Running can be an arduous task, especially for those who are new to the sport. It can also be a life-giving force for those who are already more involved in the running community. Either way, it’s one of the best athletic ventures to couple with a great audiobook. Listening to the inspirational stories of other runners can be just what you need to push through a difficult jog or set a new personal record.
Here are some of our favorite titles about the nature of running:
Finding Ultra is the motivational true story of Rich Roll’s transformation from couch potato to world-class long distance runner and ultra-triathlon contender. When Roll decided to turn his life around, he quit processed foods, focused on eating a plant-based diet, and placed a priority on daily exercise. Within mere months, he was running marathons and training for ultramarathons. This audiobook, narrated by the author himself, sheds light on his evolution. Roll recounts his experiences competing in some of the most strenuous races in the world, including the Epic5 Challenge—five Ironman-length triathlons that must be completed in less than one week. This revised and updated edition features a new foreword, a bonus chapter, and additional resources.
In Ultramarathon Man: Confession of an All-Night Runner, Earphones Award-winning narrator James Yaegashi brings the unusual story of author Dean Karnazes to life. Karnazes quit running in high school when his cross-country coach retired and didn’t run again until 15 years later, when abruptly he decided to run 30 miles in gardening shoes. Since then, he’s run numerous ultramarathons, once running 100 miles in less than 24 hours. Karnazes takes listeners along on his often grueling but never boring treks across terrains from Death Valley to the South Pole to the breathtaking mountains and canyons of the Sierra Nevada. Throughout, his absurd antics—like the time he ordered a pizza to be delivered on his marathon route—pepper this immersive listen with levity.
For more than a decade. Katie Arnold covered extreme athletes and daring feats for Outside Magazine, where she also wrote a regular column about raising adventurous children. Her parenting techniques mirrored those of her father, who raised her to live life on the edge. When he died, she was forced to confront her own mortality and became nearly paralyzed by fear. Eventually, she found the one thing that made her feel alive: running. In her memoir, which she narrates herself, Arnold dives into how running saved her life. Poignant and sometimes heart wrenching, Running Home is a motivational listen for anyone looking to overcome grief, pain, and anxiety.
Deena Kastor was already a star runner as a kid, and she ran through high school and college with success at every turn. After college, though, her run-as-hard-as-possible mentality caught up with her, and she came close to a full-fledged burnout. But instead of quitting, she moved to the high altitudes of Alamosa, Colorado, where noted coach Joe Vigil had started the first professional distance-running team. With Vigil's help, she embraced a mindset of resilience, kindness, and joy. In Let Your Mind Run, which she narrates herself, Kastor talks with honesty about the challenges that come with competitive running—runners often develop reckless habits and convince themselves that longer is always better, no matter the pain they experience. As she tells her listeners, a positive outlook is a pivotal factor in going the distance.
Running Like a Girl aims to empower women to begin their running journeys with confidence. Rather than drawing inspiration from Olympic medalists and marathon winners, Alexandra Heminsley focuses on her own experience. As she explains, inspiration and motivation aren’t the only essentials for running success—there are also practical and logistical necessities. For instance, she needed to learn what kind of bra to wear, what kind of food to eat before a run, how not to freeze, and even how to deal with chafing. Running Like a Girl is filled with such useful information. Stepping into Heminsley’s words, narrator Elizabeth Sastre crafts a listen that’s like having a conversation with a close friend.
The Badwater 135 is known as the toughest race on foot, and after listening to Cory Reese's experience running it, it’s easy to understand why. The race goes from the lowest point of elevation in North America, at Badwater Basin, to the trailhead of the highest point in the contiguous United States, the summit of Mt. Whitney. Aside from the distance and the change in altitude, there is something about this race that stands out: the heat. Into the Furnace lets listeners in on the thoughts of a runner attempting this grueling race. As Reese narrates his story, you can hear the pain and fear in his voice—and feel his pride and fulfilment at the race’s completion.
In this compelling look at impressive athleticism, Christopher McDougall recounts stories of the Tarahumara—a North American tribe of Indigenous peoples who for centuries have practiced the seemingly impossible feat of running for hundreds of miles at a time without rest. Traveling to the deadly Copper Hills in the tribe’s native Mexico, the author meets the mysterious and solitary Caballo Blanco and begins studying the ways of the Tarahumara, hoping to become an ultramarathoner himself. Blending engrossing narratives with scientific research on human endurance, Born to Run is a fascinating cultural study, colorful travel memoir, and inspiring running journal all in one. Throughout, narrator Fred Sanders manages to mirror the energy of the Tarahumara, keeping listeners engaged from start to finish.
