The Psychology of the First Song and the Power Song

During my 10-mile run this morning, I started to think about the psychology behind the first song on your running play list and your Power Song. More than a year ago, I had Montell Jordan's "This Is How We Do It" as the first song. I changed it to the Beastie Boy's "Intergalactic" and then to Smash Mouth's "Walking On the Sun." Just today I changed it to Paul Oakenfield's "Starry-Eye Surprise".

As for Power Songs, I only made one change--from Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" to Van Halen's "Right Now", which is the current Power Song on my Ipod.

So, the potential problem is that these songs are now associated with running. When I want to run and am feeling good, that's a good thing, but when it's more of a chore, I find that my taste for these good songs starts to wane. And, when I hear them on the radio, I find myself changing the station because I now hear them so often and associate them with something else.

I already can't listen to the Knack's "My Sharona" because that's my wake-up song on my CD alarm clock (off the "Reality Bites" soundtrack, if you're wondering). If I hear that song on the radio, I turn it immediately because I associate it with getting out of bed, which I don't like to do--ever.

So, a question for the group... is my neurosis getting the best of me or is there something to the psychology of a work-out song and hearing it at other times? What do you do to keep your music fresh?