Metal Miles: Power Your Run
Metal Miles:
Power Your Run with the Many Faces of Heavy Metal
Every endurance athlete knows the feeling: the moment when your legs get heavy, your breathing gets ragged, and your brain begins whispering its favorite lie … you can stop now. But sometimes all it takes is the right song, the right riff, or the right blast beat to shut down the doubt and power you forward.
That’s where heavy metal comes in.
On the latest episode of What’s In Your Earbuds?, Jason Bahamundi and Joe Hardin took a mosh-pit dive into the world of metal. From thrash to nu-metal to black metal and beyond. They explored why this high-energy, wildly diverse genre is secretly perfect for runners chasing big goals.
At Run Tri Bike, we believe music can shape your miles, shift your mindset, and elevate your entire training experience. So today, we’re exploring the many subgenres of heavy metal and how each one can fuel different kinds of workouts.
Lace up. Crank up the volume. Let’s run metal.
Thrash Metal – For Speedwork That Means Business
Think of thrash metal as caffeine in musical form.
Fast tempos. Aggressive riffs. Relentless drums. Bands like Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax defined the genre with energy levels that match perfectly with tempo runs, intervals, and workouts where you need to dig deeper than you thought possible.
Thrash doesn’t ask you to run fast.
It dares you to.
This is the soundtrack for the final mile of your long run or the rep you want to skip. When “Master of Puppets” hits, suddenly you can hold pace another 90 seconds.
Death Metal – For Hard Days and Harder Mindsets
Death metal brings intensity unlike anything else. Deep growls, blistering drums, and complex guitar work create a wall of sound that can help athletes tap into grit they didn’t know they had.
If you’re trying to:
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Lift heavy
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Get through hill repeats
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Survive a tough race day
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Quiet the voice that says “quit”
…death metal might be the genre you never knew you needed.
It’s loud, raw, and unapologetic, much like the mental strength required to tackle endurance sports.
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Black Metal – For Focus, Solitude & Deep Training Days
Despite the genre’s reputation, black metal can actually be atmospheric, hypnotic, and strangely meditative. Bands like Emperor, Immortal, or Wolves in the Throne Room create soundscapes that pair perfectly with long solo miles.
Black metal might be your match if you:
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Train early in the morning
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Love running in nature
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Appreciate flow state miles
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Need mental space more than hype
The combination of speed, ambiance, and intensity can transform a long run into an experience.
Prog Metal – For Long Runs That Tell a Story
Progressive metal is for runners who want:
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Long songs
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Technical musicianship
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Big builds and emotional payoff
Think Dream Theater, Tool, Opeth….bands with tracks long enough to cover multiple miles.
Prog metal gives athletes something few genres can:
a journey within the journey.
A 12-minute song can carry you through a full mile and a half. By the time the bridge hits, you’ve forgotten your legs hurt. You’re in it.
Nu-Metal – For Mood Boosters and Sing-Along Confidence
Nu-metal sits right at the intersection of aggression and accessibility. Linkin Park, Korn, Slipknot, Limp Bizkit, Disturbed….bands that deliver hype, nostalgia, and an intensity that fuels every type of workout.
This is perfect for:
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Midweek grind runs
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Shaking off stress
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Getting out the door when motivation is low
Nu-metal gets in your head in the best way—big choruses, familiar hooks, and driving riffs turn your run into a release.
Hair Metal – For Fun, Power & Race-Day Swagger
Let’s be honest and talk openly about how sometimes running needs a little glam.
Hair metal is your go-to for:
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Race day hype
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Fun miles
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Group runs
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Feel-good energy
Bands like Mötley Crüe, Poison, Van Halen, and Skid Row deliver high spirits and huge choruses. Add this to your playlist when you want running to feel joyful, not serious.
Because sometimes the best way to hit your goal is simply to smile through the miles.
Metalcore – For Athletes Who Love Controlled Chaos
Metalcore blends screaming vocals with melodic choruses, breakdowns, and rhythms that practically beg your feet to keep moving.
Think:
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Killswitch Engage
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August Burns Red
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Parkway Drive
Metalcore gives you the perfect balance of aggression and emotion. It’s great for strength workouts, mid-distance runs, and days when you need a reminder that you’re capable of more than you think.
Whatever System of a Down Counts As – For Wildcard Energy
No category fits System of a Down and maybe that’s why they work so well for runners. Their music is unpredictable, explosive, and packed with personality.
Running sometimes feels like that, too.
If your playlist needs controlled chaos, weird time signatures, and sudden tempo changes, SOAD is your band.
Why Metal and Running Work So Well Together
Heavy metal, like endurance sports, is full of:
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Emotion
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Power
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Discipline
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Catharsis
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Community
It’s a genre built on intensity and passion, two qualities that endurance athletes know well.
Metal isn’t just noise.
It’s momentum.
And when you’re in mile 18 of a long run, momentum is everything.
What’s In Your Earbuds? Celebrates That Energy
The WIYEB episode that inspired this article wasn’t just about music. It was about the community around it. Runners sharing their favorite bands. Jason and Joe laughing through tangents. Listeners submitting the most absurd fictional metal band names imaginable (“Panic at Mile 22” deserves a Grammy).
It was a reminder that training isn’t always about precision.
Sometimes it’s about joy, connection, and turning the volume all the way up.
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