There are a lot of people who call running ‘boring’. I personally think it very much depends on where, when and how you are running. It’s hard to find a run through a national park, in which the terrain constantly varies, boring. Or, a run along the coastline, where the sea provides something beautiful to look at. But I see where those people are coming from. When you get the hang of it, and your mind is free to wander, putting one foot in front of the other can feel monotonous (if you’re not on something like the above-mentioned routes).
That’s where our technology comes in handy. Smartphones—and headphones—have given us the ability to do something else while we’re on the go. We don’t really need our ears to run, and so we can use them for something else. Music is the go-to for many runners, but I don’t always find myself in that mood. I want to feel like I’m doing two productive tasks at once. And so, I combine my running with listening to either podcasts or audiobooks.
For me, the best audiobooks to listen to while running are the ones that reinforce what you’re currently doing; they’re providing insight into, or inspiration for, the sport of running. Another great thing about listening to audiobooks while running, is that it makes you look forward to your runs more. If, that is, you listen to the books exclusively while running, so you’re eager to get out on the trail and continue the audio journey. Here’s the list I’ve compiled.
1. Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins
Almost every runner in the Western world has probably heard of Goggins by now. A former Navy Seal turned ultra-distance competitor, Goggins still stands at the top of the heap at age 49 (as of July 2024). He didn’t have it easy on his path to become a savage, though. His first book, Can’t Hurt Me, details his childhood, his path to becoming a Seal, and his introduction to the elite running world.
No other book, fiction or non-fiction, has inspired me as much as this has. Listening to it has helped me take my own running to the next level, and I know it has done the same for many others. Each chapter lasts approximately 90 minutes; the perfect length to a long run. In addition to the chapters, there is a podcast-style conversation between Goggins and the narrator, Adam, in which they delve deeper into topics and events featured in the previous chapter. There’s also a challenge for you to complete, which sometimes involves writing things down. When I reached these points, I would stop the book, and once I’d finished my run, knock out the challenge immediately.
2. Never Finished by David Goggins
The sequel to Can’t Hurt Me, Never Finished is just as captivating as Goggins’ first book. It dives a little deeper into some aspects of his childhood that were glossed over previously, as well as updating readers on Goggins’ activities in the years following Can’t Hurt Me’s release. Goggins is honest about the fact that, by his standards, he became soft, and had to sign up to some diabolical races to connect his inner savage again. The book also details his struggles with severe injuries and his recovery back to racing fitness. Never Finished reminds us that when we go through setbacks, whether self-inflicted or not, there is always something we can do about it.
3. Spartan Up! by Joe De Sena
The world of obstacle racing was very much pioneered, or at the very least, made mainstream, by the Spartan Race. Most western countries, and many beyond, now host several Spartan races a year, and this book details the brand’s journey to become a worldwide phenomenon. Joe is the Founder and CEO of Spartan, and his own story is just as intriguing as his company’s. An ultra-marathon runner himself, Joe wanted to give the people something tough, but accessible. Something that would force them to rethink their relationship with ‘obstacles’ whether literal or figurative. And so, Spartan Race was born.
One of the best parts about this book is the interviews with Spartan Race finishers, many of whom faced uphill struggles to fitness, whether because of health issues, disabilities of years of laziness. Spartan Up! reminds us that anyone, no matter their circumstance, can complete hard challenges. A truly inspiring listen.
4. The Ultra Mindset by Travis Macy
There are many types of endurance events a person can take part in, and this book opened my eyes to the possibilities. Travis Macy, a career runner with a background in the sport that reaches back to his childhood, competed in many types of competitions, not all of them featuring strictly running. The Ultra Mindset takes readers through Macy’s journey through the adventure racing circuit; these are multi-day team events that include a variety of disciplines, such as running, cycling, skiing and kayaking. When covering such a massive distance, with so many ways that things could go wrong, the details of these races make for great listening.
Macy also outlines a set of principles, such as ‘it’s all good mental training’ that he relates to his own journey. I’ve found that these principles are easily applicable, to exercise and to life in general. Macy has competed in, and won, events that go beyond a single race, such as the Leadville Race Series, featuring six events that take place over two months. Macy helps us unlock the mental fortitude required to undergo challenges such as these.
5. Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
This might be the best non-fiction book I’ve ever read/listened to. The narrative weaves flawlessly between the main story, and side stories detailing the lives of the various people involved. Christopher McDougall did what a writer should do: put himself in the thick of the action, and experienced it right along with those he was writing about. He helped to organise a race between some of the best ultra-runners in America, and the famous Tarahumara of Mexico. And he ran the race himself.
The book takes us through McDougall’s journey to discover whether we really are ‘born to run’ or whether it’s something humans are not meant to do. His own running injuries led him on a path that ended with the Tarahumara people of Mexico, and a mysterious American known as ‘Caballo Blanco’ or ‘White Horse’. We are given insights into the lives of some of the most accomplished American ultra-runners of the 1990s and 2000s, as well as their training methods. In fact, ‘Born to Run’ is credited with bringing the barefoot running movement into the mainstream, in which we ditch the built-up shoes of the last few decades and keep it simple. Two brands—Vivo Barefoot and Vibram—have grown massively as a result.
The story certainly gives you a lot to think about if you are an ultra-runner, or an aspiring one. But all training tips and fringe ideas aside, the story is very compelling, I found myself regularly smiling whilst I listened to it. This is yet another book that has introduced a whole new world of running to me.
