FLOAT ON

Recently, someone asked me "What sort of music do people want to run with?"  Great question.  This particular individual works for Soundtrack Loops, a company that creates music loops for musicians, composers, djs and anyone else out there designing media that needs music.  He thought it would be cool to have his musicians create songs specifically for runners that we could then post on RWM for your listening pleasure.  Yes and yes.  He went back and chatted with the owner of the company, both a musician and a runner (perfect candidate for RWR), about what type of loop might appeal to the running community.  Then he came back and told me,

----> ...it is an interesting thing...he thinks "high energy"....I think more laid back (but then I don't run very fast!). 

To which I responded,

---> Honestly, it is all over the map with running and music.  I have a friend that runs with classical....it's whatever gives us the motivational push that we often crave.   

Okay, truth, I did suggest music with a higher BPM for the downloads they're creating for RWM.  If I have to cast a wide net with the selection, my gut says that most runners seek out high-energy music to get them fired up or for the often needed distraction.  But, having said that, I do realize that your music picks are going to be whatever floats your boat.  People head out to run for different reasons.  They're stressed, they're antsy, they're frustrated...no need to go on, right?  Personally, I am almost always craving a run.  For one of those reasons or all of them.  And I am very specific about the music I listen to when I hit the pavement.  When I am running repeats on the track, I use a totally different playlist than I do when I am out for a 20 miler.  My pace is different for both workouts and I want my music to mesh with that.  I have different warm up, cool down and race specific music, too.  This degree of selectivity is likely not the norm for most runners who listen to music, but the point is, different songs work for different people at different times.  My friend Kirsten can tell from the first 4 or 5 notes of a song whether she's going to want to run with it or not.  My sister-in-law focuses primarily on the beat for her picks, not so much on the song itself.  She will also run an entire half marathon listening to NPR.  Now, that is crazy to me, but it works for her and that's all that matters.  So, really, there is no "music that people want to run with." It all works,  just on an individual basis.  And that's a beautiful thing.  FLOAT ON.

Listen to this:

Can't Do Without You - Caribou