From the pages of Surviving a 5K Race
What I Listen to While I Run
Music when I need a push. Podcasts when I want company. Audiobooks when my legs are bored but my brain isn't. Here's the full list — zero judgment required.
🎵 Music
I am not too proud to run to "Eye of the Tiger." I am not proud at all, actually — I am just trying to finish. These songs have gotten me through mile two when everything in my body was voting to stop.
"Music is best for speed work and races when you need a push. For long slow runs, I switch to podcasts or audiobooks. Your brain needs something to chew on when the pace is easy — otherwise it starts negotiating with you."
1
🎵
The classic. Zero shame.
Race Day
2
🎵
Mile 2 when you want to quit
Speed Work
3
🎵
174 BPM — practically designed for running
Speed Work
5
🎵
Easy pace days
Easy Pace
6
🎵
Speed work
Speed Work
7
🎵
Race day warmup
Race Day
8
🎵
Yes, really — great cadence
Easy Pace
9
🎵
Spiritually required if you run
Long Run
10
🎵
Long runs, hypnotic
Long Run
🎙️ Podcasts
Once I crossed the 45-minute threshold on my long runs, I needed something with words. Podcasts got me through more miles than any playlist. These are the ones I actually kept coming back to.
"I learned this the hard way, which is the only way I learn anything: a podcast that's too intense for your pace will make you run faster. That's either a great training hack or a terrible idea depending on how your legs feel."
🌿
The Rich Roll Podcast
Ultra-endurance athlete, plant-based living. Deep, long-form conversations about mindset, fitness, and what it actually takes to transform your life.
Best for: Long runs
🏃
Runner's World Show
News, training advice, and stories from the running world. Produced by the magazine — consistently good, never overwhelming.
Best for: Easy days
🌲
Trail Runner Nation
Trail running focused with great energy and enthusiasm. Even if you're running on pavement, the mindset here is infectious.
Best for: Race week motivation
🥇
My First 5K and More
Specifically designed for beginners. No jargon, no assumptions. If you're new and scared, this podcast is the friend you need in your ears.
Best for: When you're new and scared
🗣️
The Rambling Runner
Interviews with everyday runners — not elites, not sponsored athletes. Just people like you who decided to run and kept going.
Best for: Feeling like you're not alone
🥦
No Meat Athlete Radio
Plant-based training, nutrition science, and running motivation in one. Whether you're vegan or just plant-curious, the content is excellent.
Best for: Nutrition + motivation combo
📚 Audiobooks
Long slow runs are actually perfect for audiobooks — the pace is low enough that you can follow a narrative. I've read more books "running" than I ever did sitting still. That's either a productivity hack or a sign that I read better when I'm mildly suffering. Probably both.
"I'm not fast. I'm not graceful. But I finish. And I finish educated, because a 90-minute easy run is exactly one chapter of a good audiobook."
🏜️
Born to Run
Christopher McDougall
The book that made millions of people start running. Partly science, mostly a wild adventure story about a tribe in Mexico that runs 100-mile races in sandals. If you're not motivated after this one, I can't help you.
✍️
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running
Haruki Murakami
A novelist reflects on running as a metaphor for everything — writing, aging, discipline, solitude. Quiet, meditative, and perfect for the long miles when you just want to be in your own head.
🔄
Finding Ultra
Rich Roll
He transformed his life at 40, going from out-of-shape to one of the world's best endurance athletes. If you're starting late, this one hits different. It's a genuinely moving story.
💪
Can't Hurt Me
David Goggins
Warning: intense. Navy SEAL, ultramarathon runner, and the world's most aggressive motivational speaker. Save this one for the long runs where you really need a sledgehammer to the brain. Not for easy days.
Reading one of my books?
They go great with this playlist. My beginner running guides have the training plans — this page has the soundtrack.
Browse the Books →
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