Rhythm & Stride: 5 Songs to Power Your Marathon Miles

We asked Sandy Marris, Artist Manager, Festival Programmer and keen runner for his top five tracks you need to add to your running playlist to give you that extra push on long run days.

Running is rhythm. Your breath, your stride, your heartbeat—all pulsing in time, driving you forward. And nothing fuels that rhythm like the perfect playlist. Music has an almost magical ability to lift your energy, sync your steps, and push you through those tough miles when your body wants to stop but your mind says keep going.

At OneTrack, we believe music isn’t just background noise—it’s a training tool, a performance enhancer, and sometimes, a lifeline. The right track at the right moment can flip fatigue into momentum, transform struggle into flow, and turn the last stretch of your marathon into something that feels almost euphoric.

So whether you're gearing up for race day or just need an extra push on your long runs, we’ve put together a playlist that will carry you through every step. Ready to hit play and find your stride?

Cole Police and Lynn Avery - All That The Air Allows

I’ve recently been liberated by taking things off road on my runs - it’s been such a simple switch but one that has opened up so many possibilities. Cole and Lynn’s new album feels full of new opportunities, new paths to take, new challenges to overcome. The opening track ‘All That The Air Allow’s exudes this light and optimism that I’ve felt venturing off track.

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Donato Dozzy - Velluto

Donato Dozzy’s evocative ‘Velutto’ is one of the stand out pieces on his latest album:The quiet before the storm. It’s race day. Heartbeat pulsing away. Zoning out, zoning back in. The noisy gaggle of the crowd coming to the fore. Edging to the start line. Go. The feeling of infinite energy.

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Nala Sinephro - Continuum 3

The soft beauty of Nala’s song sounds to me like the moment when you break free from the pain, and are released into a new realm, connecting more with the world around you. Reading Daniel Lieberman’s book ‘Exercised’ I was fascinated by the idea the brain releases endocannabinoids during ultra long distances - seemingly as a evolutionary mechanism to heighten our awareness when we had to track our food over very long distances. To me’ Continuum 3’ is the aural delight of breaking through.

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Objekt - Ganzfeld (DjRUM Remix)

Objekt’s original ten years ago was unlike anything of that era and DjRUM’s recent remix is unlike anything of this era. I’m not even going to try and describe it - it just feels futile. A cinematic roller-coaster, a true masterpiece in execution.

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Julie Byrne - Summer Glass

I can't say if it was devotion

I just wanted to feel the sun on my skin

I brought myself to the edge of the water

Crossed the river to remember who I am

There’s something that is stirred deep inside me when listening to Julie’s song - it elicits such strong internal motivation. It is the kind of inspirational song that I occasionally need to hear to be reminded of who I am and what I care about.

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