Editor’s note: The Mixologist, also known as Mer, is a music nerd (with a class called World Music and Gender under her belt) who also likes working out. She used to DJ and swim competitively, and is very excited to be here.
If I can’t go for a swim, my favorite hard-core, sweat-your-face-off workout involves running for an hour, then lifting for half an hour and then capping things off with a half-hour light jog/walk. It takes about two hours and leaves me feeling like a champ even though my muscles usually end up screaming for mercy.
But two hours is a long time. (You could see a movie in two hours. You could go out to dinner. You could hit both Target and Best Buy. You get the idea.) And it takes the right mix of tunes to carry you through. When I go for this particular workout, I like a mix of rap and hip-hop (some harder stuff and some of the stuff you’ll hear on the dance floor) that segues into some rock and punk (maybe a little ska thrown in for good measure) and then caps itself off with some angry, empowered chick music. This is the latest mix that’s kept my butt in gear:
Live Your Life – T.I. feat. Rihanna
Breathe – Blu Cantrell feat. Sean Paul
Cyclone – Baby Bash feat. T-Pain
Right Round – Flo Rida
Shake That Ass – Eminem feat. Nate Dogg
Stronger – Kanye West
‘Till I Collapse – Eminem & Nate Dogg
Lose Yourself – Eminem
Gangsta’s Paradise – Coolio
Izzo (H.O.V.A.) – Jay-Z
Roll – Flo Rida feat. Sean Kingston
Heartless – Kanye West
Wavin’ Flag – K’naan
Crayons – Donna Summer feat. Ziggy Marley
Devil In A Paper Cup – Colouring Lesson
The Boxer – Carbon Leaf
Is She Really Going Out With Him – Goldfinger
Sucked Out – Superdrag
Banditos – Refreshments
Beer – Reel Big Fish
Forever Young – So They Say
Umbrella – All Time Low
Duck and Run – 3 Doors Down
Minority – Green Day
Everything I Want to Be – Save Ferris
‘Cuz I Can – P!nk
Hollaback Girl – Gwen Stefani
Bad Influence – P!nk
Ladykillers – Lush
The Sweet Escape – Gwen Stefani
Valerie – Mark Ronson feat. Amy Winehouse
U+Ur Hand – P!nk
Goodbye to You – The Veronicas
Amy Reinink 
When I got back from my first-ever 20-mile run, I proudly told a dinner table full of friends that, even with a long bathroom break, I finished in four hours. Steve’s response: “Know what you could do in four hours? TWO movies.” This mix looks awesome enough to drown out the voice in your head that says: “Wait. I COULD see two movies.” Thanks, Mixologist!
This rocks, Amy. Not surprisingly, I already have many of these in my workout routine. But, I just downloaded the other suggestions and will be heading out for a 75-minute run later this afternoon. I am sure I will be pleased. And seriously, two movies?!? Meh! After a comment like that, I can’t believe you married Steve. 🙂 Must have been because he was cute.
Awesome! It occurred to me that this would make a perfect long-run mix, especially with its I-am-woman-hear-me-roar bend toward the end. Good luck on your run — there aren’t that many good movies out now, anyway. 🙂
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