One woman’s perfect playlist to get up the hill

It’s nearly impossible for me to run without music. I’ve never reached that nirvana that real runners talk about where you don’t notice the pain and monotony of what you’re doing, so I look at it as a chance to hear some great tunes, feel inspired and burn off energy and calories.

Below is my playlist from 2017, when I was 1 minute, 21 seconds away from my goal. Its greatest flaw is I hit Doomsday Hill during “Little Red Corvette,” a great song but too slow for getting up that hill.

More recently, I’ve used playlists that put me at the bottom of Doomsday when Green Day’s “Horseshoes and Handgrenades” starts, for its pounding beat and truthy lyrics: Maybe you’re the runner-up but the first one to lose the race. Almost only really counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

Fireball – Pitbull

Don’t Stop the Party – Pitbull

Livin’ la Vida Loca – Ricky Martin

She Bangs – Ricky Martin

Faith – Stevie Wonder and Ariana Grande

Can’t Stop the Feeling – Justin Timberlake

Cake by the Ocean – DNCE

Chained to the Rhythm – Katy Perry

Baby I’m a Star – Prince

Delirious – Prince

Little Red Corvette – Prince

What is Hip – Tower of Power

Fight the Power – The Isley Brothers

S.O.B. – Nathaniel Rateliff

Horseshoes and Handgrenades – Green Day

I have lots of other playlists (including a Best (and fastest BPM!) of Broadway), but I want to hear yours. It will help us all get through the coming months.