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What in your life has the ability to wake you up, like an instant zap of energy? For Atalanta NYC runner Jamie Morrissey, it’s music.
“I’ve been loving living in New York City—the access to concerts, and [musicians] are here are all the time. It’s my favorite thing ever outside of running,” she says.
Because of an Achilles injury she sustained a few years ago, Morrissey has to do 30 minutes of prehab before she can go out on any run to keep from re-injuring it. Sometimes that gets frustrating. “I just want to get out the door and run,” she says. When she “limps” out of bed she’s reminded that this is her job—and it’s not a bad one to have. Listening to music during her activation is a worthwhile consolation to delaying the run.
But what does music do for performance? Research has shown (in some instances) that listening to music can boost performance and reduce the rate of perceived effort. Fewer studies have looked at what music does before and after a run. A small 2015 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning found that listening to motivational music before a 5K run improved performance and that switching calm music afterward actually accelerated recovery.
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We asked Morrissey to share her favorite playlist with the 360 YOU crew to help us all get motivated to get out the door. The dreamy mix she put together is full of alternative, indie, and hip-hop jams that will make you want to close your eyes and get into the perfect headspace to nail your impending pace. Or, turn it on when you return to sink into a blissful recovery mode.
You know it’s a winning list when queens like Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, and Phoebe Bridgers make an appearance along with the likes of Radiohead, Glass Animals, and Frank Ocean.
Jamie Morrissey’s Essential Playlist
Head to Spotify to start listening to the 360 YOU mentor’s pre-run mix.
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