OLYMPIANS WITH EARBUDS
5 elite athletes on the tunes that start them up.
By Peter Gambaccini
From the None issue of Runner's World
SHAYNE CULPEPPER (5000 meters)
"The song I listen to before a workout is Gavin deGraw's 'Chariot.' It keeps me focused on what I have coming up and prevents me from daydreaming. It talks about a chariot giving you strength and pulling you. 'Nobody Else,' by Los Lonely Boys, is about the road, traveling. The songwriter doesn't like being away from his family. I might listen to it when Alan and I are away from [our son], Cruz, or from each other." ALAN WEBB (1500 meters)
"I like a song that starts out a little slower and then builds up, like Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway to Heaven' and U2's 'Where the Streets Have No Name.' My favorite prerace song is 'One Hit Wonder,' by Everclear. I was superstitious about it in high school, like I had to listen to it before a race. At the very end, it chants, 'They cannot hurt you unless you let them.' I listened to that before the Olympic Trials final. If it gets me excited, it serves a purpose."
DAN BROWNE (10,000 meters and marathon)
"I like the beat of 'We Will Rock You,' by Queen. It has an association with victory. 'Til I Collapse,' by Eminem, is basically about not giving up, no matter the circumstances, no matter how hard it gets. 'I Only Imagine,' by Mercy Me is a thoughtful song, which inspires me about my life in the grander scheme of things."
ANTHONY FAMIGLIETTI (steeplechase)
"John Frusciante, the former guitarist for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, has a song called 'Every Person.' My favorite lines are 'There's no time at all, except how you move. Be who you are, do what you do, not win or lose.' Basically, what we do as runners is race the clock every day. I listened to his CD every day at the Olympics. I'd listen to it a half hour to an hour before a race."
JEN RHINES (marathon)
"Before races, I usually listen to some kind of techno dance mix. One of my favorites is a techno song, 'If The Rush Comes,' by the band Motorcycle. Generally, I listen to dance compilations and don't pay much attention to individual titles. When I'm running in Europe, they usually have some type of music playing during the event, and it makes me feel like there's that kind of energy around."
