5 Books to Listen to on Long Runs

(that aren’t about running)

Listening to a running book while running is like eating sushi at an aquarium.

I can’t say why exactly that it’s wrong, but it just isn’t right. That said, audiobooks are the way I survive a lot of long runs in marathon training, and I’ve listened to hundreds of hours of books on the run.

I love a book that entertains, holds my attention, and occasionally gives me something useful or insightful I can apply to my training. Bonus points if it happens to be the story of a journey, a personal triumph, or someone beating the odds. And double bonus points if it makes me laugh out loud on the run, since smiling while running is proven to improve performance.

And with that, here’s my short list for your next long run:

1. Beginners Mind, Yo-Yo Ma: Lessons for runners throughout this really calming and lovely look into the mind of an artistic genius and how “every season, every chapter gives us an opportunity to do better.”

2. The Boys in the Boat, Daniel James Brown: Ok it does involve the Olympics, but not in running. A true and incredible story of the 1936 Olympic crew team — you’ll run an extra two miles just to finish the chapter. Master boat craftsman George Pocock serves as a voice of quiet wisdom with plenty of advice for all athletes.

3. Breath, James Nestor: A full on dork-fest dive into the science of breathing and the life-changing effect of paying attention to this vital function. It is guaranteed to make you think differently about how you breathe when you run.

4. The Hard Thing About Hard Things, Ben Horowitz: If nothing else, you will be wildly entertained by the combination of rap lyrics and lessons on how to build a business. Some of that advice, it turns out, is pretty good for athletes too. Like: “Note to self: It’s a good idea to ask, “What am I not doing?”

5. Naked, David Sedaris: The stories are short but fully engaging, Sedaris narrating adds so much to the story, and you’ll just plain laugh your ass down the trail.