Running Playlist: Songs to Perfectly Match Your Pace
The most common questions-with regard to workout music-tend to involve finding songs with the optimal tempo: What's the best number of beats per minute (BPM) for an elliptical workout? If I want to run an 8-minute mile, what BPM should I use? If I'm running to a song that has 150 BPM, how fast will I be going?
The answer to each of these questions is "it depends." Primarily, it depends on your height. Taller runners have longer strides and therefore take fewer steps per mile than someone with a shorter stride. And a person taking fewer steps will use a lower number of beats per minute.
There are various calculators that attempt to crunch these numbers for you, but it's probably easier (and more accurate) to just grab a few songs, lace up your shoes, and go for a run. To that end, I've compiled a playlist-using selections from RunHundred.com, the web's most popular workout music website. It kicks off at 120 BPM and ends at 165 BPM, and each song is 5 BPM faster than the previous one.
It's probably not a playlist you'll want to use all the time, given the huge tempo span, but it will help you figure out the best beat to match your pace.
The Marvelettes - Please Mr. Postman - 120 BPM
Justin Bieber & Ludacris - All Around the World - 130 BPM
Quad City DJ's - C'mon n' Ride It (The Train) - 135 BPM
The Ting Tings - That's Not My Name - 145 BPM
DJ Khaled, T-Pain, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg & Rick Ross - All I Do Is Win - 150 BPM
Neon Trees - Everybody Talks - 155 BPM
The Beach Boys - Surfin' U.S.A. - 160 BPM
30 Seconds to Mars - Kings and Queens - 165 BPM
To find more workout songs, check out the free database at Run Hundred. You can browse by genre, tempo, and era to find more tracks with your ideal BPM.
