running songs

Running Songs that Are Great After You Got a Late Start After a Really Shitty Horrible Terrible Day and You Went Further Than You Thought You Were Going to Go and the Sun Has Just Set and No One Is Around and It’s Probably Not Safe To Be In this Particular Deserted Area When It’s Getting So Dark But You Feel Like You Can See What You Need to See and Everything Is Going to be All Right at Least for the Rest of this Night

in Music, Running

“We Are Nowhere and It’s Now by Bright Eyes (with Emmylou Harris)

“Fake Empire” by The National

“Nightswimming” by R.E.M.

“There’s A Light (Over at the Frankenstein Place)” – Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack

“Lilies of the Valley” by Jun Miyake

“We Belong” by Pat Benatar

“Runaway” by The National

“No One Is To Blame” by Howard Jones

“Wake Up” by Arcade Fire

“Mad World” by Michael Andrews & Gary Jules (Donnie Darko soundtrack)

“Waves of Mutilation” (UK Surf Mix) by The Pixies

“Good to Be On the Road Back Home” by Cornershop

Please DJ Play These Songs at Mile 12 of the Half Marathon Because I Almost Broke Down in Tears During Mile 11 (Okay Miles 8 Though 11) and Also the Only Thing My Legs Feel Right Now Is a Shooting Pain that Electrifies All The Way Up Into the Back of My Skull Every Time My Feet Land on the Pavement

in Running

“Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” by Michael Jackson

“Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees

“Don’t Bring Me Down” by ELO

“Going the Distance” (from Rocky, of course) by Bill Conti

“Born to Hand Jive” by Sha Na Na

“Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd

“Paper Planes” by M.I.A.

“Mountain Song” by Jane’s Addiction

“She’s So Cold” by The Rolling Stones

“I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor

Running Songs That Are Great When You Want to Imagine That You Are Running In Slow Motion in Some Kind of Triumphant Moment in Which You Are All Alone But Somehow People Are Watching You and Are Amazed.

in Running

“Tick of the Clock” by Chromatics

“We Are Young” by Fun.

“Chariots of Fire” by Vangelis (of course)

“Dream Operator” by Talking Heads

“Teardrop” by Massive Attack

“Everyday is Like Sunday” by Morrissey

“World Leader Pretend” by R.E.M.

“Running on Empty” by Jackson Browne

“Hold Your Head Up” by Argent

“Heroes” by David Bowie

Berlin’s The Metro Is A Great Running Song

in Music, Running

Synthesizes an energy overload that allows you to pick up the pace and ride a new wave to the finish line without taking your breath away.

Mountain Song by Jane’s Addiction Is A Great Running Song

in Music, Running

Even these obnoxious music snobs agree:

Steppin’ Out By Joe Jackson Is A Great Running Song

in Music, Running

This song is a rush, with a beat that pushes, but there’s also a very floaty, dreamy quality to the tune. Good for long strides on a sunny day.

“Ring of Fire” by Social Distortion is a Great Running Song

in Music, Running

This song just flat out helps pick up the pace. The vocals surf a perfect ride on top of the music. Burns, Burns, Burns. That Ring of Fire.