Recommended music for marathons: uplifting songs that give you the courage to power through
Do you listen to music when you run marathons or go jogging?
In fact, listening to music while running comes with big benefits!
The biggest advantage is that matching your stride to the tempo can act like a pacemaker and help you keep a steady pace.
Plus, listening to your favorite tracks or motivational songs can boost your morale, helping some people make it all the way to the finish.
In this article, we’ll introduce songs with comfortable running tempos and uplifting anthems that boost motivation!
You’re sure to get that extra push to hang in there a little longer.
Just be sure to stay aware of your surroundings—and bring these tunes along as your companions for marathons and jogs!
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- Perfect for sports or driving! High-energy, fast-paced tracks that will get you pumped
- [For those doing their best] A collection of motivational cheer songs
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- Just by listening, you’ll feel braver! Cheer songs recommended for the Yutori generation
- [A Life-Affirming Anthem] An Encouraging Song to Cheer You On
Recommended music for marathons: Motivational songs that give you the courage to run through (61–70)
Seesaw Game ~A Brave Love Song~Mr.Children
Among Mr.Children’s songs—known affectionately as “Misuchiru”—Seesaw Game: Brave Love Song stands out as a true outlier.
Despite having no tie-in, it became a runaway hit.
The lyrics create a distinctive world set to an uptempo rock sound—super cool, right? A marathon course inevitably has its ups and downs, just like a seesaw game.
Moments of ease and moments of struggle come one after another, so why not fire yourself up by listening to this track? It’s sure to carry you all the way to the finish line!
winding roadNovelbright
This song portrays growth and hope along the winding roads of life.
It serves as the theme for TV Tokyo’s Drama 9 series “Courtroom Dragon,” which tells the story of a protagonist who transitions from professional shogi player to lawyer, and it will be released in January 2025.
The lyrics were written by Novelbright’s vocalist, Yudai Takenaka, with composition by Takenaka and guitarist Kaito Yamada.
The track features grand melodies and a refreshing sound.
In the music video, directed by actor Hiroshi Tamaki, the band performs amid forests and vast natural landscapes, creating a striking impression.
It’s a song that gives courage to look ahead—perfect for young people unsure of their path and friends striving in new environments.
It’s also ideal for building excitement ahead of school sports festivals and athletic meets.
Dokimeki Diaryasmi feat. Chinozo
Like weaving together precious memories, this song is filled with uplifting messages brimming with hope and anticipation.
asmi’s clear, transparent vocals and Chinozo’s refined compositional sense blend beautifully, creating a pleasant sense of elation.
Portraying the courage and determination to take a new step forward while overcoming the anxieties and confusion of a journey of self-discovery, the track has been beloved as the opening theme for the Pokémon TV anime since April 2023.
It also received its first full-size performance during the special program “Anime Pokémon Music Festival,” broadcast on the TV Tokyo network on March 31.
It’s a powerful cheer song that gives you a supportive push at moments of new challenges—such as before events at sports days or athletic festivals.
Joyfulikimonogakari
This is a song by Ikimono-gakari that was produced as a commercial tune for Ezaki Glico’s Pocky and became a huge hit.
As the title suggests, the song’s most distinctive feature is how thoroughly joyful it feels from start to finish.
The lyrics convey a sense of everyone having fun together, and it’s unique in how the choice of words—through their very sound—also communicates that sense of fun.
Overall, it’s a light, cheerful track whose buoyant sound makes you feel like you can’t help but start running.
DREAMERIkuta Rira
A gemlike ballad that powerfully conveys passion for dreams and a deep love of music.
Standing at life’s crossroads, its lyrics gently support young people chasing their precious dreams, celebrating the beauty of staying true to oneself.
Sung by Rira Ikuta, the song was released in March 2025 alongside the album Hyakka Ryouran and drew wide attention as an insert song in the drama Paripi Komei.
Because she has devoted herself to music since childhood, her true-to-life expressiveness lends words that move the heart.
As a finale track for school sports days and festivals, it’s sure to become a cherished song that colors a page of youth.
The BeginningONE OK ROCK
This song delivers a deeply moving experience, with powerhouse vocals and a band sound so compelling it gives you goosebumps.
It captures the determination of those taking a new step forward and carries a message that pushes you from behind, radiating a power that resonates more with every listen.
Released in August 2012, it was chosen as the theme song for the film Rurouni Kenshin, and through its synergy with the movie, it captured the hearts of a wide audience, reaching No.
5 on the Oricon charts.
Perfect as BGM for time trials or relay events, this track offers a refreshing sense of speed and the courage to take on challenges—be sure to experience it.
Mighty Long FallONE OK ROCK
A track brimming with overwhelming energy and passion.
It explores profound themes such as love and loss, and inner conflict, expressed in both English and Japanese, crafting an emotional worldview that represents the very essence of ONE OK ROCK.
Released in July 2014 as the theme song for the film Rurouni Kenshin: Kyoto Inferno, it reached No.
2 on the Oricon Weekly Chart, stayed on the charts for 17 weeks, and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan.
It’s a song that fires you up during high-intensity training—like weightlifting or powerlifting—giving you the courage to push your limits.