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Whether you’re running outside or just hitting the treadmill, good music can often make the difference between a rave run and a blown goal. That’s why we’re putting together 90-minute playlists each month chock-full of songs with enough of a beat to keep you moving. For even more tunes, check out our list of the best running songs.
Summer’s almost here, and that means it’s time for a refresh. There’s no time for sitting on the fence or playing it safe, it’s time to go big or go home. And who knows how to push the limit more than our favorite musical divas?
They aren’t casually beebopping in the background. They’re not swaying to some synth or coolly strumming a guitar. No, being a diva is about big energy and throwing everything you’ve got into your craft. Beyonce, Cher, Aretha, Madonna—no one’s playing it safe. This summer, it’s time to channel your inner diva.
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But of course, this is Runner’s World, while we appreciate and encourage all of your artistic pursuits, what we know best is running. So while you’re channeling your inner Lizzo or Britney Spears into your daily life, why not channel them into your running as well?
Now’s the time to take it up a notch. Sign up for a race, do a run streak, or simply focus on your speed and form. If Whitney and Mariah could work up a sweat on stage, then you certainly can doing some speed training.
For this month’s running playlist, we’ve rounded up some of the best high-energy songs ever made by our favorite divas. Let these belters hit the high notes in some of their most fun dance tracks, and use them to race through a 5K, 10K, or perhaps something even further. You don’t want to disappoint Ariana, Shania, or J.Lo do you? So get out there and spice up your life with a little diva energy.
Matthew Huff is a freelance writer and runner, and he is the author of MARATHONER: What to Expect When Training for and Running a Marathon, published by Rizzoli Publications. His writing has appeared in Runner's World and BuzzFeed among others, and he is the cohost of “P.S. You’re Wrong: A Pop Culture Podcast.” Originally from Michigan, he now lives and runs in New York City, where he is pursuing a career as an expert chicken tender taster.
