I am not really running anymore. No...I have not given up on running but I have taken a very short break. I did a couple of kilometres two days ago and then worked out quite a bit but I have scaled way back in the past two weeks. Mostly because it's festival season but also because I needed to break away from running a bit and relax just a bit. Regroup and recharge. Of course all that ends this weekend. Am attending a running workshop and should be fun. I will blog about it once I am done with both days but it has to do with running form and running well. I want to put an end to injuries, so I am very much looking forward to this. Once that workshop is over, I will be back on the training wagon, running consistently and gymming as well. As of tomorrow my little semi-vacation is over. I for one am glad that I am getting back to running but am also glad that I took a break. I really needed my body to chill and relax a bit.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Ugh my diet
I have started noticing that in the recent weeks, my junk food to healthy food ratio is absolutely skewered. Am having too much junk food and just because am not putting on weight does not mean my body is not feeling the after effects. Sooner or later (the way am going am sure it's sooner), it's going to catch up to me. I am very worried. I need proteins, carbs and loads of fibre and you don't get that from a bhel puri (go figure).
More peanuts. Bananas when I am hungry. A glass of milk in the morning and no more milk and cheese only after a long run. I also have cut out chips from my life. I hardly ever eat pizza anymore but have been eating nearly one packet of chips a day (at least which I know is the worst thing I could do to myself). I need to bring some healthy snacks from home to quench my hunger in the afternoons at work. Just because working out makes me hungry does not mean I have to eat all the time. And I really need to eat healthy. Am going to keep a food diary on this blog along with my running one.
P.S I finally ran a bit yesterday for 20 minutes. The muscles have finally loosened up. And I worked out hard at the gym. My body is absolutely recovered and I am bloody thankful. This weekend am hoping to do anywhere between 12-15kms. I am so grateful for my physiotherapist, Dr Gladson. He really changed my life :)
More peanuts. Bananas when I am hungry. A glass of milk in the morning and no more milk and cheese only after a long run. I also have cut out chips from my life. I hardly ever eat pizza anymore but have been eating nearly one packet of chips a day (at least which I know is the worst thing I could do to myself). I need to bring some healthy snacks from home to quench my hunger in the afternoons at work. Just because working out makes me hungry does not mean I have to eat all the time. And I really need to eat healthy. Am going to keep a food diary on this blog along with my running one.
P.S I finally ran a bit yesterday for 20 minutes. The muscles have finally loosened up. And I worked out hard at the gym. My body is absolutely recovered and I am bloody thankful. This weekend am hoping to do anywhere between 12-15kms. I am so grateful for my physiotherapist, Dr Gladson. He really changed my life :)
Monday, October 7, 2013
Come on women....run!
I had a conversation with a friend on Twitter last night that had me both laughing and puzzled last night. She told me one of her friends said that if women take up running, then their breasts will start to sag. Of course my friend is far too smart to believe in nonsense like that but it got me thinking. I really do not see too many female runners in races. Even in my own running group, I can count the number of women with one hand. For me running is not about winning. I know that I will never have podium finishes but for me taking part in a race is the best part of running. The atmosphere, the challenge, the community...it's brilliant. But there are simply not enough women here.
I generally see a couple women ahead of me and maybe one or two behind and I pace with the men most of the time. At long stretches I don't see any women at all. I find this really distressing because I think women make for great runners. Here are the list of reasons why I think, if you are a girl or a woman, you need to find the perfect pair of running shoes and head out of home.
You can handle the pain
If you think you won't be able to handle the exhaustion or find the energy for a run - think again. Physiologically and mentally women can handle a lot more than our male counterparts. Honest to god do you think any of our male friends will be able to handle one day in the parlour? I don't think most of my male friends will be able to survive even getting their eyebrows done and they run as fast as cheetahs. We can take the pain and we generally even push through it. So, why not show how tough you really are on the trail?
