Though I am off in Florida visiting the in-laws for Thanksgiving and wireless is a rare commodity, yet I will not let you down on Top Five Friday!Thanks to the illustrious friend and prolific blogger, Hilary Marchbanks, I was able to decide on this week’s Top Five list.  You see, she recently began running, and when I learned of her ipod usage I decided I had to make her a runlist of some of my favorite running songs to support her in her endeavors. 

These songs are in no way indicative of my top five favorite songs, but instead are songs I have found that really motivate and push me.  You can make fun of the song selection all you’d like, but the fact is these songs will make you run like the wind.

You’re in luck this week, because I am bringing you two top five lists for the price of one.  There are some songs that are perfect for listening to just before a hard race, and then some that are great to hear mid-race, if you’re running with headphones.  So here are the two separate lists; enjoy.

Pre-race or pump up songs:

5.  Zombie by Cranberries.  I know the Cranberries aren’t always the first that comes to mind when you think of pump up music, but this song rocks.  In high school I would listen to it before just about every race.

4.  Today by Smashing Pumpkins.  I really got into this song my freshman year of college.  To live for today, run this race like it’s your last, forget the consequences and just do it.  Yeah, that’s college.

3.  The Cup of Life by Ricky Martin.  I know, it’s cheesy.  But when I hear this song, “Do you really want it?” I get really inspired by the World Cup.  Not really a huge soccer fan, I can recognize the significance of the sport to the rest of the world and understand the heart and soul that goes into it for every player – I want to care that much.

2.  Killing in the Name Of by Rage Against the Machine.  Not until after college did I start getting into Rage, but the message so fit my own philosophy, and the music rocks, I can’t help but wanna push it when this song comes on - “f*ck you I won’t do what you tell me!”

1.  Desire or Where the Streets have No Name by U2.  A twofer, it all depended on the mood.  In high school I was sometimes introspective and imagined the movie about my life which always began with Where the Streets.  Other times I just wanted to accomplish so much and thought the world was my proverbial oyster, I just had to want it bad enough, and Desire seemed to encapsulate that notion.

And now, the mid-run songs:

5.  Nookie by Limp Bizkit.  My first marathon, in 2001, I had an mp3 player that could hold 7 whole songs.  This was one of the free songs that came on it, and so I heard it many times that fine Sunday morning.

4.  Mo Money Mo Problems by Puff Daddy.  Great song, great beat, love Biggie.

3.  Sugar We’re Going Down by Fall Out Boy.  Now this is a great running song that I accidentally got from my boss’s daughter when I was helping her set up her ipod.  Would never have thought of it, but turns out it rocks.

2.  Lose Yourself by Eminem.  When this song first came out I knew it was going to be a great running song.  “When you got one chance to seize every thing you ever dreamt of, will you capture it, or just let it slip?” Hil’s vote for best running song ever.

1.  Stronger by Kanye West.  The newest addition with a bullet, this song freaking rocks.  Daft Punk sample is awesome on its own, but Kanye knows how to cook it to perfection.  If you don’t know, you need to find out.  Awesome.

A couple songs that barely miss the cut, mostly for lack of sentimentality (yet), include Sacrifice by the Roots and Wolf Like Me by TV on the Radio.  Let me know what you think; see you next week!