OUR TOP TRAIL RUNNING PLAYLISTS - MUSIC AND MOVEMENT FOR A BETTER WORKOUT

Music is always a hotly debated topic, and no less fiery when involved with sport. Are you supposed to be ‘in tune with your body’ rather than your prescribed playlist? Is it dangerous to be shut off from the world when moving around? What bpm should I be listening to again?

To help you on your running playlist quest, we spoke to our INOV8 athletes and office team to find out about their relationship with music and running. We then compiled their recommendations into handy playlists for you to try. How kind! Read on for our athletes’ thoughts on music and exercise, and how best to avoid that song you’ve had stuck in your head all week from popping into your mind mid-run…

Our top choices for picking up the pace, finding your flow, and breaking a sweat! (or PB). Featuring Foo Fighters, Gorgon City, Wilkinson and more!

INOV8's finest have chosen their favourite running tracks to help you find your groove. Featuring Queen, New Order, Fatboy Slim and more!

Here to give you a little nudge, this playlist should get that heart pumping! Featuring Foals, Little Simz, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and more!

In short, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to music and movement. It’s important to listen to your body and what helps you move and achieve your goals. If that means you listen to an album and pretend you’re in a music video to keep your pace up, then go for it. Equally, if you feel better having the surroundings soundtrack your workout session, don’t feel pressure to add a playlist into the mix.

If you’re looking to mix up your trail running routine, you could try having a pre-running playlist to help get you ‘in the mood’. This can help boost adrenaline and give you a bit of extra motivation to tackle that trail or make your PB.

You could also try listening to music whilst on your run. From sprint sessions to marathons, the right playlist can keep you motivated and allow you to push through the difficult bits with a personal touch. It can also be a great way to pace yourself, choosing songs that have a similar beat to your preferred running speed can be an easy way of looking after your stamina or making sure you’re hitting your targets fast enough.

If you are looking to listen to music whilst exercising, it is important to make sure you are doing so in the safest way you can. Headphones that offer an ambient-aware option, or even bone-conducting headphones, as recommended by INOV8 athletes Sarah Perry and Laura Swanton-Rouvelin, offer a way to listen to music whilst still being aware of your surroundings.

This is especially important in the winter seasons when it gets darker. Make sure you can see and hear things by using bone-conducting headphones or use an ambient-aware setting on other headphones.

If you want to listen to music whilst competing, make sure to pay attention to your race guidelines. Some have specific requirements for headphones, and some forbid them in any form.

Allie Bailey co-hosts a fantastic podcast that has a listener generated playlist: The Bailey & Harding Ultrasoundsystem Playlist.

“It’s PERFECT for those massive long 24 hour races if you bang it on shuffle because it feels like you’re running with other people - because it’s their choice of music. Sometimes on those long runs just a random song that makes you laugh can be enough!”

“I personally prefer to run music free during training but often reach for my headphones on longer ultramarathons when I need a little boost. During my recent South West Coast Path run, I listened to podcasts, audiobooks and music during particularly low moments. Multi-day runs can get really lonely and monotonous at times and a little sing-a-long every now and then really made such a difference.“

“Let's be honest, there's a soundtrack to accompany every feeling: from fighting your way through the pain cave to finish line euphoria. I'll usually use music as a means of distraction whilst running, particularly during longer ultras.”

“Sometimes an audiobook is a welcome distraction, but it doesn't hit the spot the same way that music does. My favourite way to use music whilst running is to help me get moving with purpose, upbeat and high tempo tracks work perfectly for this!”

“I often save music for the second half of long races, so when my legs start to hurt it's my reward.”

“Normally I prefer wailing indie such as Radiohead, Joy Division, The Smiths and The National, music more likely to encourage me to lie down in a puddle and sob. So, my race mix is predominantly 80s power ballads. Albeit with some New Order, Arcade Fire, Prodigy and such like.”

“For me, most of my runs I like to listen to nature and what's going on around me.  I think there is also a part of me that knows the value of music to get you going again on a hard race or session so I am very aware to save music for the times when I really need it so it has more of an impact on me. 

“I think during really long races music has this ability to take you from where you are - if immersed in a dark patch or feeling the pain of being a few days out on your feet - to almost being somewhere else. It can forget all that and just feel happiness and strength again.  Amazing really!”

“For me, music can totally change your mindset. Inside my heart pounds and I just feel pure emotion. Music can make you feel instant joy, sadness, emotional, energy, like you’re out in the wild - it is such an emotive, powerful tool!”

“I think the benefits are well documented for higher pain threshold and distraction purposes. For me, running often gives me the space when I love to learn and long runs with podcasts are a great way of doing that. During races at difficult times (3am - 5am) is the main time I love to plug into music as a distraction (this is where my love for cheeey 80's tunes also comes into its own!) but I also use it on hard training sessions as a way of dialling in to the pain cave and I know it's time to go to work!”

“For podcasts: Performance Podcast, Science of Sport, Short History, Young Hearts Run Free and Modern Wisdom are my top 5.”

“Pre-run I like something that I'm happy will get stuck in my head. This always happens! If I don't listen to something specific, then I know I will have the theme tune to Bluey, Fireman Sam, Waffle the Wonder Dog or similar stuck in there. That's kids for you! Favourites include music that reminds me of good times from the past, that way it gives me something to think about to when running if I need to try and block out any hurt - so Oasis, Arctic Monkeys, Biffy Clyro, Royal Blood.”

“Since I’ve moved to the English Lake District I don’t listen to music in the fells because I like to hear my breath, steps or any potential dangers. I used to listen to music a lot when road running training for half marathons though and loved a bit of fast pop to keep me going!”