Call for Music Suggestions!
Posted: February 1, 2011 at 11:13 pmI’ve never been a huge worker-outer-to-music type of gal. When doing weights, I like to go sans music to really focus on what I am doing and get energy from others in the gym. When doing cardio, I typically would either take a group fitness class, do a DVD at home, or zone out in my own head. All of those options didn’t require music.
Yet, there is something different about the treadmill and getting into a running groove. Or a run/walk groove per the C25K routine. I craved music in my workout today. Speaking of my workout – LOVED IT!!!
I can’t wait to complete this program and then run my first 5K ever. I have my eye on one in the not too very distant future. 😉 Although, does this description sound too advanced or just right for a first 5K with a goal of just finishing?
Course is point to point. The surface is packed smooth gravel in the quarry with rolling hills to a flat finish.
Back to my music needs. Since I haven’t really worked out with music in years, I now need to download a whole new playlist for C25K. Any suggestions? I will admit that for workouts I like upbeat, peppy music (aka girly pop) and then also old school hits. Oh and energetic contemporary Christian hits. I already have a list including Glee, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Sir Mix A Lot, etc.
Any suggestions or favorites to share? Thoughts on the race description? And do you ever prefer NOT working out with music?
Tags: cardio, couch to 5k
I love working out to music! It’s almost a must-have. Do you already have Black Eyed Peas on your list?
But, of course! I love Black Eyed Peas!
Hey Girl,
So, I am ALL about music when I workout — its like my zone out — all about me time !!!!! I’m that wierd lady on the treadmill singing, and kinda “dancing” (as much as you can on the treadmill) away !!!! My favorite is on Pandora radio — just type in Black eyed Peas — and its all kinda music like theirs!!!! I LOVE it. Its the ONLY , and I mean ONLY thing that wakes me up at 5am !!!!! Otherwise, I might fall asleep on the treadmill!!!!! Also, I like to bring it back 90’s style : Ace of Base, Jock Jams… things like that !!!!! Don’t know if I should admit to that, but whatever !! I love it !!!! Hope this helps some !!!!
Oh my goodness Jock Jams. How I remember those!!! LOL And I wish I had the option of doing Pandora. I would totally do that.
Here’s some more poppy stuff:
I got a feeling – black eyed peas
kings and queens – 30 seconds to mars
love the way you lie – eminem
club can’t handle me – flo rida
hey, hey, hey – michael franti
My favorite running songs are Eminem – Til I Collapse, Third Eye Blind – Never Let You Go, Lady Gaga, upbeat Relient K songs, and fast, dancey Cascada music (love her!).
Is there a link to the course map on the website? Sometimes, it will show you the course and an elevation map or you can look it up. An elevation map will show you how many hills and how steep the hills are, which would give you a clue to how “rolling” the hills are. Glad you loved your running workout!
Nope. No course map. At least not yet anyways. I was hoping for one.
Shakira! Her latest CD has some really up-tempo music. Old school Destiny’s Child – Survivor, Independent, Lose my Breath. Beyonce (Crazy in Love is a personal favorite) Justin Timberlake, Kanye West – Jesus Walks has a great tempo. I know the lyrics are – eh – by Kesha (We R Who we Are), Britney Spears, Fergie, even Miley Cirus have some catchy dancy music. I also have great latin music suggestions but that’s only if you enjoy music you might not be able to understand. (Unless you know Spanish?) 🙂
Pues…ensene espanol por algunos anos. Antes de hacerme un “SAHM”. 😉
Great suggestions too. Love the old school ones especially.
Britt Nicole is my current workout fave!! She’s upbeat, Christian pop. I highly recommend “Welcome to the Show”, “Glow”, “How We Roll”, and “Headphones”. ZOEgirl’s “Even If” and BarlowGirl’s “Running Out of Time” are other songs I love to walk/run to. I highly recommend Britt’s music, especially Welcome to the Show!!
i really like working out to music – it is necessary for me when i’m on the treadmill! i have really random taste in music, but lately i’ve been loving my 90’s playlist. “sunny came home” “freshmen” “one headlight” etc. so many good 90’s songs! 🙂
My comment didn’t show up! Did it?