Be selfish
One married friend of mine told me that I should enjoy activities like running and trekking now because once I get married I will have to give up them all up. She just seemed so sure about it and it made me very sad. But then I know some wonderful women (Deepa Bhat I am looking at you!), who inspire by being great moms, friends, runners and everything else. My own mum has plenty of hobbies and passion projects that have nothing to do with the rest of us. Why aren't you entitled to your own me time? Run when you can and slowly your family will start recognising your passion and start accommodating your needs as well.
You have the time
Saying that you don't have the time is the worst excuse on earth. We make time for everything else in life including shopping, movies, television, beauty parlour visits, hanging out with friends but we can't find an hour to run? Really? You can sleep a little earlier and wake up a little earlier. I used to have that excuse all the time. For me it was about late night football matches followed by hours sitting arguing about the game on Twitter, so I convinced myself that I had no energy to get up in the mornings for runs. Now I don't Tweet after matches much (a girl has still got to Tweet!) and I only watch the important games. That under-21 game between 'club no one cares about' and 'club you don't know anything about' is not worth giving up your sleep. Oh and I have all but given up on cricket. My favourite players have retired and it hurts my eyes to see Dhoni's haircuts. Easiest decision made. Stop doing things you don't like anymore. It is as simple as that.
Cute guys
Okay so this is really shallow but ladies you will never find couch potatoes on a run. Every one of those guys there are either trying to get in shape or are already in the best shape possible. They lead healthy lifestyles. Most runners I know do not smoke which means you don't risk lung cancer any time soon. Also when you feel like dying on your feet, looking at a cute guy and commenting on his cute shoes does not hurt anyone. And when the cute guy flirts back, it's a total and harmless win. Why not?
*Side note to cute guys: If I have ever run with you and have mentioned your shoes, it means I think you are cute.
*Side note to the not so cute guys: Um....sometimes I just want to know about the shoes.....
You appreciate your body
You become very aware of your body. You become aware of what you're putting in and what's coming out (I know gross but you start caring about these things!). Every little pain gets treated immediately. You start listening to the signals being sent by your body. But running is not a vanity fitness project I must warn you. It's disgusting. When you're running, you generally do not look your best. You are outside so people see you looking haggard and sweating.
Nothing falls off!
To those who think the boobs start sagging (because gross), I have one answer for you - buy decent sports bra and you are set. Either way nothing falls off. Everything firms up as far as I can tell. You become stronger. But yes to be honest when you train hard sometimes your toenails fall off and some of your toenails turn black. On top of that you get feet blisters if you have sensitive skin like mine. But those blisters are war wounds and reminders that you are one tough cookie. So when you have a bad day, think of the time when your toenail fell off and you kept running anyway. It puts things in perspective immediately.
Men can't have all the fun
You get shiny medals at the end of races. You can eat all you want (well keep it relatively healthy) and running makes sure you still fit into those jeans you had back in college. And the best part about running? It's so much fun! You get to be with nature and appreciate things like sunrises and sunsets. You strap on your favourite music on your iPod and you get to really appreciate being alive. Why just let men enjoy that?
So ladies, run. I promise you, you will not regret it! Happy running.
I generally see a couple women ahead of me and maybe one or two behind and I pace with the men most of the time. At long stretches I don't see any women at all. I find this really distressing because I think women make for great runners. Here are the list of reasons why I think, if you are a girl or a woman, you need to find the perfect pair of running shoes and head out of home.
 |
| My ugliest pic and I never cared cause that run was fun! |
You can handle the pain
If you think you won't be able to handle the exhaustion or find the energy for a run - think again. Physiologically and mentally women can handle a lot more than our male counterparts. Honest to god do you think any of our male friends will be able to handle one day in the parlour? I don't think most of my male friends will be able to survive even getting their eyebrows done and they run as fast as cheetahs. We can take the pain and we generally even push through it. So, why not show how tough you really are on the trail?