Here are some of our favorite inspirational running memoirs:
Joel A. Cohen is a Hollywood screenwriter who has worked mostly on comedies. His knack for writing humor shines in How to Lose a Marathon, a satirical, albeit motivational, story of a couch potato (Cohen himself) who figures out how to train for a marathon while staying true to his inner-laziness. A prolific narrator, Nicholas Techosky brings just the right tone to this audiobook—he is sarcastic and dry, with the perfect amount of wit. Running memoirs don’t typically make for laugh-out-loud listens, but this one is an exception. How to Lose a Marathon is also a a testament to how nearly everyone can benefit from pushing themselves to run.
Born in 1915 in Harlem, Ida Keeling made it through the Great Depression and the civil rights movement on the strength of her fierce determination and faith. But after her two sons were brutally murdered, she struggled to make it through the day, let alone find hope and joy in her life—until her daughter convinced her to give running a try. At age 67, Keeling put on her first pair of running shoes. At 104, when she finished writing Can’t Nothing Bring Me Down, she was a world-record-holding sprinter and still running. After hearing Keeling’s inspirational story, you're bound to feel the motivation to keep going no matter how difficult life seems. Actress Lisa Renee Pitts, known for her roles in Straight Outta Compton and Her, narrates Keeling's memoir with dynamic energy while bringing a level of maturity and respect to the author's words.
Listeners may recognize Tom Foreman from his work on CNN, where he has reported from war zones, riots, and natural disasters, but this memoir isn't about his career as journalist. My Year of Running Dangerously starts with the terrifying moment in his personal life when his 18-year-old daughter asked him to run a marathon with her. What began as a fear and a challenge became a passion. With his daughter's encouragement, Foreman started training and eventually ran four half-marathons, three marathons, and a 55-mile race. Narrated with authenticity and gentle humor by the author, this audiobook offers insights and inspiration for runners and anyone struggling with getting older and losing motivation. It's also a wonderful listen for fathers and everyone looking for a good story.
The Long Run is at once a deeply moving memoir and a powerful work of women's history. Catriona Menzies-Pike begins by sharing her own running story. For her, running became a therapeutic device that helped her mourn the deaths of her parents 10 years after the fact. Her transition into a runner made her curious about women runners of the past. She delves into the stories of breakthrough women runners such as Kathrine Switzer, the first woman to run the Boston marathon, while asking the question: What attracts women to running? Narrated by actress Olivia Mackenzie-Smith, The Long Run is a fascinating and inspirational listen for not only runners but also anyone drawn to the triumphs of trailblazing women.
Haruki Murakami is a world-renowned author known for novels like Kafka on the Shore and 1Q84, but writing isn’t his only passion—he’s also an avid runner. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running is his memoir, and though it’s centered around his love of running and his experiences while marathon training, it touches on various subjects ranging from world travel to the ups and downs of growing older. The audiobook is narrated by Earphones Award-winner Ray Porter, whose relaxed tone helps immerse the listener in this poignant memoir.
If running on a new route can wake up your senses, imagine what running on a new continent could do. Adharanand Finn wanted to find out, so he packed up his family and headed to Iten, a town in Kenya that's home to the fastest runners in the world. Uprooting your life to train with the best? How can that not ignite your own passion for running? Finn finds everything he's looking for—and more. Yes, the intense training he witnesses and undergoes is impressive and inspiring. But it's the personal connections he makes with remarkable runners that really make Running with the Kenyans shine.
What could possibly make running an ultramarathon across a desert any more epic? Oh, an adorable little dog. Finding Gobi is the tale of Dion Leonard, a seasoned ultramarathon runner who, while competing in a 155-mile race through the Gobi Desert in China, crosses paths with a stray dog. This pup, who Leonard named Gobi, ran with him for 77 miles, across the Tian Shan Mountains and massive sand dunes. After the run, Gobi and Leonard got separated in a sprawling Chinese city. Seeking to find and reunite with the miracle dog who became his best pal, Leonard relies on the kindness of strangers on the internet. This inspiring tale is proof that determination and drive can take anyone far and ultramarathon runners come in all shapes and sizes.
