Charlie Engle, author of the memoir Running Man, is something of an expert on endurance. Running helped him overcome a crack cocaine and alcohol addiction and keep his spirits up while in prison, where he inspired other inmates by running in endless circles around the track. For Engle, the more extreme the run, the better — think the Sahara Desert. “For years, I listened to music when I ran,” he says. “I would speed up and slow down with the beat of the songs.” Then, he says, he found audiobooks. “Once I discovered that I could be transported to other locations — or into the middle of family dramas or dead center into a hurricane — simply by listening to someone telling me a story, I never looked back.”
People have been extolling the virtues of audiobooks for helping them stay motivated during long runs — they’re also great for incentive. “I find that I really look forward to my next run when I am in the middle of a great book,” says Engle. “The running will always be tough but the miles float by much easier when I am immersed in a great novel.”
Here are some of the books Engle recommends for staying motivated and distracted.
(Bonus points: These are more or less in order of how intense the run was as he listened.)
If anyone can be said to be an authority on pluck, it’s psychologist and professor Angela Duckworth, who has made the study of unrelenting perseverance her life’s work. Her audiobook, which she also narrates with bright, genuine command, gives listeners an intimate look into her research as well as her personal experiences in pursuing her research. In an enthralling combination of scientific findings, recounts of personal struggles, and fascinating historical insights, Duckworth explains why, after years of study, she has concluded that the one thing that’s far more important than talent, skill, or experience in determining success is grit.
It helps to have an inspiring role model ... or models. Says Engle, "The tiny details really do matter, especially when trying to fly. I related to the Wright brothers' determination and single-minded vision. As a runner, I have done things that people said were impossible. Sometimes the naysayers are right, but the Wright brothers never listened. They just kept pushing forward."
As the runs turn more intense, try riveting personal tales told by someone with more than enough of them. "Jimmy Carter gave me incredible insights into the decisions he made as president. But it wasn't just hard and cold facts — it was deeply personal and gut-wrenching at times. Nobody doubts that being president is a tough job, but I found myself being very sympathetic to this man who so often had to make impossible decisions."
Distraction is key for harder runs. Engle says he chose this book on a whim only five minutes before a long training run. "Time flew by as I listened to the world disintegrate. Classic good guys versus bad guys kept me moving steadily for hours."
When you need to lose yourself, it's hard to beat a Stephen King novel. Engle swears by this one, which he calls "a particularly sinister read ... I loved diving into the abyss."
As the runs deepen in intensity, you will need more incentive to keep going. Twisty mysteries are great for that. "I was sure I had it all figured out four different times," says Engle, "only to be thrown sideways by a new twist. The story was dark and complex but absolutely gave me characters to pull for."
You can't really give up so easily when you're listening to a story about people persevering against tougher odds. Engle calls this book "beautifully read" and "so powerful I nearly decided to quit running and take up rowing."
Engle listened to this thriller while running across the Sahara Desert. You heard that right. The Sahara. "Of all the zombie books out there," he says, "this one was the most real I have ever listened to. I will admit that I looked over my shoulder a few times just to be sure my teammates weren't bleeding from their eyes."
"Erik Larson took me to the depths of the ocean with this one. I remember running an extra two hours one day just so I could keep listening," says Engle. "The characters were real and the story made my heart hurt for them." We would call that a good pain — about as good as completing any challenging run. (Which, after this, we're actually looking forward to doing.)
