20 Sep / Listen Up: Listen While You Work Out [in Booklist]
Audiobooks hold a distinct place in the sports and fitness book realm – they’re the only ones you can read while exercising. The authors of “Holding The Hunger Games Hostage at the Gym” (Management Science, 2014) cite research proving that listening to audiobooks can actually build motivation to exercise. Booklist reviewers concur.
Terry Hong’s picks for ultra-running:
Born to Run. By Christopher McDougall. Read by Fred Sanders. 2009. Books on Tape, 11 hr. $80 (9781415963982).
The Cool Impossible. By Eric Orton. Read by Nick Cordero. 2014. 5.25hr. Recorded Books, CD, $15.99 (9781470392468).
Gone Girl. By Gillian Flynn. Read by Julia Whelan and Kirby Heyborne. 2012. 19hr. Books on Tape, CD, $55 (9780307990419).
Although I couldn’t have put in thousands of training miles without listening to hundreds of books, my ultra-running career was book-ended by two titles. Having recently left my day job at the Smithsonian, and in need of a crazy challenge, I decided to run the dreaded, sky-high-altitudinous Leadville 100 before I hit 50. Born to Run made me believe I could, as long as I could find McDougall’s coach, Eric Orton (The Cool Impossible). And on I ran. Close to 4am one chilly Colorado morning, I turned on Gone Girl. Alas, after 50 miles, even Amy and Nick’s shenanigans couldn’t keep me going. I got pulled after passing out halfway through, making me, indeed, gone, girl.
Published: “Listen Up: Listen While You Work Out,” Booklist, September 1, 2019