Be selfish
One married friend of mine told me that I should enjoy activities like running and trekking now because once I get married I will have to give up them all up. She just seemed so sure about it and it made me very sad. But then I know some wonderful women (Deepa Bhat I am looking at you!), who inspire by being great moms, friends, runners and everything else. My own mum has plenty of hobbies and passion projects that have nothing to do with the rest of us. Why aren't you entitled to your own me time? Run when you can and slowly your family will start recognising your passion and start accommodating your needs as well.
You have the time
Saying that you don't have the time is the worst excuse on earth. We make time for everything else in life including shopping, movies, television, beauty parlour visits, hanging out with friends but we can't find an hour to run? Really? You can sleep a little earlier and wake up a little earlier. I used to have that excuse all the time. For me it was about late night football matches followed by hours sitting arguing about the game on Twitter, so I convinced myself that I had no energy to get up in the mornings for runs. Now I don't Tweet after matches much (a girl has still got to Tweet!) and I only watch the important games. That under-21 game between 'club no one cares about' and 'club you don't know anything about' is not worth giving up your sleep. Oh and I have all but given up on cricket. My favourite players have retired and it hurts my eyes to see Dhoni's haircuts. Easiest decision made. Stop doing things you don't like anymore. It is as simple as that.
Cute guys
Okay so this is really shallow but ladies you will never find couch potatoes on a run. Every one of those guys there are either trying to get in shape or are already in the best shape possible. They lead healthy lifestyles. Most runners I know do not smoke which means you don't risk lung cancer any time soon. Also when you feel like dying on your feet, looking at a cute guy and commenting on his cute shoes does not hurt anyone. And when the cute guy flirts back, it's a total and harmless win. Why not?
*Side note to cute guys: If I have ever run with you and have mentioned your shoes, it means I think you are cute.
*Side note to the not so cute guys: Um....sometimes I just want to know about the shoes.....
You appreciate your body
You become very aware of your body. You become aware of what you're putting in and what's coming out (I know gross but you start caring about these things!). Every little pain gets treated immediately. You start listening to the signals being sent by your body. But running is not a vanity fitness project I must warn you. It's disgusting. When you're running, you generally do not look your best. You are outside so people see you looking haggard and sweating.
Nothing falls off!
To those who think the boobs start sagging (because gross), I have one answer for you - buy decent sports bra and you are set. Either way nothing falls off. Everything firms up as far as I can tell. You become stronger. But yes to be honest when you train hard sometimes your toenails fall off and some of your toenails turn black. On top of that you get feet blisters if you have sensitive skin like mine. But those blisters are war wounds and reminders that you are one tough cookie. So when you have a bad day, think of the time when your toenail fell off and you kept running anyway. It puts things in perspective immediately.
Men can't have all the fun
You get shiny medals at the end of races. You can eat all you want (well keep it relatively healthy) and running makes sure you still fit into those jeans you had back in college. And the best part about running? It's so much fun! You get to be with nature and appreciate things like sunrises and sunsets. You strap on your favourite music on your iPod and you get to really appreciate being alive. Why just let men enjoy that?
So ladies, run. I promise you, you will not regret it! Happy running.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
99 problems but half marathon ain't one!
I MADE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am now officially a half marathoner! Of course the road to making this happen was paved with best intentions and a ton of problems and self doubt as my blog clearly indicates. In fact this time last week I had all but decided to quit because I just did not think my body could take it. But turns out I am tougher than I thought I was. I am really proud of myself. I remember back to last year when I had to quit running (I only ran about 4-5kms a day) because of my knee pain. And then I think back to the Pinkathon in April of this year when running 10kms felt like the end of the world. And now if I could bottle up that feeling I had when I sprinted the finish line on October 6th 2013, am sure it will cure depression for all mankind.
I still have no idea how that person managed to complete a half marathon in two hours and thirty minutes. It would have been at least 10 minutes faster had it not been for the fact I was victim to something that I had always read about but had never encountered personally - the dreaded runner's stomach. You see the previous day I had sore throat and a little bit of cold. I also had stomach cramps because....well you can guess why. This is not how I wanted my first half marathon to be. I wanted to be fresh and raring to go instead the previous day I was tired, cramped up and exhausted. I had little lunch. A cup of milk in the afternoon and light early dinner. And then I crashed at around 10.30-11 pm. I had to wake up at 3.30 to stretch because I stretched only once on Saturday.
