Does anybody listen to spoken word programmes rather than music when they run?

[Skendras]

Hello,

I graduated a few weeks ago and I'm finally feeling brave enough to stop listening to the week 9 podcast! I was just wondering whether it is a silly idea to listen to my favourite radio shows or audio books when I'm running or whether I am better off sticking to music. Has anybody tried it - did it affect your concentration too much?

Thanks,

Sarah

[nomoresloth Graduate]

Hello Sarah,

actually I did my first podcast run last week and it was absolutely great! I'm not too much into music and I like listening to someone telling me something so podcasts are the perfect solution for me. I downloaded some from Radio 4 and am now trying to figure out which ones I like best.

Here are some fellow runners listening to podcasts rather than to music. Danzargo is one of them and wrote a hilarious post on how good boring podcasts work for him a a few weeks ago. I can only agree with this fact, I listened to a podcast with 4 guests on one of my runs and I learned a lot about pig farming... To be honest, it was pretty interesting!

Give it a try! Perhaps be sure it's nothing too complicated as you might miss a few short passages due to cars passing by so it might be upsetting if these missed passages were essential ones.

Happy running

[Plinth Graduate]

Yeh, I went with music for a while but then tried speaking ones and found they really worked for me! I've gone for interesting or funny ones and they really distract me! I love Richard Herring so listen to him (but not everyone would find him funny!) I also like various science and skeptics ones, mayo & kremodes cinema and Radio 4 comedy stuff.

[Skendras Graduate]

Thank for replying Nomoresloth. I'm not that into music either and I'll definitely give some radio programmes a go now. I was a bit worried that I'd get so absorbed that I'd end up going too slowly but if other people do it then it can't be that crazy!

[nomoresloth Graduate in reply to Skendras]

It's exactly the contrary with me. When I listen to songs, I usually know the songs and my mind wanders to the next thing that is unfortunately the effort of running (my breathing, how long I still have to go, the ever continuing mind-battle to stop or not to stop etc). If I have something new to listen to, I really listen to it and my mind is distracted from running. It gets into an more or less automatic mode but I'm still able to speed up or slow down when needed.

Even if it was crazy, who cares? Aren't we all a bit crazy to go out there and run just for fun?

[Beek Graduate in reply to nomoresloth]

This all sounds great. I didn't know you could get the shows downloaded. Must look into this now I have my route all worked out.

[Skendras Graduate]

Plinth, your taste in radio shows sounds quite similar to mine. I'll just have to make sure I don't laugh out loud if I listen to comedy shows. I don't want to freak any dog walkers out!

[Beek Graduate in reply to Skendras]

It is your DUTY to freak the dog walkers out!

[GoogleMe Graduate]

I love listening to BBC R4 podcasts on a run - the time goes by really quickly. I have a feeling that it isn't great if you are wanting to work on your speed - but the same would apply to music that wasn't the right tempo. For getting the distance in, brilliant (and free!)

[tantrumbean Graduate]

I'm more of a spoken word runner as well - currently listening to Marathon Talk podcasts, they go with the running theme, keep me entertained and are pretty inspiring, too!