What Makes a Good Marathon Running Playlist?

While Boston's weather in April is unpredictable, there is one constant. The Boston Marathon happens every Patriot's Day, with runners from all over the world descending on the city to make the 26.2-mile journey from Hopkinton through Berklee's campus to the finish line in Copley Square. This year, the Berklee community will have added motivation to cheer on the runners, as one of our own tackles the challenging course for the first time.

Xander Dawson—a senior saxophone performance major at Boston Conservatory at Berklee who hails from Trumansburg, New York—is no stranger to running. He comes from a running family, though at first, he "absolutely hated it." But after catching "the running bug," he came to Boston to watch his aunt run in 2012.

"I don’t remember much about the weekend since I was young, but I remember how exciting it was to see her run by! It was one of the hottest Boston Marathons in history, but she finished super strong. Seeing her compete inspired me so much," he says.

At his first-ever marathon—Cheap Marathon in Derry, New Hampshire—he managed to finish in 2:47, which was fast enough to qualify for Boston. "Qualifying was one of the highlights of my year," he says. After that, he ran the Nice-Cannes Marathon in the French Riviera, "an absolute dream going along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea."

We asked Dawson about his journey to Boston Conservatory at Berklee, how he fits in training alongside class, and, of course, for his running playlist.

Tell us about your path to Boston Conservatory at Berklee. What made you decide to come here?

I first got connected to Berklee during my sophomore year of high school through Berklee Online. I signed up for a music theory class to challenge myself in the midst of the COVID lockdown. That one class quickly turned into nine courses and two certificates. I met musicians from all around the world and studied with professors who inspired me to keep learning. Two of my professors, Gaye Tolan Hatfield and Roberta Radley, inspired me to consider studying in Boston, even writing me letters of recommendation for Berklee.

After going through a full round of college auditions, I was accepted to both Berklee College of Music and Boston Conservatory at Berklee. When I visited, what stood out wasn’t just the programs; it was the environment. Everyone I ran into was so passionate about making music on a high level. I could also tell that the saxophone teacher, Philipp Stäudlin, was so incredibly passionate about teaching. We ended up taking a year of lessons together before I committed to Boston Conservatory. Eight semesters later, that instinct proved right. Choosing Berklee gave me the opportunity to develop as a versatile musician while being surrounded by people who constantly challenged and inspired me.

How do you balance school and marathon training?

I find that school and running really go hand in hand. Running is a huge stress reliever for me; I love to run before the day starts or after a long day at Boston Conservatory. I find that it instantly puts me in a good mood and inspires me for the rest of the day. I also love getting to discover new music while running—one of the best things is coming across a "hidden gem" song in the middle of a run. Sometimes on longer days, I find myself getting creative with the times that I run; my Monday and Thursday runs always seem to land around 9 p.m., but there’s true magic on the Charles River late at night.

Can you draw any parallels between running and music?

The biggest parallel between running and music is that they are both endless journeys. We are always improving and gaining fitness when we train, the same holds true for music. This is one of my favorite things about running and music, we are always constantly improving, adapting, and growing.

What are your plans after graduation?

I’ll be working with Princess Cruise Lines as their show band saxophonist. This will be my third contract on a cruise ship. I’m so excited to explore new parts of the world while performing music. This contract takes me to Norway, which has been a dream country for me to visit.

Xander's Marathon Running Playlist

"I’m a firm believer that running playlists need to have contour; the playlist should tell some sort of story," Dawson says. "I perform a lot of musical theater as a woodwind doubler and find that musical theater repertoire ends up on my playlists a lot. I also love pop and rock songs, which also end up frequently on my playlist. I try to make sure my playlist is able to carry me through the late stages of the race when your mind starts going to darker places. I also like to curate a good mix of motivation and emotional songs to keep some contrast."

“panic attack in a michael’s," Timothy Edward Carpenter

One of my favorite YouTube vloggers is Eric Floberg. He created a video series of him training and competing in the Boston Marathon. I watched these videos on the treadmill and this song always reminds me of watching the vlogs during my training runs.

“Over You,” Jacob Collier

Jacob Collier is my favorite artist, the way that he approaches harmony is fascinating to me. I love this song because I get lost in the music and forget that I’m running.

“I Drove All Night,” Celine Dion

This song is the perfect workout song and always hypes me up. My favorite gigs are the Celine Dion tribute shows that I play around Boston. This song always reminds me of the fun that I have on these shows.

“11:11,” Manisha

Manisha is a Berklee graduate and was a resident assistant with me. This track is so motivating and reminds me of recording the music video in the 150 Mass Ave studios.

“So What About You,” Alizon

Alizon Lissance was my Berklee instructor for Music Theory 201. I absolutely love this track and the piano solo—I often find myself miming it with my right hand as I run.

“Cappy’s - Live,” Joey Madison

This song is about Cappy’s Pizza, which is located on Westland Ave. It is part of my friend Joey Madison’s album, Joey and Friends. This song makes me smile and is super catchy.

“Pressure,” Billy Joel

I started getting into Billy Joel’s music on my first cruise contract when I was playing saxophone in a Billy Joel tribute show. This is one of my favorite Billy Joel songs, and it’s great to run to.

“Nobody’s Side,” Jessica Vosk

I love Jessica Vosk and whenever this song comes up, it instantly gives me energy!

“Save Yourself,” ONE OK ROCK

This song has such a great groove and gives me a ton of energy. I discovered this song around a year ago on a training run and it has been a staple on my speed workout playlists. The Japanese in the song is one of my favorite parts.

“Legally Blonde Remix,” Legally Blonde

This song is such a motivator! The lyrics “get back in the game, get back on the case” are perfect for when you’re trying to find motivation in the middle of a race.

“Life is a Highway,” Rascal Flatts

This is the perfect song for running. I also love Cars and this song always makes me think of it.

“Killing in the Name,” Rage Against the Machine

This is a guilty pleasure song. I love rock music and this song makes me feel super cool while running.

“Moonlight Sonata 3rd Mvt (Big Band Version),” The 8-Bit Big Band

The 8-Bit Big Band is one of my favorite musical groups. This song takes Moonlight Sonata and adapts it to the jazz style. It is incredible to listen to and even more incredible to run to.

“One Fine Day,” Carole King

Carole King is another one of my favorite artists. Her music just makes me happy. Whenever this song comes up on my playlist, I smile.

Follow Xander on YouTube and Instagram, and explore Boston Conservatory at Berklee's top-ranking music programs.