I woke up Sunday and I was not remotely nervous. I took a bath, wore my race day clothes, secured my running bib, stretched and popped in a pain killer (generally on those days my stomach cramps get so bad that I can't even get out of bed and here I was planning to run 21.1 kms with this....awesome). I had one banana, two visits to the bathroom and half a chocolate bar for energy. I reached the venue and realised one major thing - my stomach was definitely not feeling good. I rushed to one of the portable bathrooms the organisers had installed at the venue and figured that my problems were solved. Except I had no idea that I was going to be victim to the runner's stomach. I have never had it before, so I had no way to compare it with anything in my life.
So let me tell you - it's not fun. I nearly dropped out of the race. On the 8km aid station I practically broke down in tears. I wanted to know if there were any portable restrooms on the way for the runners. Turns out there weren't. But the good news was that the 8km aid station was right next to a mall. The mall manager (god bless this man) quickly took me to the rest room in the mall's underground parking station. My stomach still felt a bit off for the rest of the race but it was never quite as bad again. And in the process I lost 10 whole minutes of my time and that really sucks because that means I would have completed as early as 2.20. Oh well. Lesson learnt.
But the weirdest part was that my left leg while always threatening to erupt in pain, never did. I stretched a bit at the 14k mark and it hurt for about 10 minutes but suddenly it went away. It went away till I crossed the finish line! It kept away after I finished stretching. The only thing is I felt a bad twinge after coming back home (sitting in an uncomfortable position during the train journey for 7 straight hours can do that to you!). But this morning I feel completely recovered and strong. The leg pain is there but minimal and I only feel it while walking up the staircase. That also should be gone by tomorrow because I have scheduled nearly an hour long stretching session in the evening at the gym.
Anyway back to the race day. Throughout the run I had wonderful thoughts running through my head. I could not believe I had finally made it to this day. I wanted to drink in every single second. The reason I know I didn't run my hardest is because even at the 18km mark I was able to have a casual and fun conversation with one of the runners. This means I should have pushed myself. But the truth is I had no idea how my body would behave after 14-15km (those are my safe distances). This was supposed to be my learning curve. I wanted to know and understand the way my body behaved during the run. I plan on running as as long as it's possible for me, which means a ton more half marathons and hopefully full marathons lie in my future. I can gun for timing on my next one. This one was strictly about understanding what I was capable of on race day. Turns out my training has served me really well. Gymming has helped. Stretching has helped. Core workouts have helped. And this is just the beginning. I plan on training harder and doing better. The first stone has been set on the foundation. Time to build upon a beautiful running experience with this.
I started this blog as a way to motivate myself to run my first half marathon. Mission accomplished. Now I need to hunker down and start improving my time. I want to bring my 10k time to 55 minutes (it's currently at 59.04). And I want to run half in two hours. That means during race days I will not goof around. Not stop to take pictures or pick up conversations with runners who are obviously holding you back from your general pace. Clear cut goals. At least for the important races.
And here's quiet push for all the non-runners who think it's impossible to run beyond a certain point. The only restrictions that exist are in your own head. You never know what you are capable of unless you try. It after all starts with one step at a time. And that feeling you get when you get to the cross line? Boss it's worth all the trouble in the world! And turns out I was top 15 in the women's category. Not bad eh? Happy running!
P.S Kudos to the organisers of the Vodafone Coimbatore Marathon 2013. Brilliantly organised and fun race. The route was great. The atmosphere was unbelievable. The officials were helpful and the aid stations were wonderfully stocked. They had lime, salt, biscuits, energy drinks, salted water, water, oranges, cut bananas and extremely cheerful volunteers. Truly the best kind of experience.
