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Music Monday: Celebrate Munford 5K Playlist

This week's Music Monday is my playlist from my most recent race, the Celebrate Munford 5K.
This is something that I've wanted to do for a while. I mention in these posts from time to time about songs being on a playlist. I thought I would write about my playlist for my most recent 5K.
I am starting this post a few days before the race. I am giving the details of why and how I chose these songs. After the race I will go back and finish the post with how the songs affected me.
When I make a playlist for a race like this I try to do a few things: have a song to warm up with, songs that push me to run harder, and a song for how I feel once I have finished the race. The songs build up from "slower" to "insane".

Here goes:

1. "Where Are You" - Our Lady Peace
I chose this song to warm up with. Most times I'll go with a song that has a lot of "swagger". Something that kinda conveys a sense of confidence. Usually a rap song like the WWE's John Cena's theme song. Less than a week before the race I decided to go with Eminem's "Lose Yourself" because I really was having a feeling of starting the race the way the song starts. On Tuesday night my son got hurt playing baseball. He took a line drive to the thumb from the hardest hitter in his league. It wasn't anything bad, he just thought it was worse than it was. My wife told him to stop thinking that everything is going to hurt it. He already had the mindset that the worst case scenario was about to happen. Soooooo, he gets it honestly. I already played out how the race was gonna go and decided it was gonna be bad. I decided that instead this song, "Where Are You", was perfect. It always makes me feel better and helps push back against my self doubt.

POST-RACE: I really didn't get to listen to the song much. I got to talk to a few friends and met a really cool runner at the starting line. It helped calm my nerves, maybe more than the song would have.

The next two songs should get me through Mile 1. Both of these songs are heavy but not overly fast. They are picked to get a good start but not so fast that I can't keep my pace. My goal is to get negative splits, in other words, get faster each mile. These get me going but keep me from getting out too fast.

2. "Fire It Up" - Thousand Foot Krutch
This was one of my Music Monday posts. Perfect song to start a race!

3. "Rocket Skates" - Deftones
This song has just been stuck in my head for a while now. I considered it for the first song on the playlist but decided it was a good song for the end of mile 1.

POST-RACE: "Fire It Up" is really the best song to start off with and "Rocket Skates" helped keep me from getting out too fast.

The next two songs are for mile 2. They pick the pace up a little you could say.

4. "Adrenaline" - Shinedown
This is a great song to start picking up the pace. "Give me the wheel, so we can move a little faster". "I need a shot again, that sweet adrenaline." Enough said!

5. "...To Be Loved" - Papa Roach
Here is another adrenaline shot. There a ton of great lines in this song. This song gets me so jacked that as I write about each song I listen to it....and it's hard to sit still listening to this one. It kinda expresses my feeling every time I run a race.

POST-RACE: These are really two great workout songs. Make sure you take the time to listen to them. They were perfect for what I needed!

The next three songs are for Mile 3. If the previous two songs were adrenaline boosters then these next three are rocket fuel.

6. "Scream Aim Fire" - Bullet For My Valentine
Another high energy song. My favorite part: "The only way out is to die!" I love this song as a workout song and for races like this.

7.  "Dig" - Mudvayne
OK. Toward the end of this song is where I should finish. This is all-time favorite. It's hard not to give everything you've got when you hear "DIG FOR EVERYTHING!" and "COME ON MOTHERFUCKER DIG!"

8. "Ricochet" - Primer 55
Now, If something happens that I don't finish on "Dig" this song is just straight insanity piped into my eardrum to get me there. The song is only a minute and a half. But it's an insane minute and a half.

POST-RACE: I actually finished on "Ricochet". But it was at the beginning when the guitars and screaming kick in so I was fine with it.

Now we get into the mood music section of my playlist. Depending on how my run goes, I don't know if I mentioned that doing really well in this race is absolutely important.

9. "People=Shit" - Slipknot
This song is another insane song. If I don't finish with one of the previous songs this will likely be my attitude. I'll be a little more than pissed and this song will be my outlet. Then when I'm done pouting I'll hug my kids and get over myself.

10. "This Fire Burns" - Killswitch Engage
I added this song in case there is an issue with injury or something else that makes finishing difficult. This song played at the end of a half marathon once when I was really struggling. It's now a go-to song for me anytime I'm struggling. "Even through the darkest days, this fire burns, always." If I need a rally this is it.


11. "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide" - ZZ Top
This is the ideal song to listen to after I cross the finish line. If I'm rocking this song something went right.

POST-RACE: Well, I didn't do as well as I hoped (I never do!) but I was happy with my effort. I thought everything went well. The knee felt great. My breathing was a little heavy, but I didn't feel tired. My body felt great. I was happy "enough" with how I did. So ZZ Top it was!

That's it! 11 songs that I chose from over five hours worth of possible songs to use. Hope you enjoyed a look into how I pick my playlists for races.

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