Yes, I know it seems strange, but you seriously should try it.
They make your runs fly by-- your mind is too busy listening/concentrating to think about any boredom or discomfort!
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| Of course I was listening to podcasts during my 10 mile run yesterday in the sunny 72 degree weather that we had in Richmond VA! |
Anyway, I want to tell you about my new favorite podcast, Freakonomics Radio. Best podcast series ever.
The Freakonomics Radio Podcast is from the same people (Levitt and Dubner) who wrote Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything, which is a great book from the New York Times Best Seller list that I discovered back in 2007.
The podcasts explore all sorts of interesting ideas that you've always wondered about...some of my favorite episodes include:
-does college still matter?
-you eat what you are
-is twitter a two-way street?
-how much does a good boss really matter?
-the upside of quitting
-what makes a donor donate?
-the tale of the $15 tomato
-how to live longer
-there's cake in the breakroom
-lying to ourselves
-please steal my car
-does money really buy elections?
The podcasts are entertaining, funny, and well produced. Some are just a few minutes long and others are up to 25 minutes (I think.)
And they're all FREE!
If you want to check out any of the other titles/descriptions or download any to iTunes, click here.
What do YOU like to listen to when you run?
I like podcasts/books on tape on training runs, music when I race.
Some of those sound interesting. I sometimes wonder if I was better suited to forego college for a technical degree in order to start earning at a younger age, and have far less debt. I am also slowly getting into twitter, but it is such an odd piece of social media.
ReplyDeleteThat's how they do it in Germany...starting with highschool, they have specialized schools for if you want to do a trade or something other than the traditional thing...I think a lot of people in the US would benefit from a system like that.
DeleteThanks for the tip! I loved Freakonomics, so I'm sure I'll get a kick out of these.
ReplyDeleteYes, I loved reading Freakonomics way back in the day.....this is right down the same alley.
DeleteAnd I heard there was a sequel-sort-of-book by the same people! Still gotta check that one out.
I might try and listen to a podcast sometime. It might be a nice change from music. Also might make the TM miles go by faster.
ReplyDeleteYou'll be surprised at how good of a distraction it is! Doesn't work for speed workouts, but it makes the time fly for regular ol' runs.
DeleteI LOVE Freakanomics. Have you read the book? It is awesome.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite podcast right now is Stuff You Missed in History Class!
Ya, I read the book way back in the day, it was SO good...have you read Superfreakonomics? Gotta check that one out!!
DeleteI'll have to check that one out. I bet I'd like it since I love love love NPR's Planet Money. It's another {free} winner!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip, I just downloaded a bunch of them, can't wait to check them out :)
DeleteI love Freakonomics. my thesis adviser was featured in the book. I will have to check out the podcasts! I don't think I could listen to them while running. I like starting out runs with music but once I get into the run i am in my own world and dont hear it anymore!
ReplyDeleteYes you would love Freakonomics, you are such a logic and numbers girl!!
DeleteI blame you for my addiction to Podcasts :) I love Jillian Michaels, NPR's This American Life and Cocktails and Creampuffs!
ReplyDeleteAw I'm flattered :)
DeleteOK these sound awesome, I just downloaded Jillian Michael and NPR's This American Life...but I couldn't find cocktails and creampuffs! I'll look more later, that one sounds like fun.
I love listening to podcasts! My favorite are probably the Jillian Michaels show (because who doesnt love a little JM) and Wait, Wait... Don't tell me - which is just HILARIOUS!
ReplyDeleteGreat suggestions, I just downloaded Wait, Wait...Don't tell me! I love that program, I listen to it on the radio in the car sometimes, glad you reminded me of it!
DeleteI think I downloaded some of those but I haven't listened to them yet. i really like Stuff You Should Know, Stuff Mom Never Told you and Stuff You missed in History. and when I want a scary story I like Anything Ghost.
ReplyDeleteChristy, thanks for the ideas, I just downloaded Stuff You Should Know, can't wait to listen to it!! Thanks for the ideas :)
DeleteI'm going to have to listen to one of these. I usually just listen to music!
ReplyDeleteYayy definitely give it a try :)
DeleteThose all sound great. I love listening to comedy while running too, but that can be dangerous because laughing whilst running is tricky...and painful ;)
ReplyDeleteFunny you mention that, I did actually listen to a comedy radio station the other day while I was running...it was pretty entertaining!