I still have no idea how that person managed to complete a half marathon in two hours and thirty minutes. It would have been at least 10 minutes faster had it not been for the fact I was victim to something that I had always read about but had never encountered personally - the dreaded runner's stomach. You see the previous day I had sore throat and a little bit of cold. I also had stomach cramps because....well you can guess why. This is not how I wanted my first half marathon to be. I wanted to be fresh and raring to go instead the previous day I was tired, cramped up and exhausted. I had little lunch. A cup of milk in the afternoon and light early dinner. And then I crashed at around 10.30-11 pm. I had to wake up at 3.30 to stretch because I stretched only once on Saturday.
I woke up Sunday and I was not remotely nervous. I took a bath, wore my race day clothes, secured my running bib, stretched and popped in a pain killer (generally on those days my stomach cramps get so bad that I can't even get out of bed and here I was planning to run 21.1 kms with this....awesome). I had one banana, two visits to the bathroom and half a chocolate bar for energy. I reached the venue and realised one major thing - my stomach was definitely not feeling good. I rushed to one of the portable bathrooms the organisers had installed at the venue and figured that my problems were solved. Except I had no idea that I was going to be victim to the runner's stomach. I have never had it before, so I had no way to compare it with anything in my life.
So let me tell you - it's not fun. I nearly dropped out of the race. On the 8km aid station I practically broke down in tears. I wanted to know if there were any portable restrooms on the way for the runners. Turns out there weren't. But the good news was that the 8km aid station was right next to a mall. The mall manager (god bless this man) quickly took me to the rest room in the mall's underground parking station. My stomach still felt a bit off for the rest of the race but it was never quite as bad again. And in the process I lost 10 whole minutes of my time and that really sucks because that means I would have completed as early as 2.20. Oh well. Lesson learnt.
But the weirdest part was that my left leg while always threatening to erupt in pain, never did. I stretched a bit at the 14k mark and it hurt for about 10 minutes but suddenly it went away. It went away till I crossed the finish line! It kept away after I finished stretching. The only thing is I felt a bad twinge after coming back home (sitting in an uncomfortable position during the train journey for 7 straight hours can do that to you!). But this morning I feel completely recovered and strong. The leg pain is there but minimal and I only feel it while walking up the staircase. That also should be gone by tomorrow because I have scheduled nearly an hour long stretching session in the evening at the gym.
Anyway back to the race day. Throughout the run I had wonderful thoughts running through my head. I could not believe I had finally made it to this day. I wanted to drink in every single second. The reason I know I didn't run my hardest is because even at the 18km mark I was able to have a casual and fun conversation with one of the runners. This means I should have pushed myself. But the truth is I had no idea how my body would behave after 14-15km (those are my safe distances). This was supposed to be my learning curve. I wanted to know and understand the way my body behaved during the run. I plan on running as as long as it's possible for me, which means a ton more half marathons and hopefully full marathons lie in my future. I can gun for timing on my next one. This one was strictly about understanding what I was capable of on race day. Turns out my training has served me really well. Gymming has helped. Stretching has helped. Core workouts have helped. And this is just the beginning. I plan on training harder and doing better. The first stone has been set on the foundation. Time to build upon a beautiful running experience with this.
I started this blog as a way to motivate myself to run my first half marathon. Mission accomplished. Now I need to hunker down and start improving my time. I want to bring my 10k time to 55 minutes (it's currently at 59.04). And I want to run half in two hours. That means during race days I will not goof around. Not stop to take pictures or pick up conversations with runners who are obviously holding you back from your general pace. Clear cut goals. At least for the important races.
And here's quiet push for all the non-runners who think it's impossible to run beyond a certain point. The only restrictions that exist are in your own head. You never know what you are capable of unless you try. It after all starts with one step at a time. And that feeling you get when you get to the cross line? Boss it's worth all the trouble in the world! And turns out I was top 15 in the women's category. Not bad eh? Happy running!
