I ran the first half of the Detroit Marathon with a friend of mine, so I didn’t listen to any music other than what was on course and eventually what she was playing to help keep her going. When I split off from her around mile 13, I put on my iPod shuffle, and man – did the playlist not disappoint! Granted, I chose all of the songs so of course they were all awesome, but the order in which the songs played were the best. Bare with me – this is a 40 song list, and I don’t remember details of the course for EVERY song, but there are definitely some that stick out to me. It’s worth capturing and sharing. :)

1. Black Hole Sun – Soundgarden
   • This song always reminds me of my friend Crissy, who I had dedicated mile 1 of the marathon to. It was very fitting that the first song I heard as I started my solo half was this one, and I’m so glad it made me think of her.
2. Vicarious – Tool
3. Sober – Tool
4. Perfect Mistake – 311
   • I sent Ken a text at this point to tell him that I was feeling pretty good, that I had Tool pushing me along and now my first 311 song. I had just passed St. Andrew’s hall before this.
5. Mindspin – 311
6. Made in the Shade – 311
7. Supermassive Black Hole – Muse
8. 8:16am – 311
9. Ruin – Lamb of God
10. Walk – Pantera
    • I sent Ken a text when this came on. This song reminds me of Ken and his best friends, so I was picturing all of them cheering me on at this point! I had almost reached single digit miles to go.
11. Freeze Time – 311
12. The Way I Am – Eminem
    • I remember feeling excited to hear my first Eminem song on the mix. The others came at perfect times later in the race.
13. Face in the Wind – 311
    • Perfect timing for this as the winds were rough and now I had only 9 miles to go!
14. Safety Dance – Men Without Hats
    • This song may seem totally out of place compared to the others on this list, but it was suggested by my friend Staci who I ran the full with last year. So as soon as this song came on I had a HUGE smile on my face and sent her a text.
15. Getting Smaller – Nine Inch Nails
16. Forty Six & Two – Tool
17. Guerrilla Radio – Rage Against the Machine
18. Orestes – A Perfect Circle
19. Til the City’s On Fire – 311
    • I seem to remember this being when we came out of Indian Village and the wind was crazy once again as we were making our way towards Belle Isle. Got me pumped and saying “I CAN DO THIS! SCREW YOU WIND!!!” lol
20. Despacito – Luis Fonsi feat. Daddy Yankee & Justin Bieber
    • Ken has a joke with his friend Emily at work that every time this song comes on, Emily does push-ups. So now whenever I hear it I think “It’s time to get to business!” It also makes me think of my friend Jenny, although she would be mad that I was listening to the version with Justin Bieber. ;)
21. They Don’t Care About Us – Michael Jackson
22. Dark Bodies – Fear Factory
23. Till I Collapse – Eminem
    • I will be honest. I had never really listened to this song much before, even though SO many of my friends had it listed as one of their top running songs. I added it to the playlist after hearing it again for the first time, and they ended up playing it at the start line before the race. It came on just after I had gotten to mile 20 and had just passed the 6:30 pacer, realizing that I would be getting a PR!
24. Schism – Tool
25. Amber – 311
    • This song has a lyric that I will always associate with running: “Nothing good comes easily, sometime you’ve got to fight.”
26. Viva la Vida – Coldplay
    • This is the song that was playing when Staci and I finished our marathon last year!
27. White America – Eminem
28. Lose Yourself – Eminem
    • Always makes me think of the Detroit marathon. It was playing last year before the race and the speakers kept cutting out – we were so frustrated! But this year it played before the race start with no issues. The crowd loved it!
29. From Chaos – 311
30. Judith – A Perfect Circle
31. Creatures for a While – 311
32. Somewhat Damaged – Nine Inch Nails
33. Cheap Thrills – Sia feat. Sean Paul
    • This is one of my favorite “feel good” songs and at this point I really needed to feel good!
34. In the House of Stone & Light – Martin Page
    • A song that reminds me of Ken, and another “feel good” song. I believe this was playing just as I was getting done with the Riverwalk and headed back into the city, just a few miles left to go.
35. Stinkfist – Tool
    • The playlist winds down with some amazing songs. This being my favorite Tool song and one that definitely pumps me up.
36. Hearts On Fire – John Cafferty
    • This song is in the training scene from Rocky 4 vs. the Russian and always gets me pumped up – PERFECT song to hear towards the end of this race.
37. Soldier – Eminem
38. Parabola – Tool
39. Too Late – 311
    • I wanted to cry when this song came on and I realized it would be the song that I would finish to. The quote on my tank for this race – “At the end of the day the relentless always win” – was for my mom, who is fighting breast cancer. That quote is from this song. I started to tear up hearing this!
40. Chained to the Rhythm – Katy Perry
    • Technically this song played after I finished and was walking to meet up with my sister, brother-in-law, nephew and Ken. It is one of Ken’s favorite songs and another feel good song to hear after a grueling marathon!