Running to the Edge is the story of one of America’s greatest running coaches, Bob Larsen. Orchestrated by New York Times Deputy Sports Editor Matthew Futterman, it takes the shape of long-form journalism, including interviews with Larsen and many of his protégés. The narrative follows Larsen’s transformation from farm boy running around in fields to world-renowned coach with groundbreaking methods for success. The narrator, René Ruiz, is a prolific audiobook narrator, with an expertise in delivering inspirational stories. Ruiz’s voice is electrifying, and he keeps the story moving at a quick pace, encouraging runners to race until they have absorbed all the advice that this audiobook has to impart.
While Running Man is a chronicle of Charlie Engle’s rise to running fame, at points it seems like a Hollywood thriller—and since the author also narrates his own gripping story, the high highs and low lows are even more powerful. Engle’s remarkable real-life tale begins with a low—hitting rock bottom as a cocaine addict and alcoholic. After a near-fatal six-day binge ends with him literally dodging bullets, he decides to replace his vices with running. He quickly becomes a well-known force in the ultramarathon community and completes some of the toughest races in the world, but in 2010. Then, life strikes him a blow—he is wrongly convicted of mortgage fraud. Determined not to lose sight of his running goals, Engle continues to run—even in the prison yard. You'll want to listen to how he blazed a path to freedom.
Here are some of our favorite titles to help you build a training regimen:
Scott Jurek is one of the world’s most accomplished long-distance runners. He has won the 100-mile Western States Endurance Run seven times and the 135-mile Death Valley Badwater Ultramarathon twice. Eat and Run is his motivational call-to-arms to future long-distance runners as well as an informational guide to training right and eating well. It even includes some of his favorite vegan recipes. For this audiobook, Jurek teamed up with well-known author Steve Friedman and prominent television star Quincy Dunn-Baker, who narrates the audiobook with enthusiasm, embodying the author's passion for running.
Meb Keflezighi is a world-class runner, a four-time Olympian, and with 26 Marathons, he’s become a New York Times bestselling author too. Teaming up with Scott Douglas, a writer for the popular monthly magazine Runner’s World, Keflezighi offers an in-depth look into the trials, tribulations, and joys of long-distance running along with practical advice about running routines, discipline, and dietary habits. He also shares insights into how running has impacted his faith, relationships, and sense of self. Narrator Holter Graham’s precise pronunciation, even pacing, and relaxing voice are the perfect complements to this engaging story.
Peter Sagal is well known as the host of NPR’s famed game show, Wait Wait...Don’t Tell Me! Though he started later in life—on the cusp of 40—he's also an avid runner and writes a popular column for Runner's World. As author and narrator, he brings both his passion for running and his talented voice to The Incomplete Book of Running. In this audiobook, Sagal reflects on his adventures in running, from the absurd (like running charity races in his underwear) to the moving (including his triumphant post-bombing running of the Boston Marathon). With his warmth, wit, and gift for storytelling, Sagal makes the idea of running accessible and appealing for everyone, regardless of experience, lifestyle, or age.
A Tibetan Lama and spiritual leader in the Shambhala community, Sakyong Mipham is a true believer in the power of melding contemplation with physical movement. In Running with the Mind of Meditation, he offers a guide to helping running contribute to our internal well-being. This is a listen for anyone hoping to find inner peace while developing or improving their running practice. Though Mipham has a Buddhist background, he does not limit his audience to any one religion or creed. Neil Hellegers uses a meditative tone while narrating the guide book. He easily becomes a calming running companion for listeners who choose to enjoy the audiobook while running.
You've probably heard of the Pareto Principle, which basically states that 20 percent of our efforts produce 80 percent of our outcomes. In 80/20 Running, running and fitness expert Matt Fitzgerald applies this trusted rule to improving running performance. In this guide, you'll learn how doing just 20 percent of your runs at a high intensity will bring remarkable gains in energy, speed, and endurance—whether you're training for a 5K or an ultramarathon. Using this technique, Fitzgerald proves that the body's recovery period can be hacked, helping you avoid burnout and access your true potential.
Finally, here is one of our favorite pieces of running fiction:
Unlike the other audiobooks on our list, Once a Runner by John L. Parker, Jr., is a novel—"the best novel ever written about running," to quote Runner's World, and a cult classic among competitive runners. It centers on Quenton Cassidy, a collegiate runner who aspires to run a four-minute mile. When the Vietnam War hits, the political and cultural turmoil intrudes on his athletic department. To focus on his training, he withdraws to a monastic retreat. A narrator of hundreds of audiobooks, Patrick Lawlor gives the story a young, energetic voice. His vocal liveliness may help motivate runners to keep moving as they listen to Cassidy's story.
