BEST OF: Workout Music

I'm one of those nut-jobs attempting an Ironman triathlon this year, but I have recently been sidelined from my training by a hamstring injury.  As a result, I've been doing a lot of cross-training (like squats to pull sheets of freshly baked molasses cookies out of the oven, shoulder circuits stirring cheese fondue, and the occasional bicep curl with a bottle of beer).

I've also been stuck spending a lot of time on the elliptical trainer, which generally involves staring out the window, flipping through the April 2006 issue of Car and Driver, and sharing air space with people who smell like a combination of Listerine and used hockey pads.

As I've discovered, nothing perks up an otherwise tedious gym session (or outdoor run, or any other kind of exercise) quite like a really good soundtrack. 

Without further ado, here are my highly subjective favorite workout songs, categorized by the best place they fit into a workout.  I included the song time so you can pick your favorites from each category and assemble them into a playlist customized to your workout.

Warm Up
1. Viva la Vida (Coldplay) - 4:01
2. The Obvious Child (Paul Simon) - 4:10
3. Jesus Walks (Kanye West) - 3:30

Work Out
1.  Bleeding Hearts Club (P.O.S.) - 3:21
2.  Friday Night (Girl Talk) - 1:46
3.  The Rockefeller Skank (Fatboy Slim) - 6:52
4.  Rebellion (Arcade Fire) - 5:12
5.  Don't Stop the Music (Rihanna) - 4:27
6.  Good Vibrations (Marky Mark & the Funky Bunch) - 4:28
7.  New Workout Plan (Kanye West) - 5:24
8.  Ditty (Paperboy) - 4:06

Heavy Hitters (these are always the last three songs on my playlists for marathons; they are miracle workers for when you think you're going to keel over and die).
1.  Prime Time of Your Life (Daft Punk) - 10:24
2.  B.O.B. (Outkast) - 5:06
3.  The Beautiful People (Marilyn Manson) - 3:24

Cool Down
1.  Take Five (Dave Brubeck) - 5:24
2.  Atlantic City (Bruce Springsteen) - 3:57
3.  Shine (David Gray) - 4:33