It’s no secret that the right music whilst you’re running can keep you motivated and that’s critical when it comes to keeping yourself running and maintaining your fitness and health regime.
Staying motivated is how we continue to push through in the hardest times. Let’s face it – running can be difficult and when your body and mind need to keep moving, you’ll need something to help you bust through the barrier!
So, what are you meant to do? Choosing the right thing to listen to is critical, and this can be music or a motivational podcast.
We’ve decided to put together an extremely helpful guide for you to get an informed choice.
Here’s what you should listen to while you’re running!
Music
Perhaps the most obvious thing to listen to whilst you’re running is music, but as we all know – there are so many types of music out there – so what’s the best? You’ll need something with a quick rhythm to keep your body moving to the music.
This section will examine the best genres of music, some song ideas and how you should plan your music.
Dance Music
Dance music is created in a way to get your body moving on the dance floor, so it comes as little surprise that dance music can be extremely useful when it comes to running.
Most dance music has a high beat, tempo and rhythm which psychologically gets you moving and this comes along with your body moving too.
While your mind is connecting the music to movement, running can be your form of “dance”, and your favorite dance music can help you breach the barrier when your body is nearly running on empty!
The best thing with dance music is that the pace is normally designed to keep a person moving, meaning that it is continuous but also steady.
Dance song ideas: “Titanium” by David Guetta, “Rhythm is a Dancer” by Snap, and “One More Time” by Daft Punk.
Hip-Hop
Hip-hop music has a way that keeps us upbeat and moving, and it’s difficult to not sing along too! The high speed and rhythm is very similar to that of dance music, but it is a little calmer for us whilst we’re running.
Whichever hip-hop songs you enjoy, you can be sure that you can use them to keep you running for longer!
Hip-hop song ideas: “Today was a Good Day” by Ice Cube, “Till I Collapse” by Eminem, and “Jump Around” by House of Pain.
Rock
Rock music can be some of the most powerful genres of music to get you to keep moving.
The best rock ballads can be difficult not to stop yourself from moving and pushing through the exhaustion barrier – which makes rock perfect for running and indeed walking!
Rock song ideas: “Poison” by Alice Cooper, “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor, and “I was Made for Loving You” by Kiss.
Heavy Metal
Heavy metal is like rock music with several coffees in its system. Fast moving, thrashing music can force you to move around crazily and if you can apply that to your running, you’ll keep going and going until you’ve reached your goals.
Heavy metal song ideas: “Raining Blood” by Slayer, “The Trooper” by Iron Maiden, and “Shepherd of Fire” by Avenged Sevenfold.
Preparation
Preparing your running playlist is critical to the success of your workout. Before you get out there on the roads, paths, mountains or even in the gym – ensure that you’ve created a tactical playlist.
It’s best to start with a few songs that you enjoy, can move to easily and the tempo is consistent and not too harsh.
You don’t want something too quick that will make you move too fast at such an early stage, so you should probably pick dance music first.
If you’re not a fan of that genre, choose something with those facets – something with a continuous beat and rhythm that will keep you moving steadily and not blast out of the starting line too prematurely, which will inevitably ruin your run.
There are a few ways to plan this. Know your route before you go, if you’re going to run outdoors. The same planning should be done if you’re using an indoor treadmill on alternating settings.
Decide the right platform for your music, such as Spotify or Apple Music. Once you’ve got the platform, ensure your device is charged up and your headphones are ready to go!
Podcasts For Running
Aside from music, another great thing to listen to while you’re running are podcasts. They can be very entertaining and can keep you company if you’re planning to run for a long time on your own.
Here are some podcast ideas:
Joe Rogan Podcast
The most popular podcast in the world is probably a good place to start. Joe Rogan has different guests every week from all walks of life.
Some previous guests have come from the world of medicine, astronomy, sports, music, journalism, business, comedy, politics and television.
Some of the best podcasts of his have been when controversy is involved. The best example of this is possibly any episode with MMA expert Eddie Bravo, who discusses flat earth and conspiracy theories.
But the podcast includes a wide variety of topics, so check the list and see what person you’d like to listen to for a few hours!
Run To The Top
RTTT is a podcast created by exercise fanatic firm Runners Connect and can have some of the best tips and motivational talks to ensure you get the most out of your run.
RTTT is one of many of its kind, but they are perhaps the best with their variety and quality!
Choosing Your Podcast
Most platforms like Spotify and Apple have the ability to play podcasts, so ensure that you’ve got the means to listen to your podcast first.
Once you’ve done this, consider your route and your mood. If you’re going hard, it’s probably not a good idea to listen to a podcast – but if you’re looking to run for a while at a steady pace, it’s a great thing to have at your disposal!
The Bottom Line
Running can be made much easier with the right motivation and listening to uplifting music or helpful podcasts can seriously make the burn a whole lot easier to handle!
For the first year, I wallowed in my feelings and gained 50 pounds as a result. The next year, with the help of a professional or two, I began working on myself and seeing changes.
Surprisingly enough, I found running to be my main source of comfort in such a trying time. I began running once a day for five minutes, working up to 10, then 20, 30, 40 - until I was running for an hour each morning.
Running started my day off right and on the days where I ran, I found that I was more likely to excel in work and have a better day mentally.
So, that is why I have created Run In The Sun. I want to make your running journey as easy as possible so that you can feel these benefits too. I promise you, it will be so worth it!
- How Long Does It Take to Run 3 Miles? - April 21, 2022
- Houston Running Trails - April 21, 2022
- How To Wash Adidas Shoes - April 21, 2022
