What happens when you take a DJ, an ultramarathon, and eight hours of music and put them together? For BPMATHON founder Eddy Palermo, the answer is a world record, 46.7 kilometres, and a very different kind of endurance test.

Built around the idea that music comes first and running comes second, BPMATHON is less about competition and more about connection – bringing people together through movement, music, and a shared willingness to push beyond their comfort zones. After taking on seven Ironmans, Eddy decided to take things a step further, completing an eight-hour DJ set while running 46.7km through Miami.

From carefully building the BPM throughout the race to saving 140+ BPM techno for the moments when things got really tough, music became more than a soundtrack – it became part of the strategy. 

We caught up with him to talk about the thinking behind BPMATHON, the tracks that carried him through its toughest hours, and why sometimes the biggest achievement isn’t the record itself, but the people you bring along for the ride.

WWD: Was there one particular song that hit completely differently while you were running – a track that gave you a boost or got you through a really dark moment?

I wouldn’t say there was one particular track to be honest. Overall, being able to play my favorite music throughout the whole race was a special experience. As hard as the race was, it made it “easier”. Later in the race, I’m talking hours 5-7, that’s when things get wonky so the music was hitting differently at that time because I was in a unique state after running so much already and still had a ways to go. 

WWD: You’ve said BPMATHON could become a global movement. If we fast-forward five years, what does your wildest version of BPMATHON look like? Are we talking bigger distances, bigger crowds, different cities? 

Hopefully no longer distances haha. The wilder version of BPMATHON is having shorter runs, like 5Ks for example, and then a dance party afterwards. The focus of BPMATHON is music first, running second. We’re not a run club, we’re a fun club. No podiums, no winners, and only one pace; the party pace. It’s meant to bring people together who don’t normally run. We’re intentional about people disconnecting from their phones so that they can connect with the people around them. 

WWD: Music can have a significant effect on motivation and perceived exertion during endurance exercise. How did you use tempo, genre and energy levels in your DJ sets to help manage your own performance throughout the run? 

It’s called BPMATHON for that exact reason, playing on the BPM of music. The speed of music significantly changes the impact music can have, just like the pace you run impacts the time and exertion. I started at 125bpm then worked up little by little as the hours progressed. Hour 7-8 when it was the most painful hour I even went up to 140+ then back down and ended at probably 128bpm. I would increase then decrease it wasn’t a perfectly linear increase. 

WWD: An eight-hour DJ set is a significant undertaking even without running 46.7 kilometres. How did you structure your music selection and prepare for such a long continuous performance? 

In a normal DJ set in a club, I would maybe know my first and last track, and the rest would be played based on the feedback I’m getting from the crowd. Not much preparation at all for my normal DJ sets because I want them to flow naturally based on the energy of the room. For the run, I planned the order of the tracks because the last thing I wanted to do was to think about what song to play next.

My mind and body was already going through so much, I needed to reduce any additional thought or effort. So I spend a lot of time prepping the order of the tracks based on what I thought I would feel at the moment. For example, early on I played cool underground grooves to get my head right, then picked up the energy when the run was in full swing. I placed the faster, darker tracks around the 7 hour mark when I felt I needed them the most.

Overall my judgment was on point. But I played 116 of the 160 tracks I selected. I let the songs play out more than I normally would in a club set. I wanted to mix in and out but I quickly realized that doing quick transitions during this world record won’t help me. 

WWD: What advice would you give to someone attempting their first long-distance run? How does  listening to music uplift your performance and energy?

The advice is to start small. Just train little by little. Don’t get discouraged. It’s meant to be hard, so if you’re ever in your head thinking “This is hard…” Yep…that’s the whole point. Push through. Also, you’re capable of so much more than you think. Training is so important to not injury yourself, but at the same time, you’d be shocked to find out that you can probably run a half marathon or a marathon tomorrow without any training (you’ll just be in a lot of pain and very sore, but you can) to put things in perspective.

Funny enough, during ironman triathlons you’re not allowed to listen to music, so half of my runs are with music and the other half. Music can definitely inspire you when you need it most, but many times it’s nice to disconnect without music and just be present with the natural sounds happening around you. It’s more meditative that way. 

WWD: You described hearing from people who completed their longest-ever run at the event, as one of the most rewarding parts. Why do you think seeing someone else push their limits can be so motivating? 

There’s always a deeper motive with everything I do. Part of BPMATHON’s mission is to inspire people to get active and outside. My purpose is to positively impact millions of people throughout my lifetime, whether that be through getting lost in the music I play, or getting outside and going for a run. It gives more meaning to what I do. DJing has never been about me. It’s about the connection with the crowd. Same with this world record. Yes, I accomplished something, but we brought Miami together and that means more to me than the record. 

WWD: What would you say to someone who is inspired by BPMATHON but feels like running is beyond their ability? 

There were people in wheelchairs running alongside me for the record. That was absolutely incredible to see. So inspiring. Like I said before, you’re capable of way more than you think. I believe part of the joy of life is in discovering what your potential really is. Life is boring if you’re not challenging yourself. Many times the thing you fear is the exact thing you’re supposed to do. A better version of yourself is on the other side of the doubt and fear. 

WWD: You had already completed seven Ironmans. What did BPMATHON demand that none of those conventional events had prepared you for? 

The hardest part of BPMATHON compared to an Ironman is that my team and I actually planned the event. It’s one thing to run a race as a participant, but organizing the event and racing it adds a crippling level of stress. Our team joked that the running and djing is the easy part. The hard part was actually organizing an ultramarathon in the middle of Miami summer.

Measuring the course, speaking with the city, venue operations, staffing, partnerships, etc. Running an ultramarathon is hard enough as it is, doing it while DJing is just ridiculous, but what people don’t see is how my team and I actually produced the event…It’s mind boggling attempting a world record while being on calls organizing the actual event. Very stressful, and by the time race day came I was looking forward to it so I could let go of the stress of putting on the very event I was running (if that makes sense). Race day was fun. Planning the record was really tough. 

WWD: Did you have any tracks that you deliberately saved for later in the run because you knew they would give you a boost when you needed it most? If so, what? 

Oh yea…haha. I’ve been a house head forever, but I grew up listening to techno. I saved the 140+ bpm techno for hour 7 when I needed it most. Tracks like SP05 by Seigg. Dancefloor Oriented by BENZA. This is that nasty techno that can have to run through a brick wall. I saved these for the end when I really needed to push through. And they did the trick. 

WWD: The following day, you returned to a treadmill to complete the distance needed to reach your 50 kilometre target. What did that second day teach you? Did you continue to listen to music throughout the final stretch? 

So, the world record at the time was a marathon, 42km. All I needed to do was beat that record, but I really wanted to hit 50km for my own personal goal. I ended up doing 46.7km. When I say I’m going to do something, I do it. No matter what. No one saw me on the treadmill that day. That was for me to stay true to myself. I did listen to music because I was on a treadmill. It taught me that you will always have more in your tank no matter what you think. 

WWD: Wise words! Congrats and thanks for the chat 🙂