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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.
The aesthetic of March is supposedly “in like a lion, out like a lamb,” according to elementary school anecdotes. Meaning the weather conditions in the beginning of the month aren’t ideal, and they’ll likely clear up closer to April Fool’s Day. Regardless, training season is upon us, and these old farmer’s almanac sayings likely won’t help you predict the weather when it comes time for the long run or race you’ve got scheduled.
With the Boston Marathon, the NYC Half Marathon, and local St. Patrick’s Day races right around the corner, pushing through your run is more important now than ever, no matter the weather. This means you’ll likely be cranking up the tunes and traversing the neighborhood while completing your fair share of speed and long runs.
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To aid in that endeavor, this month’s playlist was designed by me with a special focus on pace and long runs. This list is comprised of songs with a tempo of 150 beats per minute (bpm). This way you can lock into a pace pretty easily and run for 90 minutes without having to press repeat, unless you really want to. Keep in mind, a consistent pace will make training easier, and prevent wonky times from mile to mile, so you can better prepare.
In the ’70s and ’80s rock bands and artists favored this tempo, so our March playlist is stacked with everything from Billy Joel and The Cars to The Police and David Bowie. At 150 bpm these songs are a bit slower, and they’ll accommodate your long-distance runs.
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.
