Running can be a time to zone out, recharge, and reboot. A good run should leave you feeling tired, but energized (if you know, you know)! But what about those long runs or the ones where you just aren’t “feeling it”? How do you get through those? You could try running with a buddy, or listening to music, but have you ever tried listening to a podcast? A good podcast just might become your new running obsession!
Better Than Music?
Could listening to podcasts really be better for your running than listening to music? Well of course, everyone is different so it’s very subjective, and what works for us, might not work for you. However, there are definitely some benefits to listening to podcasts over your regular music playlist.
- Pacing: Podcasts don’t have a beat that you can get swept up in, making it easier to maintain your pace
- Tough Runs: You are unlikely to have heard the episode of the podcast before (unless you like to re-listen lol) so your attention will be focused on the story and not on a potentially difficult or boring run
- Motivation: For those of us that need an extra reason to get out of the door for a run you can restrict your podcast listening to runs only. That way if you want to know what happens in the next episode you’ll have to get your miles in.
Podcast Recommendations
Which podcasts to listen to though??? It seems like everyone and their brother are hosting a podcast these days. Come to think of it, we have a podcast too, Running Around Charlotte Podcast. With so many options we decided to ask the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon Ambassadors which podcasts they like to listen to on and off the road. Here are some of the top contenders:
- Running Around Charlotte (of course)
- Normal Gossip
- Normal Gossip delivers juicy, strange, funny, and utterly banal gossip about people you’ll never know and never meet. Check out S1E7 for a tale of a marathon PR that may or may not have happened.
- The Popcast
- A weekly podcast educating you on things that entertain, but do not matter.
- Ali on the Run
- Every week, Ali talks with inspiring people who are doing exciting things on the run and beyond, from the fastest runners in the world (Des! Molly! Aisha! Emma!), to the runners who make up the middle and back of the pack. Here, every runner is seen and celebrated, and we all get to pick up the pace together.
- Morning Toast
- Take a bite out of The Morning Toast, weekdays with Girl With No Job & Jackie O.
- Armchair Experts
- A podcast that celebrates the messiness of being human.
- Jocko’s Podcast
- Retired Navy SEAL, Jocko Willink and Director, Echo Charles discuss discipline and leadership in business, war, relationships and everyday life.
- Bare Performance Podcast
- The Bare Performance Podcast is a weekly show focusing on topics around fitness, nutrition, peak performance, and more.
The Wrap Up
Podcasts could be a great addition to your workout routine and your life in general! There are definitely some benefits that podcasts give, over listening to your same old running playlist. Give some of the podcasts that our ambassadors suggested a try and let us (or even better, them) know what you thought about them.
We can’t wait to see you out on a run listening to podcasts really soon!