P.S Kudos to the organisers of the Vodafone Coimbatore Marathon 2013. Brilliantly organised and fun race. The route was great. The atmosphere was unbelievable. The officials were helpful and the aid stations were wonderfully stocked. They had lime, salt, biscuits, energy drinks, salted water, water, oranges, cut bananas and extremely cheerful volunteers. Truly the best kind of experience.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
My running playlist
So while my post yesterday was not exactly a Debbie Downer (please refer to this particular blog post for epic one person pity party I threw myself a couple of months ago - The blues have hit me hard), I still feel like I put myself in a negative space by scaring myself. In fact last night I had a vivid dream about waking up with pain on my right knee. Suffice to say, I woke up freaked out but also determined to shake myself out of this panic that I created myself.
And that means, I spent a lot of my morning trying to figure out simple things I could control from now on till my run on Sunday. For instance, I will be having a nice pasta early dinner with my running friends the day before. I am going to the gym today and running tomorrow in the morning. That will be followed by a painful but totally necessary sports massage. Thursday is going to be my last day in the gym before my race. Friday I am going to hang out with my friend and Saturday I will be off in the train to do what I set out to do this year (no pressure see? lol).
Anyway, it has helped loads that I was able to organise my whole week. I have broken my days into small segments that I could easily tackle. And once I get to race day, I am hoping preparation and excitement will bring me (crawling I believe) to the finish line. This can be a great tip for runners (and people in general) who tend to panic before big events in life - just break into smaller moments that you know you can handle.
Another way I took control of my mind space? I spent a considerable amount of time coming up with a playlist that I will be listening to on the day of the run. Now I know a lot of runners believe in the run and don't even listen to music and in fact frown upon those who do. But I love music. I am more obsessed about music and books than I am about running (imagine if you could read a book and run and I would do just that). And I put a lot of importance to the song I'm listening to when I run. Now it may not be the greatest idea since you can't always rely on technology but it has worked for me so far and I love an excuse to slip away into music. I have a mix of trashy music and inspirational music to get me through any run and at times even a slow burner that you might not even think of as an ideal running song but it would get me through to the next kilometer.
Anyhoo...I thought it would be fun to share my top 10 songs from my running playlist (the familiar and the unconventional). If you find something that you like for your run that will make me very happy. So, here goes:
Arctic Monkeys - Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High? This is a fun song with a great beat. And this song always puts me in the fun zone and I feel quite flirty by the end of it (that's saying something as I am generally in track pants sweating and panting and ready to curse the world).
A R Rahman - Gangsta Blues. Honestly if this song from Slumdog Millionaire does not get you pumped during a run, then am not sure what will. It's that good.
Steven Cooper - I can. This is a new addition to my playlist because I didn't even know this guy existed until a while ago. And I am not a fan of rap music. But this number isn't filled with a million insults and a beat. It's inspiring. With lyrics like - "If you fall, stand up. When you break, stand tough", is it any surprise that it pushes me?
Gnarls Barkley - Run. I have a big problem with this song - it's only 2 minutes and 45 seconds. But it is on top of my running playlist because no other song makes me want to run quite like this song. I once ran nearly an hour with just this song on repeat. And I did not get bored. At all. I wish the song went on for hours. I could probably finish two marathons before dinner (not possible but you get the point). Run for your life indeed.
Passion Pit - Sleepyhead. Something about a fast and heady song about a sleepyhead during early morning runs is just what you need to wake up.
Outkast - Bombs over Baghdad. To this day I still have not figured out what the lyrics are but it has one relentlessly fast beat. And addictive to boot. I have always increased my speed and kept with the speed through the entirety of this song. It's that amazing.
Rudimental - Not giving in. This song is not particularly fast but has a fun fun beat to it. And it's perfect for those last couple of kilometers in the run. Who wants to give in to their doubts when the chorus keeps going - "This time I'm going to be stronger, am not giving in"?
Doctor Who Instrumental - This is Gallifrey, our childhood our home. Ok so you don't have to be a Doctor Who fan to get lost in this track. It's epic and beautiful and also melancholic at the same time. I feel like I am floating across the universe in a blue box when I hear it (ok so you may have to be a little bit of a fan to feel like that way). But I swear the track sees results.
