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I never enjoyed running or was good at it until I reached my early 30’s. I still wouldn’t call myself a “good” runner (or jogger is more like my pace), but I actually really like it now. Running helps me focus, clear my head, and relax. I look forward to getting outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine, listening to some great tunes, and releasing the tension built up from the day.

I ran my first 5K in 2018. It was the Steady Strides race for Parkinson’s that my family participates in each year in memory of my Dad who passed from complications of the disease in 2014. Leading up to that race, I trained mostly on a treadmill in the small fitness center in my condo community. I only ran outside once before the race and surprisingly enough, ran the entire race without having to walk any of it. I give credit to the cooler temperature and drizzly rain. If it was in the 90’s and sunny that day, it would have been a different story. Running outdoors is much different than running on a treadmill.

When Covid hit in 2020 and the nation was on lockdown, I spent the majority of my unexpected free time working out. I started doing Beach Body programs in January 2020 and once I began working at home that March due to the pandemic, I walked or ran outside every day after I finished work. By the end of that summer, I was in the best shape of my life and weighed less than I ever have.

During this time, I found a virtual 5K through I Run 4 Movement, where a portion of each registration goes to a specific charity organization. Once you register for one of their events, you will receive your shirt, race bib, and medal in the mail in about 3-4 weeks. You can complete your 5K at anytime and anywhere you choose. They have several great virtual events going on now, such as the Aloha 5K/10K where donations go to the Maui Strong Fund.

I now prefer running outside over a treadmill. And the best thing about running outdoors? It’s a lot harder to quit!! You have to get back home, so you have no other choice but to keep moving! The second best thing is soaking up all the Vitamin D!

So, throughout my fitness journey, one thing remains constant. Music is an essential tool for my motivation and perseverance. It has helped me tremendously in my training. I create playlists specifically for running and organize the songs in a way to keep my momentum going. Yes, I’m a nerd and get really excited about going out for the next run just to listen to my new tunes. But, hey, if it gets me off the couch, I’m all for it!!

Making your own playlist is simple enough, but I like to put a little more effort into it and match up the beat of each song to the speed I want to be moving. Tempo is what we refer to as the speed of music. Each tempo has a beats per minute range that it falls into. For example, moderato is defined as “moderately.” Any song between 108-120 beats per minute is considered moderato. A metronome is a device that ticks a steady beat to keep time. If you have a metronome handy (or download a free app), you can use it to help you determine the beats per minute of a song. Focus on the drum beat and set the metronome to match the beats. This may take a little adjusting to get the correct beat.

I created a playlist to help me gear up for a 5K when I haven’t been running as much. The majority of these songs fall in either andante (walking speed) or moderato tempo. I designed the list to alternate between walking and running. “Eye of the Tiger” starts me off and I use the length of that song as a walking warm-up. That leads into “Get on Your Feet” where I start a light jog. And I specifically used that song there for a little extra motivation! The songs are ordered as one walking song and then two running songs, with the exception of two walking songs at the end. There are 17 songs on the list with the total time being a little over an hour, so plenty of time to get those steps in!

Feel free to use this list, add your own songs to it, move songs around, etc. As I get more into “running shape,” I move the faster tempo songs all together to keep up my speed. You can most certainly jog to the songs on the list I used for “walking,” as well.

Get my 5K Training Playlist here!

Happy running!

My Running Essentials:

How I Use Music to Train for a 5K

How Music Can Benefit Your Overall Wellness in 4 Key Areas