It went to spam for some reason. But I fixed it. 🙂
Working out to music definitely helps if I’m cycling or walking, not so much in yoga. 🙂 I primarily listen to a bunch of hip-hop and drum&bass.
We Didn’t Start the Fire by Billy Joel!
I mostly walk on the treadmill. I read while I walk. Usually magazines or LARGE print books. I vote for P!NK music!!
You can download C25K podcasts. I’ve got one that gives me verbal cues to change my pace but I’ve also heard them where the music changes tempo noticably so that you change pace according to the music tempo.
If you have an ipod and/or use itunes – you can search couch to 5k and you can download podcasts people make that have music but also tell you when to walk/run. I previewed a couple people’s and found one that I liked and then down loaded all the days.
Not gonna lie, one of my favorite running songs is Hilary Duff – This is What Dreams Are Made Of. Its from the Lizzie McGuire movie soundtrack. 🙂
Don’t know that one…but I totally get sucked into cheesy songs like that too. Can we say Miley?
hmm “rolling hills” sounds like lots of hills to me. ANd running on gravel could be harder than normal flat cement or treadmill. Make sure you add some hills to your training. 🙂
I love music while running, however today while running outside I turned it off for a while and the silence was nice.
Thats what I was worried about. I need to see what other local races are around that time.
Rolling hills? Ambitious! But I don’t think you’ll face any problem with that! I am recently in love with my pink playlist. I usually don’t post links to my blog on other people’s comments, but seriously check this out and letting me know if it doesn’t make you want to start running already! 🙂 http://greekmelie.wordpress.com/2011/01/28/my-pink-playlist/
I’m a huge fan of the Black Eyed Peas to work out too. In real life, I like more mellow, older music- but there’s something about that group I love to run to!
Great question, FFF! I wrote a post on this very topic and have some specific musical recommendations for you. Check out my recommendations at: http://www.doctorcarriesbetterliving.com/2010/12/musical-fitness-tip.html. As a family doctor and mother of three, I have fought to stay fit against the pressures of time and competing priorities. Music has carried me along on that journey many times.
http://www.doctorcarriesbetterliving.com
I have to admit- I like a little Eminem when I am working out.
I’ve heard lots of recommendations for Eminem. I can see how the energy helps!
I love music when I work out. Distracts me and I noticed I do a couple extra reps, or run longer, or just smile when a song comes on that I love. 🙂
I run to the Relient K Pandora station. So good! Contemporary Upbeat Christian Rock. 😀
I wish I could help you, but I don’t really listen to music when I work out. When I was training for my half(s) and running them, I relied on popular Christian music to help me through the races. Reasoning: a) it’s uplifting and gives a positive energy to me and b) it’s upbeat and great music!
Do you have an i-phone? You can download the Pandora app and listen to a mix through that if you do– I love it! I find that I get sick of my own music so quickly, but with Pandora, there’s always something new!
Oh I didn’t realize there was an app. Will check that out.
95% of the time I run with music (Lady Gaga, Rhianna, Britney, Eminem, Jay-Z are some of my favs) but I do run without it when I need to clear my head and have a therapy session with the pavement 🙂
i think the race sounds fun…definitely do your training with hills though! and music? i love the lady gaga station on pandora…super upbeat and easy to run to!
Glad to hear you loved your running work out! I hope you have an awesome first 5k ever and get hooked on running because it can be so fun! I say anything up beat for music like Lady Gaga or Ke$ha!!
One of my favorites is Empire State of Mind–such a great beat and very inspiring!
Ugh, my playlist is in a desperate state of dullness right about now. All my music was on the laptop I killed though so I’ve been really afraid to sync my iPod with hubby’s new laptop. Gotta break down and do that this weekend though.
I really struggle to workout if I don’t have music!
My fave music is cheesy 1980s/90s dance tunes, but top 40 also gets me going.
Have you heard ‘No Speak Americano’? google it, it’s got such a great beat for running!
