Saturday, June 25th, 6:55 am: Wake up, drag my tired bones to the bathroom- this is not a normal weekend wakeup time for me. Brush my teeth, don’t even bother with makeup (it will just melt off in the NC summer sauna), change into some spiffy running gear and attempt to top it off with the proverbial cherry on top: my iPhone arm band (hot pink, duh) and wireless headphones. Crap. Where did I put them? I have carpet cleaners coming later so all of my former carpet-dwelling earthly belongings have migrated to my hardwood hallway in semi-organized piles of chaos. Mostly disorganized chaos if I’m being honest, though.
My half marathon is now less than a month away and I’m near tears in my hunt for my musical accoutrements- how in the world can anyone run 11 miles without a soundtrack? Moreover, how can anyone run a 13.1 mile marathon if they skip their 11 mile training run a few short weeks before their big race.
Saturday, June 25th, approximately 7:45 am: Defeated, I head back to bed.
Saturday, June 25th, 11:45am: VICTORY. As a semi-professional grocery sherpa during my time as a Washingtonian, I would never, EVER make more than one trip from car to apartment, regardless of my load. The result was usually successful with only a few bag handle casualties in my short-lived career. In my infinite wisdom and experience, I thoroughly chilled my arm band and headphones in the grocery bag that my pool-bound bottle of prosecco was being stored. They were in the freakin’ fridge. Classic.
I am a tremendous, insufferable music snob when it comes to my run-time entertainment. If my headphones die mid-run, you will hear me thumping everything from gangsta rap to girl pop through my phone’s speakers up and down Morehead Street. If I get to the gym and realize I’ve forgotten socks at home, no problem, workout is still on with some modifications. Gross, but I’m not too proud to admit it. If I forget my headphones in the same scenario, workout canceled. Necessity is in the eye of the beholder, y’all.
Within 5 minutes of meeting me, I will probably talk about how I’m an ex-ballerina that misses the barre and pointe shoes almost daily. I think associating music with movement for so long ingrained this deep-seeded musical snobbery within me. Other side effects include: involuntary internal choreography, random acts of dance (Little Sugar Creek Greenway makes for a great runway for a little tombe pas de bourree glissade grand jete combination), and some sassy ponytail flipping.
Perhaps equally as important as having music accessible during a run is the kind and quality of music you’re accessing. A stale playlist can deal a heavy blow to motivation while, similarly, a playlist with banger after banger will keep you lit… hype… on fleek… whatever the kids are saying these days. Sharing new music apps, songs, artists, etc. is a great way I keep my tunes fresh and my motivation high and apps like Spotify make it so easy to check out what your friends are listening to. Just don’t make too much fun of my occasional Michael Jackson binges.
There are BPM (beats per minute)-specific stations, playlists, etc. on Spotify and other apps that, supposedly, inspire you to keep pace with the beat of the music. Personally, I think some of these sped-up remixes sound a bit like a Chipmunk’s song. They also just stress me out for some reason and, if you have ever had the displeasure to disturb my run during an especially zen moment, I do not like my relaxation being disrupted. Instead, I suggest crafting your own playlist with upbeat music you like- and plenty of it! Give yourself space to skip a song or 10 if the mood just isn’t striking you at the moment. We’ve gotten the ball rolling for you with the Scoop Charlotte 10k Training Playlist. I hope that you like it and will use it as you join me in training for the OrthoCarolina 10k Classic in August.
Registration prices go up July 1st so click here and reserve your spot for the best 10k course with the best finish line party now!
https://play.spotify.com/user/12138846069/playlist/7sQPYpxsqgjbshwWYzhK1y
There are other wonderful, pre-made playlists out there from Nike Women, Shape Magazine, and RockMyRun. Spotify even has a nifty feature in Spotify Running that uses your GPS to track your running tempo then play music with a matching BPM based off of your listening history- way cool. We want to hear from you too! Share you favorite running playlist in the comments below and stay tuned for our next post with our recommendations for the best running gear from the headphones down to your socks.
