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Anyone run and listen to E-books at the same time? (Read 874 times)

    So a quick personal history:  1)  I own no Ipod or portable personal music listening device.  Which probably relates to 2)  I always run with no music, ever.  I don't think I would like the distraction of having to mess with adding songs, deleting songs, looking for more songs to add, getting tired of the entire playlist completely... etc.    So I run solo.  No Music.

     

    But...  Since I run often, and I sometimes run far, and for a long time (hours), I am considering the idea of getting some kind of portable device that would broadcast an E-book, so I could listen to that.  ---Not even sure what type of books I would get... Probably listen to some Warren Buffett and finance books, and some "History of the world" type books because fact is my thing, not fiction.  (Well, maybe some Steven King :-) )  Maybe some of the great works.  Probably no books that are "funny" though, because to laugh while running would probably scare the shit out of other people! 

     

    So to the final point now:  Have any of you runners ever listened to E-books while running?  Does that work out well?  And I will add that I am considering using this type device at an 'easier' pace run, such as on long training runs, or during a 24-hour type run where I am trying to occupy my mind over a long duration.   Any opinions would be helpful.  Just wondering if anyone has ever listened to books while easier pace running and found it helpful to take your mind elsewhere while on those long runs.  If anyone has, please list device you use and website you use for the Ebooks.   I have not looked at that yet, just been pondering the idea since my runs are getting longer, and also because I saw a commercial with a runner in it (Was it Rupp?) who was running and listening to "Moby Dick" and all the classic works while he ran.  

    .

    The Plan '15 →   ///    "Run Hard, Live Easy."   ∞

      I have a really hard time running to audiobooks or podcasts. It makes me feel sluggish listening to other people talk. It will actually make an easy run feel hard. Dunno why. I either run with music or with nothing. However, I think it's going to be a highly individual thing. My boyfriend listens to podcasts or NPR while he runs, at least some of the time, and he seems to enjoy it. It's worth experimenting with, I think. 

      npaden


        I have listened to audio books for years while driving long distance and when I started running longer and longer distances I started listening to them on my long runs as well. 

         

        I find them to do the same thing for me when I'm running as when I'm driving, I get lost in the book and almost forget that I'm even out there doing anything.   3 or 4 miles will go by on a familiar route and I blink and think, how did I get here?  I've only done this on long easy runs though.  I also listen to podcasts, but sometimes that is a hassle because they tend to be 30 minutes long or so and on a 2 hour run you might have to mess with starting and stopping them sometimes.

         

        I run a lot out in the country and generally just play music on my phone speaker instead of on headphones, but for audio books it seems to help me keep up with the book if I wear earphones.  Mainly when a car drives by you can lose a few sentences from the book if you don't have earphones on.  I've done it where I wear one earbud in and the other out and that works good too.

         

        My only drawback has been finding books to listen too because I'm too cheap to pay money for them.  We get audio books from the library to listen to on the CD player in the car, but I haven't really found a good solution for mp3 audiobooks yet.

        Age: 50 Weight: 224 Height: 6'3" (Goal weight 195)

        Current PR's:  Mara 3:14:36* (2017); HM 1:36:13 (2017); 10K 43:59 (2014); 5K 21:12 (2016)

        northernman


        Fight The Future

          I frequently listen to audiobooks or podcasts when I run. It is true that it is best for the easy runs, since it is distracting if it's a speed workout, but most of my runs are easy. The other point is that I either run on a long bike trail without car traffic or I run indoors, so cars are not a problem. Would not recommend getting too much into an audiobook if you run with traffic. As for technical details, I've found the best is the ipod shuffle, which is small enough to carry easily, but the current version has playlists, so you can have a few different books or music lists, as you like. Public libraries usually have many audiobooks on CD, or audible.com is also a great source. I usually prefer to break the MP3 files up into 5 minute segments, so it's easy to click down to where I last left off, if I have changed playlists. If not, the shuffle remembers where you were. 

           

          EDIT: npaden, I forgot to mention that CDs are easy to convert to Ipod format in iTunes

          zoom-zoom


          rectumdamnnearkilledem

            EDIT: npaden, I forgot to mention that CDs are easy to convert to Ipod format in iTunes

             

            Yep, I went through David Sedaris' entire catalog with audiobook CDs from the library this way.  Made for great marathon training long run entertainment.

            Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

            remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                 ~ Sarah Kay

            TNesq


              I also listen to mainly podcasts when I run - I usually look for the longer podcasts on iTunes, and I listen to random stuff I would probably never choose normally -I listen to some funny stuff, and laugh - I usually run early in the morning, or out on trails, so there usually aren't people around to observe me laugh.  I'll create a podcast playlist, and my iPhone will usually pick up where I left off during the previous run, so I usually throw in like 15-20 podcasts in one playlist so I don't have to worry about having to stop and restart.  I can also sprinkle in music that way. I've only listened to on ebook because I'm too cheap to pay for them and too lazy to convert them, but I actually found that the ebook got a little old....I like how the podcasts change things up every 30 minutes to one hour.


              Fanilow

                I just checked out my first Playaway from the library and I love it. The only problem is lauging out loud alone on a bike path...probably looks a little odd.

                2014 goals

                Well, there's always next year.

                LedLincoln


                not bad for mile 25

                  I never have things in my ears when outdoors (afaik), but during a spate of bad weather last winter, I listened to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in its entirety on the treadmill.  In more than one session.

                  cmb4314


                    I never have things in my ears when outdoors (afaik), but during a spate of bad weather last winter, I listened to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in its entirety on the treadmill.  In more than one session.

                     

                    Same here.  If I am outside, I don't feel safe with headphones in, nor do I get bored enough to need something (at least up to 20 miles, which is my longest training run).  On the treadmill, I have listened to some podcasts.  I haven't ventured into audiobooks yet, but I've been looking into it.

                    My wildly inconsistent PRs:

                    5k: 24:36 (10/20/12)  

                    10k: 52:01 (4/28/12)  

                    HM: 1:50:09 (10/27/12)

                    Marathon: 4:19:11 (10/2/2011) 

                      I saw a commercial with a runner in it (Was it Rupp?) who was running and listening to "Moby Dick" and all the classic works while he ran.

                       I believe it was Ryan Hall, listening to the The Odyssey.

                      "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus


                      No more marathons

                        Several things I would feel lost without on my daily runs - whether long runs, recovery, intervals, or what. They are, shorts, shirt, good shoes, my GPS watch and my IPOD.  Listen to mostly books on cd which I get through the North Carolina digital library.  Only listen to music when I want to run particularly fast, or when I've run out of books.

                        Boston 2014 - a 33 year journey

                        Lordy,  I hope there are tapes. 

                        He's a leaker!

                          I listen to podcasts sometimes when I'm doing easy runs. For harder efforts runs I like to concentrate on my running.


                          Loves the outdoors

                            I've listened to heaps of Ebooks and podcasts while running. The only times I've had an issue was when I listened to a really sad book and started to get teary, which made it hard to run. I'm more selective in my books now! With podcasts, I listen to marathontalk.com a lot. They are generally 1.5 hours long so no issue with length Being too short.

                            One day I decided I wanted to become a runner, so I did.

                              I've always listened to podcasts but started on books this year. For some reason, I've been on a 19th century classics tear:

                              2 Trollops, 

                              5 Dickens books

                              1 Jane Austen (Emma)

                               

                              It's been really, really great. I don't get so much time to read otherwise (too busy running), so this has been great. I don't have a problem with crying while at race pace, but laughing...that makes my knees weak. I cannot listen to comedy and run. Tragedy...no problemo.

                              sdfgewiuohsdf


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