The Role of Music in Running: Creating the Ultimate Running Music Playlist for Motivation and Inspiration
The right music can power your best running performance. A driving beat keeps your feet moving while uplifting vibes take your mind off the run itself and make your entire routine feel lighter. Whether you're jamming to the latest dance beats or taking flight with awesome instrumentals, music can play an important role in a good run.
Finding that perfect running playlist can be a challenge. Stopping to skip an off-vibe song can interrupt your flow like nothing else. Fortunately, building the right running playlist is a well-worn trail and we've got tons of tips to help you get that perfect running groove going.
Start Collecting Your Favorite Running Songs
- Love to run to them
- Make you feel awesome
- Have just the right tempo
The best place to start is to save your favorite running songs. Most people begin with pre-made running playlist on platforms like Spotify. You've probably noticed that a few songs give you super-powers and you absolutely love to run to them. Start saving those songs and use them as the seed for your running playlist.
These will turn out to be songs that have the right energy, vibe, and beats per minute and just make you feel amazing on a run.
Learn Your Optimal Your Workout Vibe
Learn your vibe. Not everyone runs to the same kind of music. Some people like dance beats. Some like energetic classical. Some like hardcore electronical. Some like to run to moody, emotional songs. Some like songs that tell a story. Some like instrumentals. Or maybe you don't care as long as it 'bounces' with the beat of your feet.
Learn your workout vibe and let that guide your song collection.
Determine Your Ideal BPM
BPM stands for Beats Per Minute. In other words, this is the speed and tempo of the song. When it comes to running, the right BPM can matter because a good beat will drive your feet. It feels good when your foot strikes the pavement on the beat. That means you'll probably want songs that match your natural stride.
Warmup, Flow, and Cooldown Songs
- Warmup: Chill and energizing, speeds up over time
- Flow: High energy, driving beat, high BPM
- Cooldown: Driving beat, slower BPM
The perfect playlist isn't just intense running music, it as an arc. We recommend running playlists that include warmup, intense runner flow, and cooldown songs. Make one list or multiple lists that match the length of your typical run so that your entire run is fueled by music at just the right energy level for your preferred routine. You might even start with pre-run stretch music.
We love to start with one song that has a perfect lead-in that just feels like warming up. For longer runs, multiple intensity/cooldown cycles may be ideal.
The Ultimate Running Playlist
if you're the kind of person who listens to the same playlist for every workout, make one ultimate playlist. Tweak it over time until it has the perfect songs in the perfect order to power-up your favorite regular route.
Mood-Based Running Playlists
- Inspirational
- Booty Bounce
- Moody Emotional
- Vengeful Energetic
- Peaceful driving beat
- Old Favorites
- New Releases
If you're more mercurial, you may want several different mood-inspired running playlists. Maybe you're feeling inspirational one day, moody another, and revenge-body on a different day. Build a playlist for every one of your workout moods and switch them up if you don't like to hear songs in the same sequence every time. Shuffle is your friend.
Getting Your Music Gear in Order
Of course, once you've got the perfect playlist, you'll need to make sure your device and earbuds stay in place no matter how intense or sweaty your run gets. A FlipBelt runner's belt provides the perfect snug fit for your phone so it can't possibly bounce away. As for the earbuds, look into sport loops, ear loops, and make sure you get just the right size of silicone nibs to fit your ears.
You can even slip a small USB power bank into your FlipBelt to make sure your phone never dies. Flip your phone just the right way in the flexible belt and you can even press the 'pause' or 'skip' side buttons through the fabric if you decide to change it up on the go.
The perfect run powered by your best running playlist is just around the corner.
