Need a Little Pick-Me-Up? Let the Beat Inspire You

May 28, 2013

Music can keep you entertained as well as inspire you during workouts, training runs or an actual road race like the Bellin Run.

So what makes an effective workout or running song? There’s science behind it.

According to Canadian Running, “British researchers chose a program of six songs, then played them either at regular speed, 10 per cent faster, or 10 per cent slower, while subjects who were unaware of the speed changes rode exercise bikes. The results were clear: the subjects pedaled a few percent further and faster when the music was fast, and slowed down when the music was slow. Interestingly, perceived exertion was also higher with the fast music, so it’s not simply that fast music numbed the pain – the subjects were actually willing to suffer more as long as the music was pushing them along.”

There are loads and loads of suggested playlists for runners but it boils down to your taste and willingness to try something new.

Here are a few suggestions (in no particular order) we gleaned from our online searches. Remember to keep your music at a comfortable level that enables you to still hear any announcements or developments around you.

Enjoy and see you bright and early on Saturday, June 8 for the 37th annual Bellin Run.

Feed your iPod with any or all of these:
• Harder to Breathe — Maroon 5
• SOS — Rihanna
• Firestarter — The Prodigy
• Another One Bites the Dust — Queen
• Girlfriend — Avril Lavigne
• Pump It Up — Elvis Costello
• B.O.B. — OutKast
• The Rockafeller Skank — Fatboy Slim
• Here It Goes Again — Ok Go
• She Wants to Move — N.E.R.D.
• Runnin' Down a Dream — Tom Petty
• Around the World (Radio Edit) — Daft Punk
• Dog Days Are Over — Florence + the Machine
• Shake It — Metro Station
• Mr. Brightside — The Killers
• Animal — Neon Trees
• All I Do Is Win — DJ Khaled
• Clark Gable — The Postal Service
• In For the Kill — La Roux
• Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh — Say Hi
• OK, It's Alright With Me — Eric Hutchinson
• My Delirium — Ladyhawke
• Dreams — Passion Pit
• Much Finer — Le Tigre
• Hong Kong Garden — Siouxsie and the Banshees
• Unstoppable — Santigold