Jen

I hear it!  My iPod is extremely diverse yet each playlist serves a particular purpose.   "Fast" is for those days where i need extra fuel to run fast and a distraction from how painful a tempo run can be.  A sample:   "Given to Fly" & "Alive"  Pearl Jam,   "Thunderstruck" ACDC,   "How Bad Do You Want It" Tim McGraw and the DanceHall Doctors,   "Stronger" Kanye West,    "Fly From the Inside: Shinedown,   "Born to Fly"  Sara Evans,   "Can't Stop" Red Hot Chili Peppers.

On long runs I typically start with my favorite podcasts in order to relax: espn, news, endurance planet, NPR, etc...  But I do pull out the "Long Run" playlist for the last hour or so when i need to really focus.  Some favorites:  "Hallelujah" Jeff Buckley,     "Thunder Road"  Bruce Springsteen,     "The Long Run"  The Eagles,     "Live Like You Were Dying" Tim McGraw and the Dancehall Doctors,    "If I Had A Boat" Lyle Lovett,    "Ring of Fire" Johnny Cash,  "Lose Yourself"  Eminem.

I never race with my iPod, (ok...no soapbox today).  I also leave it at home when i run with a group.  I always get a chuckle when i see two runners together and they both have on headphones.  Reminds me of that old married couple i saw at a restaurant.  They were both reading books! 

Coach Kevin/ Team McGraw/ YGB

Hi, so I am finally up and going on here and yes I run with my ipod! I actually just spent the evening putting some new playlists together! I have tp second the Sara Evans, Kevin! I also have Madonna's "Like a Prayer" to get me going! "I Want You to Want Me" by Cheap Trick, some Sugarland, kind of a big crazy mix of things!

I went through a phase where I didn't run with my music and that was so bizarre to me because I thought I would never be one to be able to make it through a run without it. I have now that training without my partner I really like to have it at least with me! Depending on the time of dayseems to make a difference to but I have brought mine to quite a few races this year! I tend to pick up the pace and for a shorter race(5m) I don't worry so much about picking it up early on.

So, I look forward to continuing the chats on here! Hey is anyone running the NYC half?!

I absolutely run with my iPod...I cannot seem to get moving consistently without music! When I run with people I do tend to do the one earbud thing with low volume...but I've found that talking slows me down a bit - or perhaps that's an excuse!  Very eclectic mix of music on mine..Aerosmith and ACDC to John Denver and. some old Michael Jackson...Stevie Wonder and EWF...John Fogerty and Creedence...tons of stuff.  Lots of times I get a little surprise somewhere in my run when a song comes up that I'd forgotten was on there!

Heather, I'm doing the NYC Half -- if you're gonna be there we should meet up!

Since I'm training alone these days I have to have my ipod.  I'm rolling with AC/DC and the music from Rocky right now.  Some mornings i have experimented with some Classical.  But I'm a bit more aggresive in my normal likes, so its different.  I run a bit slower, but it seems to make it easier to go for longer distance.