12 Top Audiobooks for Running

Do you run with music? Are you tired of the same 5 songs on the radio?

I was.

That’s why I started listening to audiobooks while training for the San Diego marathon in 2007…I’m pretty sure the process involved taking a CD burning it on the the computer, then transferring a few chapters to my iPod. I must have had far more free time 7 years ago.

Anyhow, the first book I ever listened to was Eat, Pray, Love and it absolutely did exactly what I needed:

• Kept my mind from thinking about my dead legs
• Encouraged me to go a little farther to hear the next part
• Provided a little humor to stressful runs
• Provided insight and ideas for living better

Now this only works when I don’t allow myself to listen to the audiobook except when I’m running and obviously I call it quits immediately on any book that isn’t inspiring me to get moving. This is another one of those mental tricks that can help you run farther!

Since then I’ve gone on to fall in love with Podcasts {checkout my top podcasts for running}…but when it comes to marathon training long runs, nothing beats a great running book to excite you and maybe push you just a little bit harder by getting engaged in their story.Over the years I’ve found the best books to run to and the one’s that just aren’t all that motivating.

Some people can get in to a murder mystery while they run, but I actually love stories about athletes or people who are pushing their limits. It helps me to dig in to the mental side of running and push myself just a tad harder.

Best Running Audiobooks

While I’ve listened to many different things over the years, I’ve found these to be among my favorites. Finding great inspirational audiobooks isn’t always easy, so hopefully my suggestions give you some ideas.

There are two easy options for audiobooks:

1. Audible.com is a great option because you get a free book when you sign up. It’s an easy app on your phone and has every title imaginable.
2. Libby is a free app used by many libraries now, so you get audiobooks for free!! But the titles available are often very limited, so sometimes you may have to pony up via Audible and it’s worth it.

Each of the books below is linked up to Amazon in case you want to try it out!

And what kind of author would I be if I didn’t point out that now you can get this website in a massively more intense and FUNNY version via audiobook!!! It’s 12 years of researched writing about running, boiled down in to what you need to know to mentally crush the runs, stay injury free and have some fun.

You can checkout the reviews to see, it’s not just me saying it’s worth your time.

#1 Finding Ultra

Rich Roll

Life can be a shit storm to put it bluntly, but that doesn’t mean there is no way out, up or around it. I love the brutal honesty of Rich’s history and the clarity of his present. The athlete in you will be moved to break some of your own bad habits.

#2 Unbroken

Laura Hillenbrand

The true story of athlete Lou Zamparini who was called in to World War II and not only survived being stranded in the ocean {sharks are you kidding me!}, a detention camp and trying to re-assimilate, but he did it in a way that helped others. Runners will look at every obstacle in a new light.

#3 Once a Runner

John L. Parker, JR

Not a competitive runner? Me neither, but his inside look a the mind and training of a competitive college athlete pushed me to work on my own speed and embrace the discomfort of training. Follow his quest to run a 4 minute mile while life {war, school, love} are happening all around him.

#4 What I talk about when I talk about running

Haruki Murakami

Ahh what a fun book. It’s literally like being inside your own mind as you run through the reasons to stop, to keep going and the entire journey…just way better written than we do in our heads.

I have listened to this at least 3 or 4 times.

#5 Let Your Mind Run

Deena Kastor

I recommend this book constantly. It’s a beautiful cross between Deena sharing the experience of becoming and being an elite runner, right alongside hugely valuable tips.

You’ll begin to look at the way you think about training and races differently. You’ll have new tools to help you succeed. And it’s a really great entertaining read.

#6 Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

Cheryl Strayed

In the first few chapters, I wasn’t sure this book would be something I could handle…her life was rough…like really rough. Then this woman {whole out of shape and untrained} sets out on an incredible journey with nothing but an oversized backpack through the woods of the California coast line. It’s hard to stop running when you’re listening to a women talk about hiking miles with 1 shoe.

