Rock 'n' Run

As many of you know I started training for the 25K Fifth Third River Bank Run back in late November. I ran the 10K last year and figured I'd challenge myself this year. I generally think people who voluntarily run more than 5 miles are lunatics (Hi Liz) but I needed something to motivate me to workout.

I almost always have music in my head. Music gives me goosebumps. Music makes me wanna dance. Music brings back memories. Music makes my imagination wander. When I've ran those first few miles and I want to stop, the next songs on my playlist will usually draw me in and I'll lose myself, and before I know it I've gone the rest of the way.

So, it is with this that I bring you my Top 5 Running songs. These are the songs that help me forget how tired my muscles are and get me through those long runs.

Number 5 - Blind by Korn



Let's face it, it's the intro to this song that makes it so right for a good run. The slow build up makes me slowly increase my pace. Then I hear the lead singer scream "Are you ready!?!?" and I take off. I actually don't know if I know the other words in this song except for "I can see I'm going blind" and I've listened to it over 100 times. Perhaps because this is a song that drives me because of the music, and less so the lyrics.

Number 4 - Bulls on Parade by Rage Against the Machine

This song makes me angry. For no apparent reason. I listen and I get angry at nothing and I run faster. Then I stop being angry because I ran so well. Works for me.

Number 3 - Make Yourself by Incubus



I like this song because it has soft verses and then hits it hard on the chorus. During the soft parts I feel focused on the road in front of me, on my breathing, on my running - which is good. Then the chorus hits and I forget what I'm doing and I'm quite cetain my pace increases a bit - which is also good.

Number 2 - Sabotage by Beastie Boys

I always smile when this song pops on. It makes me feel . . . . tough. I have no idea why. When I listen to it, I just feel badass, and when I feel badass, I run fast and don't feel a thing. Because I'm badass like that.

Number 1 - My Hero by Foo Fighters

I knew that my top choice would be a Foo song. To be honest, all of these could have been Foo songs. I restrained myself to only allowing 1 though. If I had to choose one band to run to for the rest of my life it would be them. I was contemplating Best of You and The Pretender for the top spot also, but My Hero really fits with a good run because the lyrics and music were practically made to fit any sports montage video. I am also a dork and when the chorus shouts "There goes my hero, watch him as he goes" in my head during my run I change it to "There goes my hero, watch HER as SHE goes." Call me a dorkface (because I am one) but I don't care because it works.