credit: Yves-Marie Quemener
There’s nothing predictable about an ultrarun, not even the music. “I used to think I couldn’t race without it,” says 28-year-old Devon Crosby-Helms. “But now I go back and forth about running with music. Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t.” When she does tune in, the San Francisco-based ultrarunner’s wide-ranging taste helps motivate her during middle miles, and she rewards herself with a musical interlude in the tough, final stages of a race—like the last 10 miles of the 100-mile Western States Endurance Run she’ll tackle June 26. Devon culled her library of over 7,000 songs to pick these favorites: a preview of what she’ll be listening to this summer and a motivating mix you can take to the trail.
1. Come Close
Electric Circus, Common
“This favorite always makes me smile and nod to the beat.”
2. Heaven
The Best of Lamb 1996-2004, Lamb
“The beat is great for fast running and reminds me how much bliss running brings.”
3. Fake Empire
Boxer, The National
“Love the singer’s voice, and the beat makes me want move!”
4. Wash Away
Julie Blue, Joe Purdy
“A reminder that whatever you are feeling will pass—just give it a few miles.”
5. Porcelain
Play & Play: B Sides, Moby
“It’s like running in a dream.”
6. Curs in the Weeds
House With No Home, Horse Feathers
“Great for the middle miles where you just need to be steady.”
7. Love That Girl
The Way I See It, Raphael Saadiq
“Old-school Motown feel, strong personal sentiment.”
8. I Won’t Be Found
Shallow Grave, Tallest Man on Earth
“I like being reminded of the solitude of trail running.”
9. Home
Up From Below, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
“A celebration song: the joy and triumph of being done or nearly done.”
10. Down the Line
In Our Nature, Jose Gonzalez
“Fast Latin guitar gets me moving. This song comes on and I am instantly running tempo for its entirety.”
