A few weeks back, I asked RW+ members to share one song they love to run to the most. You delivered! We now have an RW+ Member Playlist full of inspiration, strength, affirmations, and powerful words about runners’ determination to keep on going no matter how difficult it feels. But that’s not all.
I also asked why these members chose the particular song, and I received a whole bunch of heartwarming and deeply personal answers.
I put the playlist to the test on a stressful day when I really didn’t feel like running but knew that it would be the best thing I could do for myself to regain my footing. I turned the music on and first just let the beat guide my somewhat anger-fueled pace. But then I started to connect the individual songs back to the people who sent them to me. I ended up having one of my best runs to date, feeling its uplifting effect long after it was over!
What I’m trying to say is that in the end, it’s people’s stories behind these songs that make this playlist a special one. Take it for a run: You’ll see, it’s magic!
I love the lyric “you can take the L cos the W is all me” from “Dare You to Doubt Me” by Script. It reminds me that every race is possible thanks to the hard work I put in during training. Plus the music and beat are perfect for getting me through hard races!
—Julie P. from Virginia
I love the song “The Fighter” by Gym Class Heroes for the lyrics: “if you fall, pick yourself up off the floor (get up) and when your bones can’t take no more, just remember what you’re here for … there goes a fighter.” These lyrics remind me why I run and help me push to finish, even when I’m tired and want to quit.
—Colleen D. from Pennsylvania
I love running to “Whatever It Takes” by Imagine Dragons. One line of the song, in particular, stands out to me: “I’m an apostrophe: I’m just a symbol to remind you that there’s more to see.” I loved this lyric so much that I got a small apostrophe tattooed on the inside of my pinkie finger. It helps me remember that in the face of adversity—both external and internal—I can always improve and grow beyond expectations.
—Ashley M. from Arkansas
I prefer to make playlists that mirror my pace and the terrain of the race. I chose a few songs about climbing and persistence when I ran the 2021 Boston Marathon. Miley Cyrus’s “The Climb” was timed perfectly for Heartbreak Hill and made me smile instead of grimace.
—Adria S. from Florida
“Roadrunner” by Modern Lovers propels me during my races in ways both metaphorical and musical. The pun of a “road runner” comes immediately to mind, but then I also feel carried along effortlessly by the trancelike keyboards and syncopation, which means that it's impossible not to play "air drums," and air drumming, as opposed to playing air guitar, is more effective for hill climbs.
—Hilary C. from New Jersey
I don’t care what mile I’m on or how steep the hill is—if “Let’s Go Crazy” by Prince comes on, I can conquer it! As soon as I hear “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…,” my mood lifts and my resolve goes up three notches.
—Laurie L. from Maryland
“High Hopes” by Amber Liu has the perfect quiet intro leading into an energetic bridge and chorus to help me transition from a warmup to a run. Amber is a runner, too, and the lyrics use running as a metaphor for chasing your dreams, like tackling the next race.
—Lindsay T. from Colorado
There is so much bias, hate, and discrimination in the world and the song “F@$#!g Perfect” by Pink basically says, “Don’t listen to any of it. You’re perfect just the way you are.” As the mother of a transgender girl—who is also a runner—I see a lot of vitriol being thrown in my daughter’s direction (and mine as well). She knows not to listen to the haters, but still. She’s amazing and I don’t ever want her to doubt herself, especially because of something someone ignorant said. Please think about my daughter when you hear it. Knowing what she is fighting for as an athlete should pump you up a bit for your workout.
—Robin P. from North Carolina
I love “The Devil You Know” by Blues Saraceno for its perfect beat! It gets me perked up when it comes on.
—Ann Z. from Texas
I’ve found that if you listen to funny music, your mind is focused on the fun lyrics more than the running, and, for me, it helps to run way longer! I’m currently training for my first half marathon and when I’m feeling particularly tired roughly halfway through my training runs, I play “Red Rover” by Little Stranger and JARV to really initiate my second wind!
—Sammy H. from Idaho
There are times when you physically feel fine, but your mental game isn’t there and that’s difficult to overcome. And then there are times when you’re mentally prepared, but you’re tired, or just not physically feeling it, and that’s when you dig down deep and find that extra gear. “Just” by Radiohead song will get you there, no matter what!
—Harry K. from New Jersey
In my early days of running, “Storytime” by Nightwish always came on my playlist shuffle in the final half mile of several half marathons (coincidence? I think not!) with the finish line in sight at the 3-minute mark and as fate would have it, I’d always crossed the finish line to a major PR at around 3:50. Turn this song on, skip to minute 3, visualize your goal right in front of you, and just run. Tell me it isn’t life-changing.
—Erin F. B. from California
In 1985, I was running a 10K in Decatur, Alabama, and as we entered the last mile of the race, the race director had a loudspeaker system set up along the course with the “Chariots of Fire” theme song blaring away. As I ran past the music, all I could think about was the scene from the movie of all those guys running barefoot on the beach in their white shorts and white shirts—still one of the best “running” movies ever made. The song still inspires me all these years later.
—Lee C. from South Carolina
“Geronimo” by Sheppard is the first song I play to start any race. It gets me in the right mindset and feels like a great jumping-off point to get going.
—Phillip W. from New York
I love putting “Sunshine” by Matisyahu on either right before a race to pump me upand calm my pre-race jitters, or when I’m in a particularly challenging portion of the race. My favorite line is: “Reach for the sky, keep your eye on the prize.”
—Mai D. from California
The lyrics of “Rise Up by Andra Day inspired not only me, but it was Michelle Obama’s theme song during the campaign. Politics aside, the concept of rising up and overcoming all odds is what speaks to me. If I’m alone, I’ll sing this song with such energy and passion. It starts with the feelings of being broken and wanting to give up, but then finding the determination to walk it out, move mountains, and “rise high like the waves.”
—Diane A. from North Carolina
Bear in mind that my first loves are Broadway show tunes and church choir anthems. At this year’s Lincoln Half Marathon, I had a huge boost from the “William Tell Overture” (Lone Ranger theme). It’s a song that charged me forward.
—Jennifer J. from Nebraska
The rhythms of the song “Not to Touch the Earth” by the Doors mimic running: starting out slowly, building to a crescendo, and ending in a slow cooldown. The title of the song is taken from a chapter in Sir George Frazier’s classic of anthropology The Golden Bough. (Jim Morrison was an erudite person.) How many of us, when running, think that we're not touching the Earth?
—Michael P. from California
“The Distance” by Cake is a metaphor for chasing after someone in an attempt to win their affection, but for me, it's a song about running! Some of my favorite lyrics are “He's going the distance, he's going for speed” and “He's racing and pacing and plotting the course. He's fighting and biting.” I just ran my second-ever half marathon and played this song during my last quarter mile to the finish line. It really gave me that boost and got me pumped.
—Greta Y. from Maryland
Pavlína Černá, an RRCA-certified run coach and cycling enthusiast, has been with Runner’s World, Bicycling, and Popular Mechanics since August 2021. When she doesn’t edit, she writes; when she doesn’t write, she reads or translates. In whatever time she has left, you can find her outside running, riding, or roller-skating to the beat of one of the many audiobooks on her TBL list.
