One of the best parts of a long run is, for me, just how much time I get to spend jamming out to my running playlist. While out on my long run this morning, I noticied that a good chunk of Disney songs have made their way onto the 2022 version of this playlist, and that these are the ones I never seem to skip no matter my mood.
If you, too, love a good Disney song and are looking for good songs for your running playlist, here’s a few in my heavy rotation and why I love them.
1. I Won’t Say I’m In Love (From Hercules)
Although Hercules is nowhere near the top of my favorite Disney movies from childhood, I’ve always loved Megara for her independent, sarcastic ways in a time where most Disney princesses were singing to birds and waiting for their prince to come. Somewhere in the depths of my t-shirt drawer lives a “I’m a damsel. I’m in distress. I can handle it” shirt that I wear with pride when I haven’t lost it amidst all the others.
The song “I Won’t Say I’m In Love” has been a favorite for a long time, and I can never quite resist belting it out when it comes on during a run, however much I resist singing out loud in public. It’s a bop with a decent beat that you can definitely run to.
2. Bet On It (From High School Musical 2)
I miiiiight be showing my age by admitting that the High School Musical movies came out while I was myself in High School, and that I 100% watched the first two of them without a hint of irony.
The songs that live on in my canon are, however, the ones I find the most delightfully ridiculous. “Bet On It” makes me laugh every single time I hear it with the recollection of Troy running around doing dramatic choreography on a golf course while also somehow having mysterious phantom backup singers. Zac Efron did not need to go that hard, but my goodness am I glad he did. Do yourself a favor and just watch the video. I’ll wait.
It’s also just a phenomenal song to pump me up and get me to run faster because “that’s who I am, that is my plan, will I end up on top? You can bet on it.”
3. Into the Unknown (Panic at the Disco version, from Frozen II)
If there’s a Panic! at the Disco version of anything you best believe I am 100% there for it. Still, I was a bit amused to see this version of “Into the Unknown” from Frozen II. Brendan Urie really goes for it, and the lyrics are a great fit for how I feel when tackling new training plans, which is that I don’t know what will happen if I follow them into the unknown.
4. I’ll Make a Man Out of You (From Mulan)
Does this one even need an explanation? “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” is one of the most fun Disney songs around and one of the first I thought to add to my running playlist. I like to set this one as the first song on a race-specific playlist so I can start off with “let’s get down to business” as I settle into my pace.
5. I Don’t Dance (From High School Musical 2)
Am I little embarassed that there are two High School Musical songs on this list? Yes, but then, I am who I am. Similar to “Bet On It” this one gives me a much needed reason to laugh while the run kicks my butt, because what’s more fun than an entire dance number in which one of the dancers whole deal is insiting that he doesn’t dance. While dancing about it. Not to mention that this is the sequel to an entire film in which he participates in dance numbers.
Another video I just have to embed because, I mean, come on.
6. Agatha All Along (From WandaVision)
The fact that Disney owns Marvel gives me a great excuse to include this overnight sensation on this list. Though it annoys my husbad to no end, I am unabashadly obsessed with “Agatha All Along” from WandaVision and will take any excuse to belt it out. It also happens to have a good cadance for my running pace, which is always a plus for a running playlist addition.
There you have it–five of the Disney songs that make my running playlist a little bit more fun. I don’t know about you, but a great song can make all the difference for me when I’m out there running hard and getting stronger.
What are the go-to songs on your running playlist? Mine can always use an influx of new music.
Running Into Joy 