DeleteThanks for sharing! I started listening to the podcast Another Mother Runner and was looking for other podcast. Will check them out.
ReplyDeleteAnother Mother Runner podcast?! Sounds like a blogger!
DeleteSometimes I download mp3 books from my library [trained for NYCM '11 that way listening to Hunger Games & Bossypants] or sometimes "Slow News in Spanish" podcast. Other times that's too much thinking!
ReplyDeleteWoah yeah slow news in Spanish sounds like too much brain work (even if it is slow!!) Books while running is the BEST!
Deletepodcasts are the best! entertaining and free! I love ones that are an hour or so, they fill up run time perfectly
ReplyDeleteYes, so goooood! And I listen to them at 1.5 X normal speed so I get through them more quickly so I get to listen to even more content :)
DeletePodcasts rock don't they? I love Jillian Michaels. :)
ReplyDeleteI just downloaded a bunch of Jillian Michaels podcasts after a few other people told me about them, can't wait to try them out...they've gotta be good if you're a fan :) Have a wonderful weekend!!
DeleteI started listening to podcasts, too. I love to listen to them while I zone out on my runs. I also like to listen to them on my 40-minute commute to work. Right now I'm loving podcasts from Jillian Michaels, Freakonomics, MoneyGirl, and A Fly on The Wall.
ReplyDeleteGreat suggestions, thanks Karen! I just downloaded A Fly on The Wall, can't wait to listen to it!!
DeleteI've recently started listening to podcasts. I especially like This American Life, but it has definitely made me tear up on the treadmill once or twice.
ReplyDeleteHaha I've teared up on the treadmill before...and especially on the elliptical (when I was injured 2 years ago) when I would read books :)
DeleteThat sounds awesome! I think I would love listening to a podcast especially while running on the treadmill -- that's when I get the most in my head and bored during a run. Thanks for the tip
ReplyDeleteGlad you're going to give podcasts a try!! They're not necessarily perfect for speed work, but great for a casual run :)
DeleteI love anything NPR (especially This American Life and Wait Wait Don't Tell Me), but I've never listened to them on a run. If I listen to music, it is a Kesha or LMFAO pandora station when I'm on a treadmill. But, if I'm outside with headphones, I listen to choral music. Random, right?
ReplyDeleteChoral music, very interesting!! never tried that, but I'm open to all sorts of ideas, I'll have to give it a try :)
DeleteI listened to Wait Wait Don't Tell Me while I was training last year but I kind of got out of the habit. This post has motivated me to start listening to some new podcasts. As I age I am learning I love talk radio/podcasts more and more. Of course I can still blast music and love that too :)
ReplyDeleteYes, blasting ridiculous music really does give me an extra boost of energy, especially during a race or speed work!
Deletei love podcasts too and i actually really liked that book, but can't seem to get in to the podcast for some reason
ReplyDeleteyeah it's tough, I can only listen to certain things when I run...it either works or it doesn't!
DeleteThanks for this! I have been looking for some free podcasts and these are right up my alley :)
ReplyDeleteYayyy glad you like the suggestion...and other commenters also have great suggestions too!
DeleteThis sounds like a great idea! Some friends told me they listen to books on tape. I am not up to any distance yet where I could really listen to much but I might try it out if I'm running in the day alone! :)
ReplyDeleteyes, once you get back into it, they're perfect for solo runs!!
DeleteCool idea! I loved that book, so I'm sure that those would be awesome podcasts. I'm a big Clark Howard fan too.
ReplyDeleteClark Howard? I'll have to look him up! Thanks for the suggestion!
DeleteI've done the book on tape thing once but I couldn't stand the narrator's voice so I was kind of annoyed the whole time.
ReplyDeleteI like listening to NPR's Fresh Air podcast with Terry Gross. It's my fave! :) What other podcasts do you recommend?
Yeah if you get stuck with a bad voice for an entire book, it's pretty much impossible! On my downloaded podcasts, I currently also have: a fly on the wall, stuff you should know, how stuff works, freakanomics, and this american life. All are suggestions that I've gotten from other people and I'm working my way through it. A fly on the wall is definitely very sketchy but it's entertaining!!
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