Three of our favorite podcasts about running
When it comes to running, we are always looking to learn something new about the sport and hear stories about running, whether they are from elite runners at the top of the sport or regular runners whose goal is to break 30 minutes in a 5K. That’s why we regularly visit websites to get the latest updates on running shoes, read blogs about running and subscribe to Runner’s World, among other things. One of our favorite things is listening to podcasts about running, and we’ve found a number that are outstanding. We like podcasts because each one fills a particular niche in the running community from which you always glean some information that is useful in training or racing. And each podcast features people interviewing runners at all levels who share stories that both inspire and motivate us to be better runners.
A word of caution: We know that many people plug in their headphones or switch on their Bluetooth wireless headphones and listen to music or podcasts as they run. If you do, you need to pay close attention to your surroundings and know where vehicles are. This means following the rules of the road and running against the flow of traffic and (preferably) on sidewalks when available. Otherwise …
And one further point of order: We read an article from the Washington Post this past weekend that identified the best podcasts to listen to while running. We are are more interested in podcasts about running (which, of course, you can listen to while running as long as you heed the advice in the second paragraph). So our list doesn’t include things like “Serial” or “This American Life.”
With that said, here are three of our favorites:
The Conscious Runner
Hosted and produced by Lisah Hamilton, a competitive runner and running coach from southeastern Pennsylvania, this podcast features interviews with experts on various topics related to running. On the latest episode, she interviewed Linda Hall, a registered practitioner of meditation who discusses how meditation can help runners achieve their goals. Hamilton also interviews regular runners about their experiences. In addition, she features shorter Coach’s Corner episodes to talk about specific aspects of running to help listeners improve.
Run to the Top
From the Runner’s Connect community, elite runner Tina Muir, who is sponsored by Saucony, hosts this podcast that features outstanding interviews with some of the top names in running (the latest episode is an interview with “Born to Run” author Chris McDougall). More important, Muir’s insightful questions draw out information that is usable and helpful for runners rather than listening to two people geek out about the technical aspects of a sport they love (even though there is some of that, and that’s OK).
The Runner’s World Show
A relative newcomer to the world of podcasting, Runner’s World launched this podcast (and another called the Human Race) this spring. It is basically an audio extension of the magazine and its website, although it uses the audio effectively and is well produced. RW Editor David Willey is the host, and various reporters and RW staffers head out to interview a variety of people and report on different subjects. We especially liked the in-depth interview with the November Project cofounders Brogan Graham and Bojan Mandaric, a story about a dog shelter in southeastern Pennsylvania that allows volunteers to run with the dogs and a nice interview with ultramarathoner Scott Jurek. Each episode ends with a segment called The Kick, which is a quick synopsis of news from the running world.