The Royal Concept - On our way. We are young. We are one. Let's shine for all its worth. Yup. This song is quintessentially made for running.
Imagine dragons - Demons. Short song. Wonderfully deep lyrics. So when you feel like that today is the day you cut your run short, listen to this song. I promise you that you will forget why you were doubting yourself in the first place.
So, that's it. My top 10 running songs for now. What I love about them is that they are not insulting rap songs about - bitches and whores. They are not negative. They are fun. They carry wonderful messages. And they will get you to the finish line. Or so I hope.
Happy running!
And that means, I spent a lot of my morning trying to figure out simple things I could control from now on till my run on Sunday. For instance, I will be having a nice pasta early dinner with my running friends the day before. I am going to the gym today and running tomorrow in the morning. That will be followed by a painful but totally necessary sports massage. Thursday is going to be my last day in the gym before my race. Friday I am going to hang out with my friend and Saturday I will be off in the train to do what I set out to do this year (no pressure see? lol).
Anyway, it has helped loads that I was able to organise my whole week. I have broken my days into small segments that I could easily tackle. And once I get to race day, I am hoping preparation and excitement will bring me (crawling I believe) to the finish line. This can be a great tip for runners (and people in general) who tend to panic before big events in life - just break into smaller moments that you know you can handle.
Anyhoo...I thought it would be fun to share my top 10 songs from my running playlist (the familiar and the unconventional). If you find something that you like for your run that will make me very happy. So, here goes:
Arctic Monkeys - Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High? This is a fun song with a great beat. And this song always puts me in the fun zone and I feel quite flirty by the end of it (that's saying something as I am generally in track pants sweating and panting and ready to curse the world).
A R Rahman - Gangsta Blues. Honestly if this song from Slumdog Millionaire does not get you pumped during a run, then am not sure what will. It's that good.
Steven Cooper - I can. This is a new addition to my playlist because I didn't even know this guy existed until a while ago. And I am not a fan of rap music. But this number isn't filled with a million insults and a beat. It's inspiring. With lyrics like - "If you fall, stand up. When you break, stand tough", is it any surprise that it pushes me?
Gnarls Barkley - Run. I have a big problem with this song - it's only 2 minutes and 45 seconds. But it is on top of my running playlist because no other song makes me want to run quite like this song. I once ran nearly an hour with just this song on repeat. And I did not get bored. At all. I wish the song went on for hours. I could probably finish two marathons before dinner (not possible but you get the point). Run for your life indeed.
Passion Pit - Sleepyhead. Something about a fast and heady song about a sleepyhead during early morning runs is just what you need to wake up.
Outkast - Bombs over Baghdad. To this day I still have not figured out what the lyrics are but it has one relentlessly fast beat. And addictive to boot. I have always increased my speed and kept with the speed through the entirety of this song. It's that amazing.
Rudimental - Not giving in. This song is not particularly fast but has a fun fun beat to it. And it's perfect for those last couple of kilometers in the run. Who wants to give in to their doubts when the chorus keeps going - "This time I'm going to be stronger, am not giving in"?
Doctor Who Instrumental - This is Gallifrey, our childhood our home. Ok so you don't have to be a Doctor Who fan to get lost in this track. It's epic and beautiful and also melancholic at the same time. I feel like I am floating across the universe in a blue box when I hear it (ok so you may have to be a little bit of a fan to feel like that way). But I swear the track sees results.
The Royal Concept - On our way. We are young. We are one. Let's shine for all its worth. Yup. This song is quintessentially made for running.
Imagine dragons - Demons. Short song. Wonderfully deep lyrics. So when you feel like that today is the day you cut your run short, listen to this song. I promise you that you will forget why you were doubting yourself in the first place.
So, that's it. My top 10 running songs for now. What I love about them is that they are not insulting rap songs about - bitches and whores. They are not negative. They are fun. They carry wonderful messages. And they will get you to the finish line. Or so I hope.
Happy running!
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