussions of science or spirituality or writing. These keep me running, and, importantly, wanting to run, because I don’t think about how tired I am–the conversations are too interesting! The New Yorker has podcasts of stories from their archives, read by current authors. CBC (I’m Canadian) as amazing stuff too. This really changed my running world. Happy pavement/trail/treadmill pounding!
can’t wait to see your playlist when you have time! well i don’t run, but i do have some songs i exercise to. i usually like to dance for my exercise and i like to listen to any fast songs. my favorite ones to dance to “thriller” by michael jackson and “dance like there’s no tomorrow” by paula abdul. but i’ll dance to anything that has a good beat. hope you have a safe trip to san jose! wish i could be there to see you speak, but san jose’s a long way from carlisle:-(. but i can’t wait to find out where you’ll be speaking for the book tour! =) ♥
aha!!!
so now i kinda want to start running after reading the kind of music is used… heh, i don’t run but if i wasn’t so scared of people on the street or if i wasn’t so self conscience to run on the treadmill in my living room i would totally run my heart out…. every now and then i go to the beach and just runs ’til my brains burst (funny how i have more than one brain…) and so i definitely could run just for that empowered feeling but of course my excuses (above) get in the way 🙁 …but i believe in someday
My favorite running playlist:
Mello by Spacekats
Touchdown Turnaround by Hellogoodbye
Shining Collection by Iceman
Ready to Die by Andrew W.K.
Superstar by ToyBox
Drop The Bomb, Speed Over Beethoven, Butterfly, Spin Spin Sugar, and pretty much every other Dance Dance Revolution song out there
I’ve also found that heavy metal and songs with a pulsing beat really get you moving!