by Yolande Hobbs
To a lot of us music is a really big part of our workout, and for runners it’s no different. Music lets us escape our current state of mind and can help us de-stress. Music in running can help you relax, distract you and even improve your performance.
For this reason, having the right playlist is crucial and can easily be achieved by following these five steps.
- Order your music.The tempo of your music should follow the tempo of your run. Plan the route you are going on beforehand and if you tend to slow down or speed up in certain parts try to make your music do the same.
- Start strong. Make sure the first couple of songs on your playlist are of high intensity. Anything over 140 beats per minutes like Shake it off by Taylor Swift (160 bpm) or Locked out of heaven by Bruno Mars (144 bpm) is good. This will give you an extra boost at the start of your run and will mark your pace for the rest.
- Keep the rhythm. Choose songs with a strong beat that you can run to easily. Listening to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons – Spring on a morning run may sound like a great idea but you could find yourself lost in the music and running at a completely different pace every ten seconds!
- Know when to play your hardcore tracks. Play your loudest tunes at the most challenging part of your run. For most runners, this is just before halfway through your run. You’re feeling good but then your mind starts to think about how far you still have left to run and this can be demotivating. This is when you play your hardcore loud tracks. The emotions you will feel from hearing the songs will help you push through any lull or lack of energy.
- Finish with a bang. Keep your favourite tunes to the end of your run and do not stop until you have heard them. This is a good way to keep going strong until the end of your run and gives you the lift that you may need.
Music can power you through your run but it can also relax your mind to ensure stamina and a positive mindset. As a result of this, make sure you regularly change and update your playlist so you won’t get bored of listening to the same tunes, and so that your brain will not be able to predict the next song and so remain alert and active.
Getting the motivation to go for a run can be hard so why not join the Roosevelt Runners every Tuesday and Thursday at 7 pm at Helm square and become part of the group!
Yolande Hobbs, Class of 2020, is an Art-History and Archeology Major from Essex, England.
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Image Source: www.mountaintrek.com
