Epic Running Music

Most of you know how much I love to run with music.  I like the way it motivates me to get started when I'm dragging, the way it pushes me when I'm tired, and the way it brings me to the next level when I'm feeling good.  I like singing and dancing while I'm running.  I like...well, you get the point.  Recently, a musician named John McAllister reached out and sent me a link to a song he wrote called Epic Running Music. (Insert raised eyebrow here) My interest was piqued by the title alone.  I don't typically listen to instrumental music when I run.  Personally, I like songs that shout at me and distract me from the pain I'm in or that I can sing along with.  So, this is something totally new and different.  And to to be honest, I wasn't sure it was for me.  But, alas, I was wrong.  Close your eyes and think 'Die Hard', 'The Fugitive', 'Rocky'; you know, action movies with suspense and crazy levels of excitement.  When I put my headphones on and started this song I instantly felt like I was ready to fight the evil forces while also breaking a world record at the same time.  Yes, it really did that.  The song gives the listener ten minutes of intensity that ebbs and flows and then builds slowly to awesomeness.  And when it was over, I wanted to high-five myself and shout "we did it".  I did not do either of those two things.  But I seriously considered both.  I asked John why he wrote this piece and this was his answer:

I wrote Epic Running Music to help with a soundtrack for your run, to keep you engaged and basically pumped-up.  I also thought about tempo and rhythm as I was writing the music. There's always some instrument that is intended to help you keep with a steady forward moving pace.  Lastly, my hope was to make listeners feel like a superhero as they embark on their epic run! (Oh, that it did, John. That it did.)

I also asked John what he likes to listen to.  Here's what he told me:

I like to listen to music that keeps my mind engaged while I'm running.  I particularly like music that doesn't do the same thing over and over again.   I think having music that provides variety pretty regularly can be invigorating when you're running. My favorite music to listen to when running is music from action movies. I like suspenseful music that helps me conjure images of excitement and intensity. I especially like the music from the Jason Bourne movies and the Dark Knight Trilogy.

So, give it a go and see what you think and/or how it makes you feel.  I'm betting you'll dig it.  And at the very least you'll feel like a total bad-ass for 10 minutes.  And that's worth it alone.

Listen to this:
Epic Running Music - John McAllister