Music is really important to me and it was never more important to me than last Sunday when I ran my first half marathon. I knew that my music playlist was going to have to be really good and really intentional. I needed music that would motivate me at first but also not get me too amped up and cause me to burn out early. I also knew that around mile nine I was going to need some really strong music to help me push through the last four miles. I put together about 2 hours and 40 minutes of music. I finished the race in 2 hours and 24 minutes. Here is a look at the soundtrack to my race.
Start of the race (7:15am) I thought Ace of Spades by Motorhead would be a good starting song for the race. The opening chords sound like an engine revving up. It’s a weird sound that gives you the feeling of something frenetic and chaotic but also focused.
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For by U2 (during mile 3) While training for this run I Still Haven’t Found randomly played. I was running late at night and when I heard it come on I thought, “oh no. I need to change this. This song is too slow”, but instead I just let it play. It was such a calming and soothing song that it actually put me in a weird zone. Then 2 minutes and 40 minutes into the song came something special:
“I believe in Kingdom come/ Then all the colors bleed into one/ Bleed into one/ And yes I’m still running/ You broke the bonds/ and loosened the chains/ Carried the cross of my shame/ Of my Shame/ You know I believe it.” The imagery of the words resonated with me and gave me chills. That’s when I knew I would want thing song on my playlist. I’m glad I added it.
Burning Heart/Touch the Sky - during the uphill climb (midway during mile 4, going up hill). I knew this was going to be my first real test of the race. So I strung some songs together that I though would pump me up. Burning Heart is such a corny/motivational song from the Rocky IV soundtrack that it just seemed like a perfect fit.
Touch the Sky has something about it that just give me some swagger and energy. I am glad I had it to push me through the last of the hill.
Thunderstruck by AC/DC (beginning of mile 8). Perfect song as I began to feel a little tired for the first time. The beginning of the song has that great slow build and then you have the tremendous gutteral scream of “You’ve been THUNDERSTRUCK!”
El Rey (The King) by Vicente Fernandez (tail end of mile 9). My favorite Mexican song. The song is all about self-assuredness and bravado. The song’s central character tells his ex that he knows she has kicked him out but that she’s gonna miss him. It doesn’t matter if he has money or doesn’t have money, that he has no throne or queen because he is still The King. There is also some great imagery for someone running a race. The central character warns that it’s his destiny to stumble but he is given the advice that it’s not about finishing first, but about knowing how to finish. Pretty good advice for someone running a half marathon.
Watch the Throne Songs - bad timing and drowned out by cheerleaders and people using thundersticks and cowbells. Weren’t really that helpful.
Ric Flair by Killer Mike (mile 11). Really motivated me. I had hit the wall. I stopped to walk for the first time right after I passed the mile 11 marker. Then I heard this song. It’s currently one of my favorites and just gets me going. The music and the use of Ric Flair’s promos are just so damn good. The absolute swagger and borderline annoying self confidence pushed me through that wall and got me through my runner’s block.
Cinderella Man by Eminem (mile 12) Just the beginning sounds of clapping and Eminem saying “You know, technically, I’m not even supposed to be here right now...” It made me think back to when i started running and when I started training for the race and I could barely run 3 miles.
The Final Bell by Bill Conti (13.1 last song as I crossed the finish). Could not have chosen a better song to finish to.
It was my brother’s birthday and some of our favorite movies growing up (still actually) are the Rocky movies. Not that any good Rocky fan needs to be told but this is the song that plays at the end of the first movie when Rocky goes the distance with Apollo Creed (spoiler alert).
Start of the race (7:15am) I thought Ace of Spades by Motorhead would be a good starting song for the race. The opening chords sound like an engine revving up. It’s a weird sound that gives you the feeling of something frenetic and chaotic but also focused.
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For by U2 (during mile 3) While training for this run I Still Haven’t Found randomly played. I was running late at night and when I heard it come on I thought, “oh no. I need to change this. This song is too slow”, but instead I just let it play. It was such a calming and soothing song that it actually put me in a weird zone. Then 2 minutes and 40 minutes into the song came something special:
“I believe in Kingdom come/ Then all the colors bleed into one/ Bleed into one/ And yes I’m still running/ You broke the bonds/ and loosened the chains/ Carried the cross of my shame/ Of my Shame/ You know I believe it.” The imagery of the words resonated with me and gave me chills. That’s when I knew I would want thing song on my playlist. I’m glad I added it.
Burning Heart/Touch the Sky - during the uphill climb (midway during mile 4, going up hill). I knew this was going to be my first real test of the race. So I strung some songs together that I though would pump me up. Burning Heart is such a corny/motivational song from the Rocky IV soundtrack that it just seemed like a perfect fit.
Touch the Sky has something about it that just give me some swagger and energy. I am glad I had it to push me through the last of the hill.
Thunderstruck by AC/DC (beginning of mile 8). Perfect song as I began to feel a little tired for the first time. The beginning of the song has that great slow build and then you have the tremendous gutteral scream of “You’ve been THUNDERSTRUCK!”
El Rey (The King) by Vicente Fernandez (tail end of mile 9). My favorite Mexican song. The song is all about self-assuredness and bravado. The song’s central character tells his ex that he knows she has kicked him out but that she’s gonna miss him. It doesn’t matter if he has money or doesn’t have money, that he has no throne or queen because he is still The King. There is also some great imagery for someone running a race. The central character warns that it’s his destiny to stumble but he is given the advice that it’s not about finishing first, but about knowing how to finish. Pretty good advice for someone running a half marathon.
Watch the Throne Songs - bad timing and drowned out by cheerleaders and people using thundersticks and cowbells. Weren’t really that helpful.
Ric Flair by Killer Mike (mile 11). Really motivated me. I had hit the wall. I stopped to walk for the first time right after I passed the mile 11 marker. Then I heard this song. It’s currently one of my favorites and just gets me going. The music and the use of Ric Flair’s promos are just so damn good. The absolute swagger and borderline annoying self confidence pushed me through that wall and got me through my runner’s block.
Cinderella Man by Eminem (mile 12) Just the beginning sounds of clapping and Eminem saying “You know, technically, I’m not even supposed to be here right now...” It made me think back to when i started running and when I started training for the race and I could barely run 3 miles.
The Final Bell by Bill Conti (13.1 last song as I crossed the finish). Could not have chosen a better song to finish to.
It was my brother’s birthday and some of our favorite movies growing up (still actually) are the Rocky movies. Not that any good Rocky fan needs to be told but this is the song that plays at the end of the first movie when Rocky goes the distance with Apollo Creed (spoiler alert).
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