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Whether you’re running outside or just hitting the treadmill, good music can often make the difference between a rave run and a blown goal. That’s why we’re putting together 90-minute playlists each month chock-full of songs with enough of a beat to keep you moving. For even more tunes, check out our list of the best running songs.
February is the shortest month of the year, but that doesn’t mean it’s less eventful. This month we will cherish our significant others on Valentine’s Day and honor Presidents with a three-day weekend. Also, we learn if this winter season will be cut short, or extended by six weeks on Groundhog’s Day, all while celebrating Black History Month.
For runners, this month is extra special because it is the final month of winter, meaning the need to bundle up before runs and schedule around winter weather is coming to an end. If you’re preparing to run a spring marathon like Tokyo, Boston, or London, this is a month for long training runs and adding on the mileage.
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Aside from the boxes of chocolates, baklavas, Punxsutawney paraphernalia, and training, this month we will honor and celebrate African American culture. From food, film, and music to technological advancements and scientific inventions, African Americans have been integral to making the world a better place, and that includes the running community. We will always remember great achievements accomplished by black runners like Ted Corrbitt, the first African American man to represent the U.S. in the Olympic marathon, and Marilyn Bevans, the first Black woman to run a sub-3-hour marathon.
But also, we’d like to share some of the best old school songs created by Black artists to help you get through all of your runs this month. From Motown bands like The Temptations and The Supremes to disco hitmakers like Donna Summer and Sylvester, Black musicians have been on the cutting edge of music since recordings began. This playlist featuring hits from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s is a throwback playlist that will hopefully give you plenty of motivation to keep you moving through the training season.
Matthew Huff is a freelance writer and runner, and he is the author of MARATHONER: What to Expect When Training for and Running a Marathon, published by Rizzoli Publications. His writing has appeared in Runner's World and BuzzFeed among others, and he is the cohost of “P.S. You’re Wrong: A Pop Culture Podcast.” Originally from Michigan, he now lives and runs in New York City, where he is pursuing a career as an expert chicken tender taster.
