I’m not a natural jogger. My short legs slow me down and getting up a hill often resembles rolling tumbleweed or a less elegant version of that swimming sloth from Planet Earth II. I’m also not great at the get-up-and-go bit. My alarm goes off at 6am and I toss and turn, feverishly racking my brains for an excuse to roll over and stay warm under the covers: "It’s too rainy/ windy/ dark, I just felt a twinge in my little toe and what if I see that suspicious-looking dog walker again?"
When I do manage to crawl out of the house and haul myself around the local park, I take regular breaks to cure a stitch, catch my breath and pretend to admire the view. However – despite all the grumbles – when the sun is shining, the leaves are falling, the air is crisp and there isn’t an overzealous dog or child scooter in my path, running is often the only time of the week when I feel like a good, decent human being. And the glow can last for hours afterwards.
Listening to something to distract you from the boredom helps an awful lot too, and I’ve spent months searching for the perfect podcasts to get me through the tedium and towards that ever-so-sweaty smug feeling. Just remember to watch the hills – you might still need Beyoncé for those…
Desert Island Discs
Broadcasting since 1942, Desert Island Discs is one of the longest-running shows on Radio 4 and, in the ears of many, still the best. I find listening to the stories of extraordinary people helps me run faster. I mean, if Zadie Smith can write a bestselling novel at 24 and explorer Ben Saunders can reach the North Pole on foot and alone, then surely I can get as far as the local Tesco without collapsing in a wheezy heap. Ones to wrap your ears around first: David Nott, Ruth Rogers, Zaha Hadid, Ali Smith and the very pleasing Michael Bublé.
You Must Remember This
A look back at the history of Hollywood’s first century, if you like your exercise with a side of vintage scandal then this is for you. From Elizabeth Taylor’s first publicity stunt marriage to Joan Crawford’s love affairs, this podcast, narrated by Karina Longworth, is meticulously researched and brilliantly produced. I challenge you to resist a serious Wikipedia binge after each episode.
The Adam Buxton Podcast
If you ever see a fellow runner sniggering to themselves on a morning jaunt, the likelihood is they’re listening to the Adam Buxton Podcast. At the heart of these hilarious and informal interviews is Buxton, who clearly enjoys getting to know interesting people. Some of these voices are familiar (longtime friends Garth Jennings and Louis Theroux), others are connections he’s made through his various interests (Michael Palin, Caitlin Moran). Framed by his rambles in rural Norfolk and punctuated by homemade jingles and occasional observations from Rosie the dog, it’s an enjoyable world to spend some time in.
Alice Isn't Dead
Creepy, weird and utterly compelling, this is one podcast you’ll want to listen to while running in well-lit, populated areas in the middle of the day. This is a fiction serial about a truck driver on the hunt for a wife she thought was dead. Travelling across America, she encounters strange places and even stranger people, at the same time trying to unravel a conspiracy around her wife’s murder. One listen and you'll be hooked.
PanDolly
Sunday Times Style journalists Dolly Alderton and Pandora Sykes present this pop-culture podcast: two pals who get together once a week to discuss, divulge and debate everything from Taiwanese mooncups to Trump to what they eat for breakfast. Funny, clever and charming, these two will get you so lost in their chat that you'll feel like you’re down the pub with them.
UnStyled
Refinery29's Global Editor-in-Chief & Co-Founder Christene Barberich gets real with real women in a series of interviews about women, style, and all that's in between. From Man Repeller's Leandra Medine, to Orange Is The New Black 's Danielle Brooks, it's a star-studded lineup that will keep you going through the marathon and the sprint.
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