I was going to start this post with a clever explanation about beats per minute (BPM) and your running stride per minute (SPM)
There’s the story that American running coach Jack Daniels analysed the stride of many elite runners. He found that they almost all took 180 steps per minute (or 90 steps with each leg).
Turns out some of the runners he analysed actually took less than 180. The 180 was a rounded average, and unless you missed it they were ELITE. Finally, most beginner or intermediate runners take less than 180.
So let’s forget about BPM and SPM. It’s too complicated and a waste of our time. Let’s just focus on good tunes. (If you’re really interested your Garmin can tell you your cadence).
Music and running is a match made in heaven and there are many studies that show the benefit of listening to music whilst running.
Over the next few months, I will be highlighting a single tune to add to the playlist to culminate in an awesome running playlist. Some will have relevant lyrics, some will just get you charging but all will be, as my friend Nick would put it “belters”. Maybe a slight mid 90’s tip, but no apologies. So let’s get started.
Track 1 – Right Here, Right Now – Fatboy Slim (1999)
This is the first track on my existing 5km playlist I’ve had for years and still use to this day.
The version (start of video) I use is actually Born Slippy (Underworld) mixed with the Right Here Right Now lyrics over the top from when Fatboy Slim played a live gig on Brighton beach in 2002. It’s a fantastic mix of two of my favourite tunes which are just the job when you’re standing on the start line psyching yourself up.
That may be a fairly obscure mix for some to find, (also check out Track 2 – Austins Groove) with a nice The Six Million Dollar Man sample ” We can rebuild him. We have the technology. We can make him better than he was. Better…stronger…faster.”
The Live at Brighton Beach mix is worth a listen. It’s one of my go-to mixes when I run out of podcasts.
The original is also a great track to start us off. So we are under starters orders with a call to action before you set off!
Track 1 – Right Here, Right Now – Fatboy Slim (1999)