A couple of bike bloggers I read have recently asked if their readers sing or talk to themselves while riding their bikes. Based on the answers, it seems like a lot of us do. I'm not much of a talker (to myself anyway) when I'm out riding but I will utter a -- usually breathless -- "c'mon... go... c'mon..." as I'm climbing a hill or a panicked "GO! GO! GO!" if I'm crossing a street too close to oncoming traffic.
Singing, on the other hand... Well, I love to sing. I blast the radio or iPod in the truck and sing along. I sing a capella while doing house- or yardwork. I even "entertained" the participants on a multinational conference call I host Wednesday evenings by singing "The Girl from Ipanema" while waiting for one of the Sydney engineers to join. (The guy in Melbourne told me I was in the wrong line of work and should go on one of those talent TV shows. Awwww. He's my favorite.)
Anyway. When I'm on the trail by myself, I'll wear an earbud in my right ear and listen to music. For a while there I listened to my Road Trip mix and would croon along with Kermit and Fozzie's "Movin' Right Along" and John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads". Lately though, I've moved on to an instrumental playlist for my longer distance training. My preferred mix at the moment is as follows:
Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" - I love starting with this because it's nearly seventeen minutes long and I feel like I've really gotten somewhere by the time the song ends.
Khachaturian's "Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia" - This bit of music was used as a common theme throughout "The Hudsucker Proxy" which is one of my favorite movies.
Schubert's "Death and the Maiden"
Saint-Saëns' "Danse Macabre"
Williams' "Raiders of the Lost Ark" - What's not to love?
Elfman's "Batman Theme" - Bat bike, ahoy!
Williams' "Main Title Theme from Star Wars" - I feel like I'm on a speeder bike on Endor. (I've never said I'm not a nerd.)
Williams' "The Imperial March"
Kondo's "Legend of Zelda: Suite"
Beal's "Rome: Main Title Theme"
McKennitt's "Marco Polo"
Jarre's "Lawrence of Arabia"
Mussorgsky's "Night on the Bare Mountain"
Paganini's "24 caprices op 1 no 24 in A minor"
Bach's "Toccata and Fugue"
Bizet's "Carmen: Overture" - Nothing like big and bombastic for ending a playlist.
How about you? Do you have preferred music for riding/running/climbing trees?
I never listen to music when riding even on off road rides where I'll be in the saddle for a few hours. Perhaps because I can never find the right track for the right tempo for what I'm doing at the time.
ReplyDeleteI remember watching this mtb video when I was younger and it had all this great beating tracks and stuff. But weirdly the best bits were when they stopped the music and you could hear the tires on gravel and the guys breathing. Guess that's become my music when riding
I run off road better without too!
Unless you count me singing, during my recent race, the muppets 'phenomenon'......easy words catchy tune what can I say!
Doo dooooo doo doo doot.
DeleteDo do doooo do.......Haha yeah that's the one!
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