What do you listen to while #running? Have you tried an audiobook? Share on X

#7 Born To Run: A hidden tribe, superathletes, and the greatest race the world has never seen

Christopher McDougall

Best known for sparking the barefoot running craze, this book does so much more for the sport.

It shows a passion for distance running through the eyes of various people and gives an inside look at a way of living that has created people who run with ease and joy…and a little competition.

 

#8 Running on Empty: An ultramarathoner’s story of love, loss and a record-setting run across America

Marshall Ulrich

Determination is one thing, but grit is a whole new level of pushing yourself when there is no competitor, no specific reason you must other than you said that you would and you want to. This is his run from California to New York ….the equivalent of running two marathons and a 10k every day for nearly two months straight.

#9 Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an all-night runner

Dean Karnazes

How did this well known runner become such an icon?? You might be surprised…and well more than a little motivated to get your own feet moving more once you hear the story of his very first run.

#10 Running With the Kenyans

Adharanand Finn

You can read my full review here, but the two sentence description is this…an interesting story of a runner and his family that move to Kenya to see exactly how they train.

It’s his story, intermingled with their stories and maybe just a little insight in to their dominance in the sport. I truly learned a lot of things from reading this and have kept the physical version on my shelf.

#11 A Life Without Limits

Chrissie Wellington

I’ve quoted Chrissie many times from this book and even done a full review of it because honestly it surprised me. I had no idea how fascinating her life had been both prior to and during racing!

She has an outlook that will make you want to enjoy the journey and yes once again push yourself just a little harder.

Chrissie is an incredible and determined human. This audiobook while running is absolutely going to get you to push some boundaries.

#12 Run To The Finish: The Middle of the Packer’s Guide to Training

Amanda Brooks

I’m going to leave it to this amazing review by Casey…

“Here are a few reason why I loved this book and give it 5+ stars!

First and foremost, I love the fact that Amanda wrote all the words of this book. As an author myself, I appreciate the fact that she is a journalism major and didn’t need a co-writer on this. There are several books by influencers or superstars that are great book but are co-written. This made me smile that this is all Amanda.

This book is easy to read, fun, and full of truth on so many levels. Amanda focuses on the average or middle of the road runner.

She gives solid and honest advice for the new runner.

She takes the myths of “who” is a runner and lays out the truths.

There is solid research to start running and being the best you can be in this book
There are great exercises, running plans, and everything you need to start a journey running in this book

Most importantly, this book allowed me to see that “forward is a pace” and Bit’s okay to forget pace or what others thing of you. (Something I’ve struggled with since the day people noticed I wasn’t your “average” mama runner.) It allowed me to look at what I can do to bring my joy of running back and one is to run for a bigger cause. ”

There are a TON of other running books that I love from Brain Training for Runners, but they just don’t translate as well to audiobooks.

Or to be honest a few of the other running focused books I tried just sounded like someone whining and didn’t make me want to run! I know that for many of you this list is incomplete because I didn’t include David Goggins. What can I say, that one just didn’t spark anything for me. I loved him on Rich Roll’s podcast, but couldn’t get in to the book.

Bonus Audiobooks for Runners

I’ve come across a few other motivational audiobooks that are not running specific, but which I really enjoyed listening to, so I wanted to throw them out as well!

Age is Just a Number

Dara Torres

Wow this one really grabbed me! Maybe because I’m now in that “not my prime” years and coming back from an injury. She proves that while we might need to do things differently as we age, we can still crush our goals and ever surpass what our younger selves did.

Eat, Pray, Love

Elizabeth Gilbert

I  mentioned this one at the beginning and stand by it. Something about her bravery to tackle the world, to feel her emotions just resonates while you run and makes you want to discover what’s inside you too!

The Champions Mind

Jim Afremow

I’m all about anything that helps us dig deeper in to the mental side of running, it’s where we make the biggest gains. Plus listening while you run allows you to test things out immediately.

• Top 50 Running Books (many not in audio or just better to read)
• Marathon Motivation Quotes
• Interesting Facts About Running
• What’s a Good Marathon Time

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