Running music: Hello everyone This has probably... - Couch to 5K

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Running music

AvatheGardener profile image
AvatheGardenerGraduate
18 Replies

Hello everyone

This has probably been asked a lot of times previously- but anyway, as an encouragement after some of us recent graduates have notched up officially tough runs (ie, they were difficult, rather than being magnificently long, steep or quick!)- what is everyone's favourite music to listen to? Compilation graduation podcast playlist would be very welcome from someone with a better grasp of technology and copyright law than me!

I could start it off with some very, very cheesy entries-

Eye of the Tiger

Proud

Nine to Five

oh and Stone Roses - probably Fools Gold, although I wanna be Adored may also feature...

help me out, here!!! :)

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AvatheGardener profile image
AvatheGardener
Graduate
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18 Replies
Leanne78 profile image
Leanne78Graduate

I recently bought a Ministry of Sound 80s album and it includes 4 continuous tracks (all well over an hour each) of various mixes of cheesy 80s music. I've done my last few runs to these and I'm finding they work perfectly for me. Sometimes I find myself singing out loud which is probably a funny sight so I'm expecting to see myself on YouTube soon!

AdamB profile image
AdamBGraduate

Sorry - can't help. I bought a compilation called 101 Running Tunes and listened to that for a time, but don't bother with any music these days. It saves having to mess with headphones etc.

I can advise you of two things not to listen to though: 1) The Best of Leonard Cohen; 2) Ringo Starr reciting Thomas the Tank Engine stories. Both are a great de-motivator. Don't ask how I know :(

ancientrunner profile image
ancientrunnerGraduate in reply to AdamB

Leonard Cohen - did you try and run over the edge of a cliff!

AdamB profile image
AdamBGraduate in reply to ancientrunner

Well I do think "Best of" and "Leonard Cohen" shouldn't really appear in the same sentence. I'd hate to think what the "Worst of" album sounds like... ;)

ancientrunner profile image
ancientrunnerGraduate in reply to AdamB

Oh, but great for teenage angst - circa 1970!!

the_tea_fairy profile image
the_tea_fairyGraduate in reply to AdamB

Leonard Cohen is so bloody beautiful, though. I bet 'Dance me to the end of love' would be great at the end of a long Sunday run.

misswobble profile image
misswobbleGraduate

Stone Roses! "Resurrection", new and improved version. Fab-u-lous!

Footloose, Kenny Loggins

Land of a Thousand Dances, Wilson Picket

Baba 0'Riley, The Who, and my absolute fave!!!!!!

Love Runs Out, One Republic

Surrender, Cheap Trick (the lyrics keep me amused every time!)

Shakira's Whenever, Whatever (not sure what it's called but it makes me laugh. The lyrics are so daft)

You Gotta Fight for your Right (to party) Beastie Boys

Feeling Good, Nina Simone

I aint got, I got life (Nina Simone)

So many tunes, so little time

I do run to country songs for some reason. Strange cos I normally don't opt for it. Good to run to though. "I beg your paaaaaaaaaaaaaardon I never promised you a rose garden"

I shall quit now or go on all day

gary_bart profile image
gary_bart

I downloaded some trance music that claims to be at 180bpm, which is apparently the cadence you're meant to be aiming at, eventually. (That's probably dead wrong for beginners, but the principle would still be what I'd follow - maybe at 150 bpm or such). I don't much mind what I listen to while I run.

When I sit down, I'd like to listen to something by Steve Vai, King Crimson, sometimes Peter Tosh (I prefer him to Bob Marley), the Cardiacs, something more by the Cardiacs, some additional Cardiacs, maybe, something by William D. Drake (not at all like the Cardiacs, but he did their keyboards for almost 10 years), maybe something by Knifeworld (Kavus used to play lead guitar for the Cardiacs, but Knifeworld has a more Gong sound), Gong (not too much, though), Hawkwind ... and so on ...

You could probably run to Hawkwind's music if the cadence was right, because they tend to lock into some groove, and just stay there, but that's becoming the practical equivalent of downloading a 40 minute trance mix again. I think I could even just run to the sound of a pleasantly tuned metronome?

If you do pay heed to things like the lyrics, etc while running, you could even look at some jazz? Maybe. Not Coltrane, I don't think, but It Don't Mean a Thing if You Ain't Got That Swing might be good?

And classical music? Some Mozart might put sparkly stuff in your footprints? Or you could try feeling like when you get to the top of that hill you're going to slaughter someone, using something like Night on Bald Mountain.

Once you move out of prog rock with lots of tempo changes, there look to be a lot of choices out there.

Rignold profile image
Rignold

I quite often run to prog rock with lots of tempo and time signature changes.

gary_bart profile image
gary_bart in reply to Rignold

You might like running to this, then? :-)

youtube.com/watch?v=VQaLgtq...

the_tea_fairy profile image
the_tea_fairyGraduate

I favour PJ Harvey at the moment, but Jimi Hendrix is good for fierce energy and The Cat Empire are good for a smiley silly run :).

Am concerned about being vilified for my love of Leonard Cohen now as well. 😖

Megzig profile image
MegzigGraduate

Pink, Avril Lavigne, Scissor Sisters, Marillion all have a good tempo to run to. I also hear myself 'singing ' along. Just as well I don't normally pass anyone other than cows and sheep!

Nine to five! Oh good choice I like that one, always gets me dancing! I've just been dying...sorry running ;-) to Laura week 9. I have something called 'mix radio' that came already installed on my phone and have downloaded the 'running' tracks to use offline. Suppose I could try em out at some point.

ActonHighStreet profile image
ActonHighStreet

Sorry to be boring, but unless I'm listening to a specific podcast for a session - like this: seanblair.co.uk/rw/v2/runni... then running is the one time of the week I don't listen to music.

On the gym machines however, I think some good loud music gets the blood flowing - this comp is one of my "go-tos": discogs.com/Various-Rough-T...

poppypug profile image
poppypugGraduate

I love " Breaking the Law" by Judas Priest !

Oh its fab , especially the middle bit where theres a mad guitar riff, glass breaking and sirens going off and then Rob Halford shouts over the top " You don't know what its liiiiiiiiiike " Then the guitar kicks in again and the drums , Oh it makes a party go off in my pants !

It always makes me want to headbang and then dive head first into a mosh pit - Top choon !

Also " Heartbeat Song " by Kelly Clarkson for the hills ! :-) xxx

mfamilias profile image
mfamiliasGraduate in reply to poppypug

Love you to bits, you nutter :)

poppypug profile image
poppypugGraduate in reply to mfamilias

Tee Hee ! I love you too ! :-) xxx

mfamilias profile image
mfamiliasGraduate

I love 'Rock my run" for playlists - free, downloadable, and can be chosen according to the BPM you prefer. Their 80s playlists are awesome. Otherwise, I listen to a hotchpotch of French rock, Alysha Brilla, Smash Mouth, Tom Jones, the soundtrack to Guardians of the Galaxy, also the Pretenders, the Eurythmics, the West Bound Rangers, and I love running to Flogging Molly, but I get my legs tangled up.

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