Isn’t it funny the way playlists naturally evolve? Mine rotate about once a month through an organic process: I delete old songs one at a time when I get to the point that I just can’t listen to them one more time, then slowly replace them with hard-won new songs I deem worthy of running to.
I rename the playlist once a month, and usually find myself with a drastically different mix than what I started the month with.
December brings a boost in the form of the Christmas carols I add to the mix every year — kind of like the way pulling out my under-bed storage bin full of sweaters every winter makes me feel like I have a whole new winter wardrobe. That’s right — I run to Christmas carols. I’m not talking about “Silent Night” so much as “Carol of the Bells.” Get a good a capella recording of the latter, and I guarantee you’ll pick up the pace when it comes on. Vince Guaraldi’s tunes from “A Charlie Brown Christmas” are great for long runs, and almost any carol by Ella Fitzgerald will carry you through miles two and three of a mid-distance run.
Below is my carol-heavy December running playlist:
Carol of the Bells
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing – Ella Fitzgerald
Baby, It’s Cold Outside – Ella Fitzgerald
Get Right Back – Army Navy (thanks to Erica from I Run For Dessert for recommending this great cover song!)
Empire State of Mind – Jay Z, feat. Alicia Keys
Ghetto Pop Life
Rosa Parks – Outkast
D.O.A. – Jay Z
Percussion Gun – The White Rabbits
How You Like Me Now? – The Heavy
So What – P!nk
Looking for more inspiration? Check out elite runner Lauren Fleshman’s playlist. This is basically a replica of my early-2008 playlist, and any runner looking to run off some emotional business should download “Maps” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. It’ll make you run faster and heal your soul at the same time.
Speaking of healing, I had my first iontophoresis treatment yesterday. Iontophoresis is this nifty, non-invasive way to get inflammation to go down by using a small electrical charge to send an anti-inflammatory ointment through the skin. More details on this later in the week
What else should I add to my December playlist? Any great new finds, or classics that might be new to me?
Amy Reinink 
Great playlist. Thank you. I’d love to hear more about the anti-inflammatory treatment. I can’t take ibuprofen so ice has been my only option…and well, as much as i love ice baths and all….this treatment sounds a wee bit more pleasant.
rg
Snoopy vs. The Red Baron (Snoopy’s Christmas) !!!
Sadly, no great *new* finds to report here…..
but I Love seeing Christmas Carols and “Ghetto Pop Life” on the same list. ha! Quite entertaining to read in the same breath 😉
Charlie Brown Christmas? I could *definitely* run to that!
i don’t run with music but i have “played” carol of the bells in my head before on speed workouts!! good to know i’m not weird and that others enjoy the song while running too 🙂
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