The Best Audiobooks to Listen to On Your Run

The Complete Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Coyle
You simply can’t go wrong with Sherlock Holmes. Aside from being some of the best mysteries ever devised, Doyle has a fun, clear writing style that brings Victorian London and its surroundings to life, spiced with a sly sense of humor. There’s a reason these stories continue to inspire new books, TV shows, and films to this day, after all, and the best part is that you’ll be rounding your way home on your morning jog just as Holmes is giving you the solution.

Selected Shorts: New American Stories, by Symphony Space
The idea is simple: Take short stories by some of America’s best writers (in this case, Sherman Alexie, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Aleksandar Hemon, and Jhumpa Lahiri), assemble a crack team of actors and production experts, and perform the heck out of those stories. The result is dynamite fiction in your earbuds; the sort of audio fiction experience that lifts your spirits and energy level not just because the stories are great, but because the production itself is so well done.
 
 
 
Half Marathons and 10Ks
If you’re in training for a more serious run, you need fiction that will carry you for a couple of hours, but not leave you hanging with an hour to go after you cross the finish line. These two audiobooks are short—but very, very sweet.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s, by Truman Capote
Capote’s classic is hilarious, urbane, and touching. Anyone can read his words and sound instantly smarter and more charming, but in the hands of Michael C. Hall (Dexter, et al) the world of Holly Golightly swells into colorful life. Like millions of readers over the last five decades, you’ll be completely absorbed in Capote’s world—right up until your run or race is over. For extra points, cue up Moon River on your music playlist right after.

Bookshot: The Trial, by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
Patterson’s newest innovation in his fast-paced fiction is the Bookshot, a short novel designed for busy people. Which makes them ideal for runners, as well. Clocking in just over two hours, this entry in Patterson’s Women’s Murder Club series is designed from the ground up to be a fast, intense, and entertaining reading experience that’ll keep your legs strong and your mind off that big hill coming up at the end of the race.
 
 
 
Marathons
A little fun run isn’t for you, you’re all-in and you’re doing the full 26.2 miles—not to mention the training that comes before. These audiobooks are a bit heftier, and are designed to last through your whole race.

What I Talk about When I Talk about Running, by Haruki Murakami
While runners don’t always want to listen to someone talk about running while they’re running—distraction is usually what we’re going for—Murakami’s memoir about how running has shaped his life reads more like one of his novels than a standard inspirational memoir. The literary sheen and deep philosophical tangle Murakami tackles will get you thinking about your own running in a new—and newly energized—way.

Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut
The box says this audiobook isn’t read but rather “performed” by James Franco—which is a pretty accurate description. Take a classic piece of literature by one of the funniest and most interesting writers of all time, combine it with an actor who’s proved himself willing to experiment while simultaneously being hilarious in several comedies, and you have the ideal way to spend about five or six hours while you devour more than 26 miles.
 
 
 
Ultra Marathons and Beyond

Marathons are a good starting point for you? You might need 10-20 hours of fiction. Our pick is the entertaining, mischievous new novel  Truly, Madly Guilty, by Liane Moriarity. Telling the time-skipping story of a group of friends and neighbors who attend a spontaneous barbecue that takes a mysterious, dramatic turn will keep your ears glued to your headphones while your feet eat up the course.
What audiobooks would you recommend to runners?