#run31: what’s in my earbuds.

For a lifelong musician and music lover, I’ve had a surprising amount of trouble finding the right music to run to.

I’m not a big fan of the pump-it-up playlists featured in most gyms and workout classes (though Erin, bless her, did help make me a Macklemore fan). For nearly a solid year, I ran to Act One of Hamilton (which contributed to me learning every word by heart). I also love to run to In the Heights, Lin-Manuel’s first Broadway musical, with its salsa undertones. But some days – well, it’s a challenge to find music to match my headspace.

I gravitate toward soulful singer-songwriters and mellow sounds: Hem, the Wailin’ Jennys, Norah Jones, Red Molly, I’m With Her. I’ve run to every one of these artists, but they’re best for long slow mellow runs, not mornings when I need a boost of energy.

This spring, my friend Jen Lee made and shared multiple playlists as part of her Weekenders project. I’ve run to the “Welcome” playlist dozens of times, and tried a few other ones, too. This summer, I dipped back into the nineties country I love, which is good for shaking the cobwebs out. Now that we’re into October, I’m struggling to find music to match both the season and my mood. I want something I can move to, a rhythm that will keep me going, but nothing so loud that it will overwhelm my thoughts.

What music do you like to run (or exercise) to? I’m always open to new ideas.

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