Run, Karla, Run!

Koss FitClips

I asked and you answered: What are your favorite running songs?

Thank you to everyone who shared their faves and to everyone who entered my Koss Fit Series earbuds giveaway!

Rafflecopter has chosen two winners at random, who will each get a pair of Koss FitClips and FitBuds, courtesy of Koss.

But first, I put all of your favorite running songs into a playlist for easy sampling. (Except for Girl Talk’s “All Day,” which isn’t on Spotify. So I added a different Girl Talk mash-up instead.) Maybe you’ll find something new or something you forgot about to add to your playlist.

Your Favorite Running Songs

Koss Fit Series Giveaway Winners

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Rocky cheers on runners at the GORE-TEX Philadelphia Marathon. (Photo: Philadelphia Marathon)

The 2014 GORE-TEX Philadelphia Marathon on Sunday, November 23 is a little over 10 weeks away. I’m running as a guest of GORE-TEX, my second tango in City of Brotherly Love. The 2012 race is where I ran my current marathon personal best of 4:28. I’m looking to put a huge dent in that number. So far, all my training and racing points to “Yes!”

To help me get excited and inspired to run the streets of Philadelphia (see what I did there?), I put together a Philadelphia Running Playlist with 20 songs about the Birthplace of America that make for good running company. Use it for any Cradle of Liberty race you might be running: GORE-TEX Philadelphia Marathon and Half Marathon, Rock ‘n’ Roll Philadelphia Half Marathon, Blue Cross Broad Street Run or any other event.

Enjoy and please list in the comments any great Philly running songs I may have missed!

Philadelphia Running Playlist

1) “Gonna Fly Now” Bill Conti

(Photo: ©Scott D Welch/Flickr via CC BY 2.0 license)

No Philadelphia running mix would be complete without the theme from Rocky.

2) “I-76″ G. Love & Special Sauce

Hands down, this ode to the Philadelphia 76ers and the highways of Philly is my favorite song about the City of Brotherly Love. It will help you find your running groove for sure.

3) “Summertime” DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince

It wouldn’t be a proper Philadelphia playlist without some Will Smith. For more comic effect The Fresh Prince of Bel Aire theme song would work in a pinch. But I’ve always liked the laid back vibe of Smith’s ode to hot summer days in West Philly.

4) “Streets of Philadelphia” The Fray

Yes, The Boss’s version is the original and I’m sure many will disagree with me, but I prefer The Fray’s rendition. It feels a little more raw and running friendly. Either way, lyrics like “I walked the avenue, ’til my legs felt like stone,” don’t get any better for marathon training.

5) “Philly Night” Berry Jones

A 2010 retro dance pop number from Philly collective Berry Jones, it’s the perfect song when you need to pick up the pace. Read the rest of this entry →

Singing with The FADES. (Photo: Phil Hospod)

Looking to keep your running playlist fresh? “Monday Music” is here to help. As the lead singer of an ‘80s cover band, I truly heart music. With “Monday Music,” I share a song, album, artist or playlist that I love running to.

This week: Hear me sing with The FADES’ Chris Potter. It’s a song great for running, written and performed by runners.

Singing With The FADES

I love the ’80s. I love the ’80s so much that I’m in an ’80s cover band, The FADES. I sing a lot and play keys a little and shake some tambourine.

Being in a band has been a really fun way to keep up my passion for music and performing. We play weddings, parties, corporate events and the occasional bar. We even got a nice mention on Lonny.com last month.

But being in The FADES also fuels my passion for running—five out of the six members of The FADES are runners—fast runners. With a 4:28 marathon personal record, I’m the slowest of the bunch. The fastest FADE clocks in at 2:37. Read the rest of this entry →

If you’re like me, you crank the radio full blast and start fist pumping when you hear “I Love It” by Swedish music duo Icona Pop from their EP Iconic. It’s a great song for a running playlist, and probably the song I will forever associate with the summer of ’13.

But Icona Pop is just the latest in a string of Swedish imports since ABBA to storm American radio waves.

In honor of loving “I Love It,” the first installment of “Monday Music” is dedicated to artists from the land of Ikea.

Looking to keep your running playlist fresh? “Monday Music” is here to help. As the lead singer of an ‘80s cover band, I truly heart music. So every Monday, I share a song, album, artist or playlist that I love running to. This week: Swedish Running Playlist. Read the rest of this entry →