When you go running, they say you should listen to music with somewhere between 120 to 140 beats per minute. This should help you keep a good cadence throughout your run. However, I much prefer listening to audiobooks when I run. Music makes me want to dance, and this could mess up my running cadence because I’ll start skipping, twirling, and leaping when I should be running. If you also prefer to listen to an audiobook while running, here are a few I recommend.
Greatcoats series by Sebastien de Castell, narrated by Joe Jameson
I had seen these books recommended most everywhere. Last year I found Traitor’s Blade, the first book of the series, on Scribd and listened to it for a readathon. Mostly last year I was walking, I just got back in to running this year. I recently listened to the second book, Knight’s Shadow, while running in the Wings for Life run without a finish line. I was very happy with how I did, and Knight’s Shadow really helped me get there. These books are very enthralling. You mostly forget about what is going on around you, allowing you to push yourself further before giving up and return to a stretch of walking.
Kings Dark Tiding Series by Kel Kade, narrated by Nick Podehl
I first stumbled across the first book, Free the Darkness, when looking through Kindle Unlimited books when I was subscribed to KU. I immediately fell in love with these books, and binged all the books released at the time. Two more books are expected to come out this year in the series. This is a self published series by Kel Kade, who now has a trilogy, Shroud of Prophecy, she is publishing with Tor, which I’ve previously talked about. Both series are great, but I do prefer the King’s Dark Tidings. These books are so good at pulling you in to the story and out of what is happening in life. Then after listening, I just find myself in a better place.
In Death series by J. D. Robb, narrated by Susan Erikson
In Death is an ongoing mystery romance series. We get 2 full length books each year. There are some short stories also part of the series. There are over 50 full length books. We follow Eve Dallas, a Lieutenant for the New York Police and Security Department. She is a kick-ass Lieutenant, with a painful past she couldn’t even remember. All Eve remembers when we meet her is, she was found when she was about 8 years old with broken arm in some alley in Dallas. She grew up in the foster system, and as soon as she was out, she headed for New York city. She falls in love with a overly rich guy, Roarke, who any woman who is not Eve would be happy to marry. But she eventually acknowledges her feelings. So there is a bit of romance in these books as well.
The In Death Series is another one I often go to when I am stressed to pull me out of the moment. I also channel Eve often because she doesn’t let anything stand in her way. At times when Eve is quite literally chasing a suspect, this helps push me to run harder because I’m so in to the book it’s like I’m chasing with Eve.
Paragon Society series by David Delaney, narrated by Matt Godfrey
This is a YA series, and has been independently published. I’ve also been known to binge, and re-binge this series. We follow Orson who has had a dormant gene wake up and he becomes a shape-shifter. Not just any shape-shifter though, but the shape-shifter’s boogie man equivalent. He’s the Olfeist. The shape-shifters within the Society have told stories about this Olfeist and his abilities. Turns out, these stories aren’t completely fictional which scares them. Now someone in the group is sending Blood Witches after Orson and the family helping him with his abilities in an attempt to kill him.
I get engrossed in the books, and they are really quick to get through. The downside is they are over before you know it and you want more. At this time we have no release date for any further books of the series, it’s also possible for the series to be complete. It is just a really great series with great characters, and while it was a satisfying ending…I want more! So I’m crossing fingers there will be more.
Rise of Empire & Heir of Novron by Michael J. Sullivan, narrated by Tim Gerard Reynolds
Bit of a disclaimer, Theft of Swords is the first book you should read or listen to in the series, but I read it physically. Theft of Swords is the first bind up containing The Crown Conspiracy & Avempartha. There is an audiobook available, which is narrated by a full cast. A full cast usually makes the audiobook experience better, but there are times when it throws me off. There may be several different voices for the same character. When different chapters are told from a different character’s view, with a full cast you end up with multiple versions of a character’s voice. There is such a large cast listed, and the chapters aren’t told by different characters, so I think it would be okay. Since I haven’t listened to it though, I don’t feel comfortable recommending it for running.
Tim Gerard Reynolds narrates both Rise of Empire and Heir of Novron, and he does a fantastic job. I really enjoyed listening to the last two bind ups in the Riyria Revelations. I had to listen while doing a task not requiring a lot of thought because I was so engrossed. These would be perfect for running, or training to run. These books would be especially great for training since I think they would pull you in so completely; you’d be able to go ever so further with your training improving your endurance to run. We follow Royce and Hadrian, basically two thieves and they are great together. Or not so great. They are somewhat opposites which leads to some hilarious conversations.
I hope this gives you an idea of some audiobooks to listen to the next time you step out for a run.