Best of 2017 Running Podcasts

Podcasts: a running conversation inside your earbuds

There's still nothing like getting lost in your own thoughts while out for a run. But I do also like good conversation as well to make the miles roll by. I think of a podcast as a conversation between the earbuds - and find they are a great way to take your mind off of some of the discomfort of running while not being too distracting. Another side benefit of listening to running podcasts while running is allowing you to geek out in running talk and even pick up a few useful pointers or two.

Here’s a list of some of my favorite running podcasts in regular production in fall 2017. These people spend a lot of time and effort producing these free shows, often on a weekly basis. I urge you to support the ones you listen to by becoming a Patreon supporter at the link following the mini-reviews.

Science of Ultra - Shawn Bearden. The gold standard of ultra endurance health podcasts. Shawn calls the bullshit out and elevates the science which is always interesting and often actionable. http://www.scienceofultra.com/support/

House of Run - Jason Halpin and Kevin Sully. A very entertaining podcast covering news in track and road racing. The click and clack of running. https://www.patreon.com/houseofrun

Marathon Talk - Martin Yelling and Tom Williams. A lot of marathoning, but a lot of conversation about other aspects of running, from 5K parkruns to ultra endurance feats. They have a great rapport together and are always entertaining. https://www.patreon.com/user?u=4923212

Pace the Nation - Chris Farley, Joanna E. Russo, William E. Docs. A running related podcast sponsored by Pacers Running, from the center of the universe in Clarendon, Virginia. Also a lot about problems, preoccupations, and pets. If you like to laugh, this one can’t be beat. Veers from discussions of the ridiculous (emojis) to the sublime (Gabe Grunewald). Led by three guests who play each other expertly mostly for our amusement but often for theirs as well.

The Shakeout Podcast - Canadian Running, Michael Doyle, Sinead Mulhern, Tim Huebsch. Our friends to the North put on a heck of a podcast about everything from heptathletes to joggling. Highly recommended.

Ultra Runner Podcast (URP) - Eric Schranz. A great way to keep up on the latest news from the pro ultra scene as well as pick up some real wisdom and knowledge about going long from Eric, his sometimes co-host Sarah Lavender Smith, and a lot of average Janes and Joes who do some incredible things. https://www.patreon.com/ultrarunnerpodcast

The Strength Running Podcast - Jason Fitzgerald. A good one for geeking out on the training side of things from a coach, particularly strength training. He also pulls a great variety of running luminaries (from Shalane Flanagan to Dathan Ritzenheim) as guests,  Very sensible and science based.

Talk Ultra - Ian Corless. The European mountain/ultra/trail scene plus a lot of global coverage that URP doesn’t have the bandwidth for. Ian is extremely knowledgable and very opinionated, but I admire him for putting it out there, even when you’d like to slap him. https://www.patreon.com/talkultra

Run Faster Podcast - Jay Johnson. Another great podcast where great coaching advice gets dispensed. Jay is a student of coaching and tells it like it is. Make sure to listen to him about your strength and mobility (SAM) training!

Marathon Training Academy - Angie and Trevor Spencer. More aimed at the marathoners, and often at people just getting started in terms of their coaching advice. But interviews with folks like Bart Yasso and travelogues from races like Berlin, Munich, etc., are very listenable and amusing. Good husband and wife chemistry on the air as well.

Running for Real - Tina Muir. Tina’s new podcast after leaving Run to the Top with the goal of making running real. Tina scores great guests and asks a lot of questions you wouldn’t expect.

Personal Best - Brian Dalek. Runner’s World’s new podcast which seems to be a rebranding of their old one from what I can tell. I liked the previous Runner’s World Podcast and Brian Dalek is a good interviewer, so I expect this one will stick on the playlist.

Run to the Top - Sinead Haughey. Sinead took over from Tina Muir, and has done a fine job filling her running shoes. Churns out a ton of shows like clockwork - seems like there’s always another one to listen to. I find the cheesy show sponsors to be off-putting but someone’s gotta pay the bills for the content.

Trail Runner Nation - Don Freeman and Scott Warr. A good listen with a lot of great guests, like Andy Jones-Wilkins, Candice Burt, and others. A lot of holistic health and nutritions solutions which I find of questionable science get peddled, but still overall a quality podcast and love the roundtables.

DC Rainmaker Podcast - Ray Maker and Ben Hobbs. Hilarious repartee and quality DCR insights into running/tri technologies in response to audience questions. Great when it exists, but in the middle of a regular multi-month hiatus. Come on, guys.