Music setting the mood

Today and practically this whole week was a tough one, workout-wise. I actually ran farther than usual today, but that's because I chose a different route that took me to More South Provo by the train tracks. When I'm vehicle-less in those kind of sketchy areas, even in the middle of the day, I tend to run faster just so all the rapists don't think I'll be an easy target.

Just kidding mom and dad; there are no such thing as rapists in Provo.

Anywho, another reason I was able to run fast was because of good playlist choice. Which brings me to another tip.

Tip 3: Good Vibrations

The professional runner will tell you to pick something so upbeat and crazy 80's-ish, like the Theme from Rocky (which is actually 1976) or Huey Lewis and the News' That's the Power of Love (which is absotively posolutely, purely 80's). At least, if I was a professional runner, that's what I'd recommend. Those musics would work the slacker out of anyone.

However, the reluctant runner, such is my current self, will tell you to pick a playlist that is approximately .5-2 mood levels above your current mood level. Meaning, when you just wake up in the morning, do not pick Enya to work out to unless it's something scary like Tempus Vernum, if fear is the type of thing that gets you going. But, as a rule, I steer clear of Enya while working out: it's counter-productive.

But if you are super reluctant, try only half a mood level up like Sir Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. I find this a good song if I'd rather be doing anything than running. This song helps me imagine a more perfect world where I'd be skipping down the lane of Munchkinland or through a field of poppies. I call this the "Hippy-brain Effect".

You can get a similar effect from listening to Bob Marley: the man who makes white people wish they were black. My personal favorite is No Woman, No Cry. And may I strongly request you only listen to the live version. If you don't, you will not enjoy it. But because reggae is a little way too different from Elton John to be put in the same category, listening to Bob Marley puts your brain in a sub-category of hippy-brain. Since the songs were the background for a movement of people and are slightly depressing (at least for me, because I'm not black), I have termed these as "Martyr Hippy-brain effect" songs.

Half a mood level is pretty easy, but one or two mood levels above your current mood level is a bit of a cloudy area, especially since I made up the whole mood level thing on the spot. One would be Hotel California by the Eagles, and I guess two mood levels would be around Ob-la-di Ob-la-da by the Beatles.

And within these mood levels are varying exercise mood spheres: such as angry, sad, or cabin fever. It would be super prepared to have lists of songs handy for the the varying levels and spheres within each level, (like AC/DC or Guns N Roses for an angry run) but that would also be a little crazy. Please be safe while creating these "reluctant worker-outer" playlists.