I have to have music when I workout! Lately I’ve been loving Eminem, muse-uprising, katy perry, flo rida, usher, everything top 40 and poppy with a beat gets me going!
I listen to a few fitness podcasts, Glee, Beyonce, Daughtry and Sugarland while working out.
I’m always amazed by how much a new music playlist can make me want to work even harder at the gym!
This is a link to my latest (and greatest) playllist. It’s a little schizophrenic and all over the place, but there are a lot of fun songs on it!
http://www.joggerslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Screen-shot-2011-01-30-at-2.14.39-PM.png
No playlist is complete without a little Journey!
As for the race course – I think it sounds just fine! I would suggest doing several of your training runs on similar terrain if you can – that way your ankles will be used to running on what could be an uneven surface, and your muscles are used to the extra effort required on trails!
I NEED music to workout!! Some of my current favorites are
Black Eyed Peas- Dirty Bit, and I gotta feeling
Matchbox Twenty- How far We’ve come
Sugarland- Stuck like glue
Shakira- Waka, Waka (This time for Africa)
Wow I’ve been off running for too long! I had to search back to AUGUST for the last list of running songs I posted. This MIGHT make sense since I found out I was PG in September. Anyway, my random taste:
HED PE – Bartender
Chris Brown – Kiss Kiss
Paula DeAnda – Easy
Paolo Nutini – New Shoes
Daddy Yankee – Rompe
Current Swell – Chesterman’s Valley
Nelly Furtado – Maneater
VV Brown – Everybody
Janelle Monae – Tightrope
As for the 5k, I tend to choose loop ones, mostly just so I don’t have to walk back to the car. 😉
Good thinking on the car thing. Especially for my first one! LOL I would never have thought of that.
And great song suggestions. Thanks so much. I love that Rompe one. It will bring back teaching memories. I used brief snippets in my Spanish classes.
I have a lot of Britney and Black Eyed Peas on my ipod. Anything that is fast and up beat will keep you going and going!
OH I have so many songs that I love to workout to I can’t list them all here! And I am getting an ipod nano from my dad for an early birthday present, so I am going to do a post on music soon. hopefully today if all pans out the way i want. Which course are you running maybe I’ll run it to. Probably not with you b/c I’ll be the one staggering and huffing in the back but still there.
I was looking at the Boulder Dash in Cumming but the hills scare me for my first. There is one in Roswell (Run the River) and the course description says flat and fast. Sounds good to me! LOL
Don’t laugh. But when I first started running, the one song that always got me going (it must be the beat or something, I have no idea) was Jesse’s Girl. Don’t ask me why but it ALWAYS got me going. I now run with no music at all and love it but I know I’m usually one of few in races that does that. I just love being one with my thoughts, talking to Scott for support, and hearing all the sounds around me. It just works for me. PS. I think that race sounds good to me – though ‘rolling hills’ usually means it’s pretty hilly, I hate when they say that. As if “rolling hills” is a good thing 😉
Rolling hills makes it sound so nice and happy. PS – I already had Jessies Girl on my list of songs. LOVE old school stuff!
This is so unlike me, but my favorite workout song, hands down, is Shake That with Eminem and Nate Dogg!
Never heard of it…but I put it on my list to check it out.
Hey! I am going to do my first 5k this year too!!!!
Do you have Pandora Radio on your mp3 player? Type in Lady Gaga..that station is pretty good!!!!
I CAN NOT run w/o music. it’s what lights my fire and makes me move!!!! I love it!
Tina, I really need one too! When you compile your list, can you do a post on it?!? I have almost the same exact music tastes as you!
