Whether you’re running outside or just hitting the treadmill, good music can often make the difference between a great run and a blown goal. That’s why we’re putting together 90-minute playlists each month chock-full of songs with enough of a beat to keep you moving. For even more tunes, check out our list of the best running songs.
Typically before a big race, Nikki Hiltz gets in the zone by listening to music—Taylor Swift specifically. “I’m a big Swiftie,” they confess.
Unfortunately before the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, Hiltz wasn’t able to rock out to Miss Swift.
“I’m in a really unique situation right now,” they told Runner’s World, “because I have a documentary crew following me around. So usually before a race, I do blast Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter, and things like that, but I actually couldn’t because the doc crew was filming. They don’t have the rights to those songs.”
Of course pump up music or not, Hiltz snagged their bid to Paris in the women’s 1500 meters, setting a trials and personal record of 3:55.33.
In 2021, Hiltz, who uses they/them pronouns, came out as trans and nonbinary. Being one of the few transgender athletes heading to Paris, Hiltz has received plenty of media attention since the trials.
“It’s good and bad,” they said regarding the added notoriety, “as a queer person growing up, I was very closeted and so anytime someone was out about their gender identity or sexuality, I would pay attention and that representation meant a lot to me. Maybe someone’s out there doing the same with the content that’s being shared about me, trying to learn more about themselves or see themselves in someone else.
“On the flip side,” they continued, “it can get very negative very quickly, so I don’t really look at that.”
As it turns out, one of the easiest ways for Hiltz to block out the haters is to crank up the music, which is why we’ve asked Hiltz to guest DJ the Runner’s World playlist for August. Of course they’re pretty busy with the Olympics, but luckily they had time to put together a playlist of some of their favorite songs (including T. Swift, obviously).
Music has been important to Hiltz for a while, and they even learned to play guitar back in high school from their dad. “I got injured my junior year and had to get surgery on my foot,” they said. “I couldn’t run, so I was just watching TV or was on my phone. My dad was like, ‘Hey, do you want to learn guitar?’ Then I got injured again in college, so I turned to the guitar again.”
What type of music do they play? The answer should be clear by this point. “I obviously know some Taylor Swift songs,” they said.
When crafting this playlist, Hiltz threw in some fellow LGBTQ trailblazers. “I like King Princess a lot, and then Girl in Red as well. They’re both icons,” they said.
Hiltz starts the playlist with something a bit more old school, though, with “Vienna” by Billy Joel. “Right before the trials the song had really just been hitting the spot,” they said. “It’s an oldie but a goodie. It’s just very calm, but also upbeat.”
Whether you’re off to Paris or just off on a jaunt around the neighborhood, here’s a playlist handcrafted by Hiltz to get you inspired.
Listen on Apple Music
Listen on Amazon Music
Listen on Spotify
