The Weight of the Woods<\/a><\/em>, now released and a world tour underway, Kennedy is balancing the demands of life on the road with a training routine that helps him perform at his best.<\/p>\nMuch of that preparation comes back to running.<\/p>\n
Kennedy recently partnered with Brooks Running for the DK5K Series, a multi-city 5K experience taking place alongside his tour dates. The series kicked off in Dublin earlier this summer, giving Kennedy an opportunity to connect with fans in a setting that feels less like a traditional concert and more like a shared experience.<\/p>\n
For Kennedy, that authenticity is a major part of what made the partnership appealing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the beauty of it is that it doesn\u2019t feel forced,\u201d Kennedy explained. The first event in Ireland, he said, felt more like a meet-up than a performance. That distinction matters for an artist whose career is built around creating a genuine connection with his audience.<\/p>\n
The partnership also makes sense given Kennedy\u2019s own relationship with running. As he continues performing massive shows throughout the world, running has become an important component of his fitness routine, particularly as he works to improve his VO2 max and build the cardiovascular capacity necessary for performing night after night.<\/p>\n
The Weight of Creating an Album<\/h3>\n
For Kennedy, the emotional intensity of an album doesn\u2019t necessarily begin when it is released. It starts much earlier, when the music is still private.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe bulk of the emotion is in the creation,\u201d Kennedy says.<\/p>\n
Creating an album is a deeply personal endeavor. Long before any listener hears the final tracks, Kennedy spends months, or even longer, living alongside the songs, questioning their direction, and envisioning what they could ultimately become. Consequently, by the time a record is released to the public, he has already navigated most of its emotional path.<\/p>\n
Then comes the anticipation.<\/p>\n
The release of The Weight of the Woods brought excitement, but Kennedy admits that the pressure surrounding his work is often self-imposed. As soon as one project reaches its destination, his mind can begin moving toward the next one.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the pressure is mostly self-inflicted,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n
His answer isn\u2019t to eliminate those expectations entirely. Instead, he\u2019s trying to create some distance from them.<\/p>\n
\u201cI try to detach from it,\u201d Kennedy explains.<\/p>\n
That detachment has allowed him to appreciate where he is in his career rather than constantly measuring himself against what comes next. At this point, he says he feels grateful and content with where he is creatively and with his ability to perform.<\/p>\n
For Kennedy, the goal remains relatively simple: make the best music possible and allow the rest to follow.<\/p>\n
Training for the Stage<\/h3>\n
Kennedy\u2019s approach to fitness is rooted partly in his athletic background. Before music became his career, soccer, mainly referred to as \u201cfootball\u201d by the Irishman, was a major part of his life. He played central midfield and once dreamed of playing professionally for Manchester United. That experience continues to influence how he thinks about movement, conditioning, and what it means to be physically prepared.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was obsessed with football,\u201d Kennedy said, recalling how seriously he once considered pursuing the sport professionally. Playing senior football taught him the importance of being able to move efficiently for an extended period of time, something that now translates surprisingly well to life on stage.<\/p>\n
Kennedy sees a clear connection between athletic conditioning and performance. A concert may not look like a traditional sporting event, but physically, there are plenty of similarities. He is moving, singing, controlling his breathing, and maintaining his energy for an extended period, often in front of thousands of people.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think being fit is really important for singing,\u201d he explained. For Kennedy, that means thinking beyond traditional strength training and focusing on things such as diaphragm control, breath efficiency, and posture. \u201cYou need to be able to control your diaphragm, and obviously your breathing is a huge part of singing.\u201d<\/p>\n
That is where running has become particularly valuable.<\/p>\n
\u201cRunning is a big part of my training now,\u201d Kennedy said, pointing to VO2 max as one of the reasons he has gravitated toward it.<\/p>\n
His football background also shaped his philosophy around strength and body composition. Kennedy remembers being conscious of the importance of staying light and quick on the pitch, and he isn\u2019t convinced that simply adding more muscle automatically makes someone a better athlete.<\/p>\n
\u201cI always wanted to be light and quick,\u201d he said, reflecting on his football days. He recalled being frustrated by the idea that more weightlifting necessarily meant better football performance. For a midfielder, he valued being able to move, react, and maintain that athletic flow.<\/p>\n
That idea of flow is particularly interesting to Kennedy because it separates his experience in football from his experience making music. During a great football match, he described reaching a state where decisions and movement can happen almost instinctively. Music requires a different kind of mental intensity.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a flow state in football that I really love,\u201d Kennedy said. \u201cIt\u2019s a different kind of focus than music.\u201d<\/p>\n
Still, the underlying principle remains the same: preparation creates freedom. Whether he\u2019s stepping onto a football pitch or a massive concert stage, being physically prepared allows him to focus on the moment rather than worrying about whether his body can keep up.<\/p>\n
And with a world tour demanding performance after performance, that preparation has become less of an accessory to his career and more of a necessity.<\/p>\n
Recovery Doesn\u2019t Stop When the Show Ends<\/h3>\n
For an artist constantly moving from city to city, recovery can be just as important as training.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
After a performance, Kennedy has developed a vocal warm-down routine that includes quietly humming to help bring his voice down after a demanding show. \u201cI do a little vocal warm-down after the show, just humming quietly and bringing everything back down,\u201d he explained. \u201cIt\u2019s not anything revolutionary, but it definitely helps.\u201d<\/p>\n
He has also experimented with hot tubs and cold plunges while on tour, recalling a Canadian run of shows where the combination became a particularly useful part of his recovery routine. \u201cWe had hot tubs and cold plunges on that tour in Canada, and honestly, I felt great,\u201d Kennedy said. \u201cWhen you\u2019re doing show after show, you start paying attention to anything that helps you feel better the next day.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Kennedy recognizes that recovery on the road isn\u2019t always easy.<\/p>\n
Sleep remains one of the biggest challenges, especially when travel, late performances, and a packed schedule collide. \u201cThe hardest thing is probably sleep,\u201d he admitted. \u201cYou\u2019re constantly moving, changing time zones, getting in late, and then trying to do it all again the next day.\u201d<\/p>\n
While he has occasionally experimented with supplements for sleep and energy, he generally prefers a more natural approach to maintaining his health. \u201cI\u2019m not hugely regimented with supplements,\u201d Kennedy said. \u201cI\u2019ve tried different things, but I usually find that the basics, sleep, recovery, and taking care of yourself, make the biggest difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
That balance, training hard while understanding when to recover, has become increasingly important as his career continues to grow. For Kennedy, longevity isn\u2019t about finding a miracle recovery tool. It\u2019s about consistently taking care of the body and voice that allow him to perform at a high level night after night.<\/p>\n
The Emotional Weight of Creating Music<\/h2>\n
For Kennedy, the most intense part of releasing an album doesn\u2019t necessarily come when the record finally reaches the public. It happens much earlier, during the quiet and often isolated process of making it.<\/p>\n