Running Playlist

So, I have a confession. I don't actually run with music, but if I did these songs would totally be on my playlist. The majority (if not all) of these songs are pretty old, like my high school years old, but whatever. If you don't like music or don't care which songs I like, then you could totally just skip over the next part and read yet another of my running stories.

 - Action: Blink 182
- Afterlife: Avenged Sevenfold
- Anywhere But Here: Rise Against
- Be My Escape: Relient K
- Best of Me: The Starting Line
- Break Out! Break Out!: All Time Low
- Coffee Shop Soundtrack: All Time Low
- The Curse of Curves: Cute is what We Aim For
- Damn Regret: The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
- Dancing for Rain: Rise Against
- Hands Down: Dashboard Confessional
- Dear Maria Count Me In: All Time Low
- Do You Feel: The Rocket Summer
- Everything is Alright: Motion City Soundtrack
- Face Down: The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
- First Time: Lifehouse
- The Great Escape: Boys Like Girls
- I Don't Care: Apocalyptica
- I'm Ready: Jacks Mannequin
- I'm Real: The Starting Line
- Justify: The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
- LG Faud: Motion City Soundtrack
- A Little Less Sixteen Candles, A Little More "Touch Me": Fall Out Boy
- Lullabies: All Time Low
- Meant to Live: Switchfoot
- The Mixed Tape: Jacks Mannequin
- Mr. Brightside: The Killers
- Ocean Avenue: Yellowcard
- One Year Six Months: Yellowcard
- Paper Wings: Rise Against
- Pulp Fiction: Motion City Soundtrack
- Running from Lions: All Time Low
- Save Tonight: Eagle Eye Cherry
- Seventy Times Seven: Brand New
- Since You've Been Gone: Kelly Clarkson
- Slow Dance with a Stranger: Danger Radio
- Swing Life Away: Rise Against
- Teasing to Please: Cute is What We Aim For
- There's a Class for This: Cute is What We Aim For
- This is for Real: Motion City Soundtrack
- Time After Time: Quietdrive
- We Used to be Friends: The Dandy Warhols
- Where is your Boy Tonight?: Fall Out Boy
- Who I am Hates Who I've Been: Relient K

I hate getting asked what my favorite type of music is, or what's my favorite band. I don't know what type of music I like, and I have absolutely no clue what my favorite band is. Those are seriously the worst icebreaker questions. Just so you know.

I know you must be thinking, "Courtney, if you don't run with music, then why the heck do you have a running playlist?". Well, that's simply because when I'm driving I connect my iPod to my car's stereo and everyone once in awhile the perfect upbeat song comes on and I immediately have the urge to go running.

I'll admit though, I used to need music to run. But it was much easier then because I was already running with my phone to track my pace/distance, so bringing a set of ear buds with me wasn't that difficult. Now that I track my runs with a watch rather than my phone, I no longer have a music device attached to me. Yes, I could still put my phone or iPod in an armband in addition to wearing a watch, but I truly don't have the desire to do that. Wearing an armband has always bugged me; it slips and slides, and I was constantly readjusting the Velcro every mile or so. Armbands aren't for me.

I've learned to enjoy running with no noise. I do enjoy talking to people on my runs (it's also a good indicator when I can carry a conversation without being out of breath!), but I also appreciate silence and fully taking in my surroundings. When I first starting running last summer I was dumbfounded to see how few people actually listen to music. I thought they were crazy. How could someone make themselves run for an hour and be bored!?! Well, slowly I stopped listening to music and being music-less has never been an issue for me since.

Basically, when I started running I needed to run. I ran because I needed to exercise; I needed to be physically active even though I despised cranking out miles on my feet. I needed something to distract me from how much time was still remaining. Slowly though, I've come to actually like running. I love lacing up my running shoes (because they're so comfortable and squishy!) and getting my miles in. Even though running still feels like a chore sometimes and I skip more midweek workouts than I should, I actually (usually) enjoy each experience.

Back to music though. While I have sworn off music while running for awhile now, I'm considering buying an iPod Shuffle for those times when I just need that extra push to get out there. Plus, they're so tiny and cute! An added bonus, they're so lightweight!