I’m David Dack, a running coach, and I’ve had my fair share of ups and downs with running playlists.
I used to be that guy slogging it out on a treadmill, drenched in sweat, bored out of my mind—until Eminem’s Lose Yourself dropped. Instantly, I went from dragging my feet to charging like I was training for the final round of a Rocky movie.
That moment hit me hard: music changes everything.
Funny thing—I once wrote a post claiming “real runners” should ditch headphones. Bold take, yeah. But truth is, I’ve seen firsthand how the right song at the right moment can turn a run around.
It’s not just hype either. Research shows music you enjoy can lift your mood by up to 20% and push back fatigue by as much as 15%. That means more miles, less mental suffering.
Studies back it up. Music lowers your perceived effort, boosts your endurance, and helps you zone out when things get gritty. I’ve seen it on the roads, on trails, and in my own training.
It’s like rhythm therapy—your own personal fuel injection when the tank runs low.
Why Music Hits So Hard on the Run
Humans are wired to respond to sound. According to sports psychologist Dr. Costas Karageorghis, music lights up the part of your brain that gets you moving and feeling good.
Ever felt a second wind the moment your favorite track hits? That’s not coincidence. That’s dopamine doing its thing.
In one study, runners listening to upbeat tracks saw their effort drop by around 12%, and they lasted up to 15% longer.
Another trial? Runners covered 10% more distance and clocked faster paces when using their own playlists. Even blood lactate—a marker of fatigue—dropped 9%.
That’s not just feel-good fluff. That’s real physiological change.
And get this—cyclists who matched their cadence to the beat used about 7% less oxygen. That’s like finding extra gas in the tank halfway through your tempo run.
I’ve seen it firsthand too. I’ve watched clients dragging through mile 7 suddenly perk up when AC/DC or Kendrick Lamar comes on. Their stride loosens. Their posture pops back up.
The music pulls them out of the pit.
A great playlist doesn’t just hype you up. It keeps you moving.
It turns “I want to quit” into “I’ll finish this damn mile.”
And that’s a win in my book.
The BPM Trick – Turn Your Music Into a Running Coach
Let’s talk BPM—beats per minute. This isn’t some fancy DJ trick.
It’s your secret weapon.
Every song has a tempo. And when that tempo matches your running cadence, it’s like flipping a switch.
Dr. Karageorghis (yep, same guy) found that syncing your movement to music makes you more energy-efficient.
Cyclists who pedaled in time with the beat used 7% less oxygen. Runners benefit too—better rhythm, smoother strides, less effort.
Here’s how to dial it in:
- Easy runs or warm-ups: Shoot for 120–125 BPM.
- Tempo efforts: Try 140–145 BPM.
- High-cadence turnover or sprints: Go 150–180 BPM.
Think of it like gears on a bike.
Different BPMs match different run efforts.
Want to go fast? Crank the tempo.
Want to chill? Drop it down.
Spotify and Apple Music have curated playlists with BPM listed. Spotify even hits the 180 BPM mark for elite leg turnover.
Tools like SongBPM.com or Tunebat let you check song tempos too.
If you’re not sure what your natural cadence is, try this: on your next run count how many times your right foot hits the ground in 60 seconds, double it. That’s your steps per minute. Now match that with your music.
But don’t jump your cadence too fast. Janet Hamilton, a seasoned running coach and researcher, warns that increasing your steps-per-minute too quickly—more than 5%—can backfire and spike injury risk.
Make It Personal – Build a Playlist That Matches You
This part’s key. Don’t just grab a “Top 40 Workout Songs” playlist and call it a day. That’s like wearing someone else’s running shoes—it might get the job done, but it won’t feel right.
I tell my runners this: your playlist should be as personal as your training plan.
Think about what you need during a run. Do you want to focus? Escape? Rage it out?
Some of us are “associators”—we tune into our pace, breathing, form. Others are “dissociators”—we run to zone out and forget everything.
A study featured in Women’s Running dives into this. If you’re the focused type, you’ll want music that supports your rhythm and pacing. If you’re in it for the flow, pick tunes that transport you somewhere else.
I’ve got playlists for every mood:
- Angry Run: Slipknot. Rage Against the Machine. Let it out.
- Chill Recovery: Lo-fi beats, maybe some mellow indie.
- Long Run Hypetrain: EDM and party tracks. Just ride the wave.
- Nostalgia Flow: Old-school hits that remind me why I run.
Heck, I even throw in pop bangers like “Call Me Maybe” for cadence work. Judge me, but it works. That beat hits just right.
Keep notes. Pay attention. “This track gave me goosebumps at mile 3.” “This one snapped me out of the pain cave.” Over time, your playlist becomes more than music—it’s mental armor.
The Song That Flipped the Switch
Let me tell you about a moment I’ll never forget.
I was two weeks deep into marathon training, dead in the middle of a long, boring run. One of those grind-it-out sessions where your brain wants to tap out way before your legs do.
Then suddenly—boom—“Lose Yourself” hits my ears. And I swear, something shifted. I locked into the beat like I was chasing a version of me I’d only seen in a dream—strong, sharp, unbreakable.
My pace dropped by 30 seconds per mile, no joke, and I held it for five straight miles like I had a jetpack strapped to my back.
That one song didn’t just save the run. It changed the whole block of training. It reminded me of who I wanted to be out there.
Music isn’t just background noise. When it hits right, it becomes part of your run’s story. It turns into a coach in your ear, whispering, “You’ve got more.” I’ve had whole runs turn around because of one song. I’ve turned rough weeks into momentum simply because the right track dropped when I needed it most.
For me, my “last-mile anthem” is still Eye of the Tiger. Yeah, I know—it’s played out. But every time that riff starts, my legs remember how to fight. It’s my go-to when I’ve got nothing left but pride.
So I’m flipping it back to you—what’s your anthem?
That one track that never fails to lift you when you’re dragging? The one you save for race day or that last climb?
Drop it in the comments. Or post it with the tag #SoundtrackMyRun. Your power song might be the push someone else needs on their next brutal tempo run.
Let’s build each other’s playlists.
Keep chasing the rhythm. And keep running strong.