Motivational Music

Beth at Shut Up and Run is hosting a giveaway for the Subway Commit to Fit contest.  One way to enter is to leave a comment with 5 must have songs in your music playlist.  You should check out her contest...the prize is a new iPod shuffle and $10 iTunes giftcard.  Below is my response and don't go stealing my song choices. 

Whitney said... 127



Let's see...I Run to You by Lady Antebellum, 21 Guns by Greenday, I Did It by Dave Matthews Band, Don't Stop Believing by Journey, and Simply Irresistible by Robert Palmer. I'm kind of all over the board with my picks but they all perk me up for different reasons and I've used them in strategic points of my playlists for that extra burst of motivation.

Now, I'll share the explanation behind why these songs motivate me! Some of these are newer additions and others are from when I first started using my iPod while running and I would make special playlists for my races or long runs.  Now, I stick to shuffle and just enjoy whatever random mix comes on, but these songs still add a little pep to my step!
 
I Run to You - because running is what I do when life gets crazy and it is like my gift to myself. 
 
21 Guns - this is my hill running song...the pace of the music helps set my pace and keep my breathing in check on long hill repeats. 
 
I Did It - this song was playing on my iPod as I crossed the finish line during my worst half marathon (and possibly worst race) experience ever. It was a monumental finish for me and it was total coincidence that the song came on right then.  Someday I'll have to tell you the full story on the race...but to give you an idea it started at 9:30am and temps were already high 80's. My sister brought me water onto the race course and offered me a lift at the halfway point because it was that awful...but I stuck it out and finished.
 
Don't Stop Believing - it's cheesy but who doesn't love a little bit of Journey.  It reminds me of a great night listening to a Journey cover band with my friend Kelly on Bourbon Street. 
 
Simply Irresistible - this used to come on around mile 10 of my half marathon playlist and that is about the point in a run when you just don't feel your cutest...covered in sweat and that salty film that we all get! I like a little irony since I know that I am far from irresistible at this point in a long run!  This song also makes me think of the Broadway musical Contact that included this song as one of the main storylines and the dance has always stuck in my head.  View Contact video and you too can always see the lady in the yellow dress dancing swing style to this song! My friend Meridith and I went to see this show for one of our birthdays when we lived in DC.
 
What songs do you like to listen to and do you build specific playlists or just random shuffle?