Audiobooks and running

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beccalucy
beccalucy Posts: 250 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm considering it for my long runs as I've figured 3 hours is a good time you get into a book.

Have you tried listening to audiobooks when running? Can you recommend any?

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  • ablykins
    ablykins Posts: 200 Member
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    I love listening to audiobooks during distance runs!
    My fav's include:
    Dale Carnegie: "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living"
    Dale Carnegie: "How to Win Friends and Influence People"
    Kathy Griffin's "Official Book Club Selection"
    Tina Fey's "Bossypants"

    Also, the audio fuel selections on iTunes are good for temp and distance runs as you are prompted with a voice to check breathing, form, etc.
  • kasarin
    kasarin Posts: 82
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    I absolutely LOVE audiobooks while running. The big deal for audiobooks is you have to find readers that voices sound ok to you.
    I read a lot of horror and fantasy. I digested Stephen King's Dark Tower series and George R. Martin Game of Thrones. Not sure if they are the correct genre for you, but I love them.


    Also BIG PROTIP: Go to your library for audiobooks! They are free there, take them home rip them and put on them on your player and you are good to go for no cash. Definitely a good way to see if you love it!

    Happy Trails!
  • beccalucy
    beccalucy Posts: 250 Member
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    Thanks guys! I actually popped to the library earlier but they hadn't got much choice so I've got one and I'll see.

    I'll read anything so recommend away
  • u2fergus
    u2fergus Posts: 422 Member
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    I always listen to audiobooks while I work out, especially for running. I love librivox.org as a source to get free audiobooks. They have books that are out of copyright, so you'll get a lot of classics there. I also like audible.com--it's not free, but they have pretty good membership deals and a good selection.
  • mlachance9
    mlachance9 Posts: 49 Member
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    I listen to audiobooks on my long runs (and sometimes shorter ones when I've gotten really interested in the book). My library loans audiobooks online and then you can put on your music device - so you might want to look into that.

    The types of books I listen to are romance or chic lit - I want something light and fun to listen to when I run and these work well.
  • alexandria412
    alexandria412 Posts: 177 Member
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    Running with audiobooks is awesome. If you like classics, check out http://librivox.org/
  • sevcrucio
    sevcrucio Posts: 4 Member
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    I'd recommend the Millenium Trilogy (e.g. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) and The Game of Thrones Series. Both of them are REALLY long so you've always got something to listen to while exercising. That's what I do when I'm out cycling.
  • jconnon
    jconnon Posts: 427 Member
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    If you like some of the classics there is an app called Audiobooks in the android market. I am sure there must be an iphone one as well. This app has about 2800 free audiobooks. I just finished the Land that Time Forgot by Edgar Rice Burroughs. The person that read it sounded good (they are volunteers). They have a bunch of different books and they are not all classics.
  • thepetiterunner
    thepetiterunner Posts: 1,238 Member
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    Hmm. I have never considered this, even on my long runs! I started listening to NPR while running which was awesome, but I might have to test this out now!
  • WarrantyVoider
    WarrantyVoider Posts: 11 Member
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    I enjoy audiobooks immensely, but I'm also an old-time radio fan.

    You can find thousands of old-time radio shows on the internet in all kinds of genres that are all free because their copyrights have expired.
    They have the old Sherlock Holmes with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. X-1 is an awesome sci-fi show, Buck Rogers, The Shadow, Fu Manchu, etc.

    The cool thing about the radio shows is that they were designed like movies with no video, which means they are much more suited to "visualization" than audiobooks are. Lots of sound effects etc. Many of them are quite campy which actually adds to the fun for me.

    the best database I have found for large volumes of them is at:
    http://www.rusc.com
    but they charge a (very small) membership fee for managing the library.

    but you can find other sites where they can be downloaded for free, but are not organized quite so well.

    Many can be downloaded as free podcasts in the itunes store.
  • MissMollieD
    MissMollieD Posts: 130
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    Second that! I listen to Wait, Wait don't tell me, This American Life, and Car Talk. Perfect time frame for a 6 mile run. I also love the How Stuff Works podccasts.
  • sallytx
    sallytx Posts: 43 Member
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    Ha, ha, ha...I tried this and it was horrible for me....I thought it was such a great idea....I was listening to "the Help" and i was sooooooooo bored! I guess music is better for me...or maybe I just chose the wrong book....
  • Floobaloob
    Floobaloob Posts: 25 Member
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    I love the Harry Potters, easy to listen to and Stephen Fry has a great audiobook voice.
    Have tried listening to recordings of my lectures, that didn't go quite as well. Need far too much concentration, so every time I got bored or zoned out I couldn't get back in to follow.
  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
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    I always listen to audiobooks or podcasts while I'm running. Music actually confuses me when I run. Go figure.

    Obviously you would choose books in genres that you like.

    You can get audio books from itunes, your local library, audible.com, amazon.

    I don't listen to something that requires too much comprehension, or to something that's too boring. It needs to keep my attention, but if I miss something because my mind has wandered, it can't be too hard to figure out what's going on. If I keep having to rewind, it pisses me off.

    Also the narrator makes or breaks the reading. If someone's voice gets on your nerves, you are never going to finish the book.

    I usually like listening to teen fiction or chick lit. Easy listening.

    The Hunger Games was really good to listen to. It is narrated by Carolyn McCormick (Dr Olivet, Law & Order) She has a really distinctive voice that keeps the audience engaged.

    Right now, I'm listening to The Virgin River series by Robin Carr. Narrated by Theresa Plumber. She is very good in Narration.

    I've tried listening to some Stephen King. Meh. Not my kinda thing for running.

    I've listened to a couple of Maeve Binchey books. I like her style.

    I wish I'd been keeping track of what I've listened to.
  • JadeRabbit08
    JadeRabbit08 Posts: 551 Member
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    So many free podcasts out there too.

    Underwood and Flinch is good for a vampire story. (No sparkly vampies at all)
    Lots of good science podcasts as well
  • nwhitley
    nwhitley Posts: 619
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    Thanks guys for the suggestions. I have never thought of listening to audiobooks. I will try this out. Definitely going to try out the Hunger Games b/c my son wants to see the movie when it comes out.
  • miovlb6
    miovlb6 Posts: 339 Member
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    I always listen to audiobooks or podcasts on my long runs. The right book can really make the time fly by. As others have said here, get books that you would normally like to read, and make sure to listen to it a bit beforehand to get a feel for the reader's voice. There's nothing worse than being stuck listening to a crappy reader or an annoying voice for a couple of hours because you didn't give it a listen before setting off on your run. In fact, I like to listen to 20 or 30 minutes of the book before my run so that I can really get into it. That way I'm already invested in the story and I can just zone out and listen while I run. I usually get my books from audible.com.

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