What’s in their air pods Part 3

What do you listen to during a workout? Does music motivate you in any way?

For me personally, I cannot run without music. I listen to podcasts sometimes on walks or other low-resistant training. But if I’m out for a job or running on the treadmill at Anytime Fitness, you can bet I am listening to my playlist.

But what do area track and field athletes listen to before they step on the track or before they compete in a field event?

The answers certainly vary. And here are a few of them in the third part of a three-part series.

Track and field teams from Baxter and Colfax-Mingo made their way to Sully to compete in a Class 1A state qualifying meet hosted by Lynnville-Sully on Thursday.

L-S senior Olivia Norrish did not have to ride a bus to the track meet, but she tries to find any song with the word fast in it. But it also depends on what kind of meet it is.

“If it’s state or a meet like this one, I want to listen to something that calms me down because I get more anxious,” Norrish said. “But if it’s a fun meet, I’ll listen to something that pumps us all up. Any song that mentions being fast. There’s a lot of them. It gets us in the mood to go fast.”

Norrish’s teammates — junior Kate Harthoorn and freshman Isabelle Vos — both mentioned Christian music, which is becoming more popular among high school girls it seems.

“If it’s a longer bus ride, I’ll start with some rap,” Vos said. “Whatever’s popular. Then when it gets closer, I’ll switch to a few Christian songs to get my mind calmed down.”

Baxter junior Grace Anderegg also prefers Christian music. She mentioned the song Goodbye Yesterday by Elevation Rhythm.

“It’s really good for track,” Anderegg said. “It gets me in the mindset and allows me to forget about everything else.”

Eli Dee, another junior from Baxter prefers to listen to music that calms him down. He likes anything slow that can help him with his nerves.

Lynnville-Sully junior Dawson James is all over the place with his musical choices. He listens to older country on bus rides over to track meets but switches to newer rap right before he’s about compete in the shot put and discus.

His teammate — junior Connor Deal — has a rap and R&B playlist that he listens to. He’s a big Kanye West fan.

Colfax-Mingo freshman Ashlynn Hosbond is a distance runner for the Tigerhawks. She doesn’t listen to music before she runs but prefers 90s rock on long runs.

“It depends on the day though,” Hosbond said. “I’ll listen to whatever’s trending right now or some 90s rock. I just like to have something to take my mind off the run.”

Colfax-Mingo freshman Chase Trotter likes old school Drake but also enjoys older rock bands like ACDC.

Junior Wyatt Thornton also prefers rap or classic rock. Some of his favorites are ACDC, Eminem and BigXthaPlug.

“I also do a breathing exercise right before the gun to put me in the right head space,” Thornton said.