7 Podcasts You Should Listen To While You Run
Running is great for staying fit and healthy. It’s also the perfect time to engage in your hobbies, like listening to podcasts. Listening to running podcasts provides mental stimulation and makes the time, and the miles, go by faster.
Here are seven of the best running podcasts you should listen to while running.
- The Running Real Podcast
- Ben Greenfield Life
- Trail Runner Nation
- Marathon Training Academy
- Koopcast
- Ten Junk Miles
- Let’sRun. com’s Track Talk
1. The Running for Real Podcast
The Running for Real podcast is hosted by Tina Muir, former elite marathoner and current CEO of Running for Real. Instead of tackling the expected topics of what shoes to wear or how best to prepare for race day, Tina focuses on the running experience and how it goes hand-in-hand with helping runners discover their most authentic selves.
Guests like Malcolm Gladwell, Reshma Saujani, Ryan Holiday, Des Linden, Michael Gervais, and David Epstein join her regularly to share personal experiences and anecdotes beyond the same stories regarding their achievements and training strategies.
For those who prefer human interest stories over athletic coaching, The Running Real Podcast is delightful and will melt the minutes away before you know it.
2. The Ben Greenfield Life Podcast
Few individuals in the fitness field have achieved as much as Ben Greenfield, an elite athlete, health consultant, public speaker, New York Times best-selling author, and podcast host too!
Though Ben Greenfield hosts various podcasts, his podcast titled The Ben Greenfield Life is your one-stop shop for free health and fitness advice, information regarding nutrition, and other valuable tidbits that help runners, and other athletes, maximize their performance and optimize training.
The most engaging content, and perhaps what Ben is most known for, are his discussions of science-based biohacks. Expect explorations of technical topics like stimulating the vagus nerve or entering a parasympathetic state, as well as information regarding how these biohacks will help you become a better runner and live an overall healthier lifestyle.
For the brainiacs, The Ben Greenfield Life Podcast is fascinating and worth the listen.
3. Trail Runner Nation Podcast
Trail Runner Nation is a weekly podcast hosted by experienced trail runner Doug Hay that focuses on all aspects of trail running – from gear advice to nutrition to race-day tips – and interviews with some of the top names in trail running. The podcast was launched over a decade ago, boasting status as one of the longest-running and most downloaded podcasts in the trail running niche.
More than 500 shows are available to listen to and download, each providing great insight to help you supercharge your running success and enjoy your best runs. As the name suggests, this running podcast primarily concerns itself with trail running, but it does crossover to other forms of running at times for universally applicable advice.
Whether you’re a trail running enthusiast or an all-around avid runner, Trail Runner Nation has heaps of content that will keep you engaged for hours.
4. Marathon Training Academy
Marathon Training Academy was founded in 2010 by Angie Spencer, an everyday person who took the reins of her life in 2008, trained for and successfully ran her first marathon, and began the journey that would fundamentally change her life in ways she couldn’t imagine at the time.
Today, Angie has completed over 70 marathons and compiled seemingly endless knowledge reserves to help others assemble a successful training program and ultimately run a better marathon.
The Marathon Training Academy podcast was born from this pursuit and passion. Hosted by Angie and her husband Trevor, you’ll receive generous portions of nutrition and gear advice, race day tips and motivation, and interviews with professional athletes, coaches, and other aspiring runners.
You’ll find no better than Angie’s Marathon Training Academy podcast if you’re looking for a comprehensive resource regarding marathons and training for them.
5. Koopcast
Aptly named for the host, ultramarathon coach Jason Koop, Koopcast covers various topics ranging from race preparation, fueling strategies, and heat acclimation tips to oddball topics like sleep deprivation and the impact of cannabis on race performance.
Koop keeps it interesting with a rotating cast of guest appearances from runners, athletes, and coaches, all with unique insights and perspectives on best preparing for the incredible undertaking of running an ultramarathon.
If you’re obsessed with all aspects of ultramarathons, aspire to run your first ever, or plan to crush your next one, Koopcast’s running podcast will give you the tools you’ll need to thrive.
6. Ten Junk Miles
There are many running podcasts hosted by elite athletes, celebrated coaches, and individuals who have achieved some of the most impressive feats in the sport. Ten Junk Miles is not one of them.
Ten Junk Miles is hosted by an ensemble of “average Joes,” including Scott Kummer, Holly Lindroth, and Samantha Turco. Instead of offering the same old interviews and strategies you’d find everywhere else, they seek to insert humor into almost every topic.
Expect gut-busting laugh riots and stories about race day bathroom breaks gone wrong, pacer stories that didn’t pan out as expected, and other funny anecdotes that add color and humor to the experience.
7. LetsRun.com’s Track Talk
LetsRun.com is a site dedicated to providing helpful information, news, and other topics of interest to competitive runners and track and field enthusiasts. In line with this goal, their podcast, Track Talk, is a weekly podcast dedicated to discussing the same.
Runners will find some resources designed to help them thrive during training or racing, but you’ll find more news and current event discussion than other podcasts in the niche.
If the world of accomplished marathon runners, Olympic athletes, NCAA events, and more appeal to you, the LetsRun.com Track Talk podcast will check off many boxes for you.
Final Thoughts on the Best Running Podcasts
We love running, not only for the health and fitness benefits but for the, at times, spiritual experience of putting one foot in front of the other and simply being present where you are.
Listening to podcasts, especially those created by runners for runners, is an excellent way to pass the time while logging miles on a treadmill, navigating stretches of singletrack trail, or simply jogging through the neighborhood.
Check out some of our picks above, and, as always, happy running!
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