Certainly! 🙂
Hmm, I don’t really listen to music when I workout, but I do like “Better than Revenge” by Taylor Swift. It’s a fast song and also picks up near the end too, so you can push really hard that last 30-45 seconds. 😉
I’m a total nerd but I love listening to Broadway music when I work out. Some of my favorite songs include: Defying Gravity from Wicked, Another Day from Rent, My Strongest Suit from Aida, You Can’t Stop The Beat from Hairspray. I always have mini musicals going on in my head…
I’m all about Justin Timberlake and Flo Rida (download Respirator – it’s awesome)! They get me goin like no other! 🙂
ooh so glad it’s going well! im on week 3 (alternating run 90s, walk 90s, run 3m, walk 3m) and last night my legs would not move. ive done this particular workout before but i struggled horribly last night (and i honestly think 1 reason is because i forgot my ipod!). if you find great music, will you share your playlist? some things im currently loving: fireworks by katy perry, grenade by bruno mars, and ANYTHING by basshunter (swedish house music. amazing beats to run to)
And I thought I was the only crazy one who liked Eminem!! Just Lose It is on my list.
Also, a lot of those mentioned earlier, plus (and I don’t know if these are the actual song titles):
Dancing with Myself by The Donnas (a short little punk version of the Idol song)
Forget You (from Glee)
Katy Perry: California Girls and Hot and Cold
Anything Pink
Anything BEP or Fergie, especially Lets Get It Started and Fergilicious
Quite a few Britney and Cristina Augilerra songs are catchy too. You can find some techno versions of the slower ones, I like Fighter.
Kelly Clarkston: Miss Independent, I Do Not Hook Up, My Life Would Suck WO you, Since U Been Gone
Ask your spin instructor for some songs, they always have the best ones!!
And I second the poster who asked for you to post your list. 🙂
Oh, and the Killers too!
i do most of my long runs sans music. i like being alone with my thoughts for a couple hours. but for short runs i like music, and its a must for treadmill work.
Pretty much anything by Stellar Kart is great
Becca Shae – Life
Viva Las Vegas (picked after laughing until we hurt playing the Wii “Just Dance 2)
TikTok – Kei$ha (another Just Dance that makes me think of my niece, which makes me smile)
Grace Amazing – Jimmy Neeham
Born Again – Newsboys
Awake & Alive – Skillet
Dirty – Audio Adrenaline
Let’s Dance – Hawk Nelson
You Found Me – Big Daddy Weave
Unbreakable – Fireflight (this is a personal favorite because of the line “Fear is just a crutch…that turns our dreams to dust – after my anemia, I really feared getting back at training and damaging my body. This helped me realize (after the docs cleared me) that i couldn’t let this fear keep me from pursuing my Sprint Triathlon goal/dream
sorry for the long reply – I’ve done a lot of “research” on this 😛
I can’t wait to check them all out. Thanks for the long reply! I need ideas after all. 🙂
Glee, Katy Perry, and Lady Gaga were going to be my three suggestions! I also like Avril Lavigne, old Disney music, Weezer, and oldies.
I, too, prefer to workout sans music. I think it is from years of swimming. Our pool did not have a cool, underwater speaker system, so we were alwayyyyys alone with our thoughts. It is a good way to get worked up about something, but also a good way to work something out.
I’m doing couch25k right now too! Hooray! 🙂
I play whatever is peppy and loud that I know the lyrics to. Right now my playlist while I am on the treadmill is:
Just Dance – Lady Gaga
Forever – Chris Brown
Dynamite – Taio Cruz
Waking Up in Vegas – Katy Perry
Hot N Cold – Katy Perry
Teenage Dream – Katy Perry
Pressing On – Relient K
Sadie Hawkin’s Dance – Relient K
Dancing Queen – A*Teens
Our Song – Taylor Swift
You Belong With Me – Taylor Swift
Love Story – Taylor Swift
Today Was A Fairytale – Taylor Swift
Music!! Kanye West- Power / Stronger
Ke$ha – Blow…. We r who we r
Bruno Mars- Gernade
Christina Aguilera- Fighter
Paramore- Crush, crush. crush..
Oh I have lots more too! 🙂
Usher- OMG
———————————————-
The course description sounds challenging to me!
So, be sure to incorporate some rolling hills in your training– it will help a lot! Do you have shoes yet? Make sure they are not too old ( wagging my finger at ya!)
I am trying to compose myself here ( Tina is running a race- YAY!)
I found a better race. 🙂 And I made sure to get new shoes! I have new Brooks.