My 5k Christian Music Running Playlist

This is some of my favorite Christian workout music in an upbeat 5k running playlist to keep me energized on race day and during my at-home workouts.

The day of my very first 5k, I was convinced I had everything ready. I had trained and read everything I could to properly prep for my first race. I was a bundle of nerves and excitement and I was pumped to do this hard thing that I’d never been able to do before.

At the time, I was using an app that both tracked my pace and played my music. I had cued it up the exact same way that I had done for every single training run before that (there were a lot of them).

The race started and a quarter of a mile in, the app went rogue.

It was spouting off numbers like, “One mile complete. Best time at 3 minutes 15 seconds. Two miles complete. Average pace 2 minutes, 37 seconds.” (Yeah, no.)

And all of a sudden, my carefully created, strategically handpicked beats turned to silence. I tried to fix it, but I was using an armband that made it awkward to fiddle with, so I eventually gave up and ran the rest of the race listening to the people around me.

My energy tanked, my pace slowed, and I ended up walking far more than I should have/needed to, simply because my music wasn’t helping to pump me up.

My mom beat me.

That was the day I realized how influential a race playlist is! I’ve compared my paces and moods running with and without music, and also with upbeat music versus peaceful, relaxing music. There was a huge difference in my times and my emotions!

Sometimes I like running to be a relaxing break from my hectic days (in those times, I listen to my “Relaxation” station on Pandora), but most of the time, I want to be energized!

The problem I ran into is a lot of the most energizing songs are far from appropriate and I really don’t like workout remixes. I don’t listen to Christian music exclusively, but I am pretty intentional about the lyrics I want running through my head (because they repeat over and over again, long after the song is over!).

I want my thoughts filled with motivation and encouragement, not anger, bitterness, and resentment, so I created my 5k Christian music playlist.

It took me a while to track down enough songs I actually liked to create it, but they’re all happy, positive, and uplifting, and they definitely add a spring to my step!

I have 11 songs on this playlist for a total of 38 minutes, but you can always add or take away depending on what you need for your pace!

Christian Workout Music

Shake – MercyMe (3:14)
#putyourloveglasseson – Beckah Shae (3:32)
Good Morning – Mandisa (3:24)
Dive – Stephen Curtis Chapman (3:58)
I Refuse – Josh Wilson (3:38)
Let Go – Barlow Girl (2:59)
Move (Keep Walkin’) – Toby Mac (3:42)
Oh Lord, You’re Beautiful – Insyderz (2:29)
New Lease On Life – MercyMe (3:02)
Do Something – Matthew West (4:37)
Alive – Rebecca St. James (3:21)

This list is always changing with my tastes and new song choices, but it’s served me well this year!

What songs pump you up while you’re working out?