Running Music

Some songs have the perfect beat. Some have the inspiring words. Some have the passion in the rhythm and tune. Some have the sentimental adrenaline boost. Everyone has their own songs to pump them up, to get the adrenaline going. The theme from "Chariots of Fire" falls in the passion category and is one of my many adrenaline boosting songs. It's really the exception for me, because it's usually all about the beat. Here's a few that get my legs going or amp me up:

I Like To Move It (preferably lemur version!)
Disturbed - Indestructible
Elizabeth & The Catapult - Race You
Eminem - Lose Yourself
Godsmack - Awake
House of Pain - Jump Around
Ill-Famed - Bison Anthem (yeah, that's right, son)
Katrina & The Waves - Walking on Sunshine
Kenny Loggins - Danger Zone
The Knux - Bang! Bang!
Lenny Kravitz - Fly Away
Marky Mark & The Funky Bunch - Good Vibrations
MC Hammer - U Can't Touch This
Muse - Uprising
Nelly - #1
Nickelback - One Last Run
Rusted Root - Send Me On My Way
Rusted Root - Ecstasy
Shakira - Waka Waka (This Time For Africa)
Steppenwolf - Born To Be Wild
Survivor - Eye of the Tiger
Trapt - Headstrong
U2 - Elevation [Remix]
White Stripes - Seven Nation Army

Special Meaning and a few "standards"
Augustana - Boston
Cake - The Distance
Gonna Fly Now (Rocky Theme)
Europe - The Final Countdown
Top Gun Anthem
Smash Mouth - All Star
Van Halen - Runnin' With The Devil
Vangelis - Chariots of Fire

Other Good Up-tempo Songs (some may be a little unusual)
BTO - You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet
Bee Gees - You Should Be Dancing
Billy Idol - Rebel Yell
Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears - Boogie
Bon Jovi - Livin' On A Prayer
Bon Jovi - Have A Nice Day
Boston - Smokin'
Bruce Springsteen - Dancin' in the Dark
C+C Music Factory - Gonna Make You Sweat
Chumbawumba - Tubthumping
Darude - Sandstorm
Dead or Alive - You Spin Me Round
Doobie Brothers - Rockin' Down the Highway
Doobie Brothers - Long Train Running
ELO - Don't Bring Me Down
Eric Clapton - After Midnight
Fastball - You're An Ocean
Gloria Estefan - Conga
Goldfinger - Superman
Great Big Sea - Jolly Beggarman
Green Day - American Idiot
Guns N' Roses - Welcome to the Jungle
Hanson - Where's the Love
The Hives - Hate to Say I Told You So
J. Geils Band - Freeze-Frame
Jamiroquai - Canned Heat
Janelle Monae - Tightrope
Jerry Lee Lewis - Great Balls of Fire
Jet - Are You Gonna Be My Girl
John Mellencamp - R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.
Johnny Rivers - Secret Agent Man
KC & The Sunshine Band - Get Down Tonight
Kenny Loggins - I'm Alright
Led Zeppelin - Immigrant Song
Mary J. Blige - Family Affair
Michael Franti & Spearhead - Say Hey (I Love You)
Mighty Mighty Bosstones - The Impression That I Get
Mitch Ryder & Detroit Wheels - Devil With A Blue Dress On
Nelly - E.I.
Nina Sky - Move Ya Body
Outkast - Bombs Over Baghdad
Peaches & Herbs - Shake Your Groove Thing
Pointer Sisters - I'm So Excited
Prince - 1999
Quad City DJ's - C'mon N' Ride It (The Train)
Queen - Another One Bites the Dust
Ram Jam - Black Betty
Rednex - Cotton Eye Joe
Robert Palmer - Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)
Robin S - Givin' U All That I've Got
Rodrigo y Gabriela - Hora Zero
The Romantics - What I Like About You
Sasquatch - Rattlesnake Flake
Shalim - Se Me Olvidó Tu Nombre
Social Distortion - California (Hustle & Flow)
Spencer Davis Group - I'm A Man
Spin Doctors - Off My Line
Steve Miller Band - Rock 'N Me
Stray Cats - Rock This Town
Suicide Machines - No Face
The Ting Tings - Shut Up & Let Me Go
Todd Rundgren - Bang the Drum All Day
Trammps - Disco Inferno
U2 - Beautiful Day
Van Halen - On Fire
Van Halen - Jump
Village People - YMCA
Will Smith - Gettin' Jiggy Wit It
Will Smith - Miami
ZZ Top - Gimme All Your Lovin'
ZZ Top - Sharp Dressed Man
2 Unlimited - Get Ready For This
2 Unlimited - The Twilight Zone [Rave Edit]

...and anything else techno/dance or disco usually works...haha

Any good suggestions out there? I need some more/better songs! Pleeeease :)

U-S-A! U-S-A!

If you haven't been watching USA in the Women's World Cup, you're missing out. Playing a (wo)man down for almost an hour against Brazil in the quarterfinals, they scored in the final minute...third minute of added time...in extra time... to tie the game and went on to win in penalties (i.e. shootout, for all you non-futbol fans (i.e. non-soccer fans, for all us Americans!)). Heck of an inspiring comeback. Then this afternoon they scored the go-ahead goal late (78') and went on to beat France 3-1 for a spot in the finals. Another exciting, well-played game. Luckily, Wednesday is my work-from-home day, so I got to watch! GO USA!!

It's hard to not get goosebumps and be inspired watching games like that. I also have been watching a little bit of the Tour de France. Or, as you might call it this year, Tour de Crash. That must mean I'm now a triathlete nerd instead of a running nerd? :) But I'll always be a runner first.

That said, I made 600m straight in the pool this morning! If it was a 750m race like my sprint tri in 2.5 weeks will be, except in the pool, I could have made it. Considering when I started 3 months ago, I could barely do 50m, I'd say it's quite an improvement!

Without Limits

I watched Without Limits recently, one of the movies about running legend Steve Prefontaine. I thought Prefontaine was a little better, and maybe that's because I saw that one first. Maybe I was expecting too much, as I had heard Without Limits was the best one (or maybe just the most popular?). Without Limits seemed short. Like everything was glossed over and characters that weren't developed enough (look at me the movie critic). Surprise! Without Limits is 11 minutes longer. Huh.

Either way, the dude was a beast. I similarly pride myself on heart and guts, but I wish I had that speed to make it even more meaningful.

I did chuckle at Frank Shorter's role in the movie. No, not the guy who played Frank Shorter. The guy that Frank Shorter played. Go figure he would play someone besides himself in the movie...

Next up, Fire on the Track.