POUNDING THE PAVEMENT can be a slog, particularly if you ‘raw-dog’ it, with only your thoughts and the weight of deadlines and family chores bouncing around your head – yes you probably did turn the iron off, but best turn around and go check.
Which is why many of us have increasingly turned to aural accompaniments – music, podcasts and increasingly audiobooks – to help leaven the mental and physical load you haul around with you on a run.
This was the case for Hugh van Cuylenburg, founding director of The Resilience Project, bestselling author and co-host of the popular podcast, The Imperfects, who’s helped curate Audible’s new Runners’ Audiobook collection. When I speak to van Cuylenburg, he’s just done a workout at the gym with only one ear bud, after scrounging around beneath his car seat for the other. It was a situation that induced panic, he says.
“I find it very hard to train without headphones,” says van Cuylenburg, who along with the gym, does three 400-metre track sessions a week under the guidance of Brendan Cole, a former Olympic hurdler and Commonwealth Games gold medallist in the 4 x 400m relay. “I was getting so frustrated. My sessions are never as productive if I’m not listening to something or someone.”
In putting together his list of audiobooks, van Cuylenburg sought to feature titles that explicitly focus on running, which he finds help motivate him during track sessions, as well as books that inspire him in other areas of his life.
“I just feel very emotional and very moved by other people’s stories of resilience and also stories of hard work,” he says. “So, for example, Nedd Brockmann’s just a no-brainer. I mean, if I’ve got three 300s to complete and I’m hearing him talk about when he did 50 marathons in 50 days as a tradie, he’d do it after work. It makes me feel like what I’m doing is not as hard as potentially I had thought it was before.”
Somehow, van Cuylenburg manages to squeeze his training sessions around the responsibilities of raising three kids under seven – who notice when daddy hasn’t been for a run. “They can tell. It changes me. I’m just so much calmer, I’m so much more patient, I’m so much more tolerant if I’ve run that day.”
Research commissioned by Audible confirms that Australia is in the midst of a running boom, with 49 per cent of runners increasing their running frequency. The most popular reasons to run include a desire to improve physical fitness (68 per cent) and mental wellbeing (56 per cent).
These factors have contributed to the astonishing rise of running clubs, but even with their growing popularity, 65 per cent of runners prefer running solo to disconnect and focus on their performance, the research found. At the same time, 93 per cent of runners lose motivation to run, something van Cuylenburg believes audiobooks can help address.
“Audiobooks have a unique ability to swiftly and positively transform our emotions,” says the 44-year-old Melbournian, who points out that according to the research, when runners forget their headphones, they feel less motivated to run (36 per cent). “Just as fresh air can relieve stress and anxiety, or watching nostalgic television can provide comfort through familiarity, audiobooks offer a powerful motivation tool in the form of a captivating escape.”
Hugh van Cuylenberg’s best running-themed audiobooks
Showing Up by Nedd Brockmann
Showing Up by Nedd Brockmann“Nedd’s run across the country is legendary for a reason. There is too much to take away from this book. If you’re planning a long run, there is no better companion.” BUY NOW
Running with the Kenyans by Adharahaad Finn
“Running aficionados this one is for you. I listened to this one exclusively on my long runs. I absolutely loved this. Nothing like listening to someone explore their passion, whilst you exercise yours.” BUY NOW
Running for my Life by Lopez Lomong
Running for my Life by Lopez Lomong“One of the most extraordinary stories I have ever heard. Have listened to this one twice now. I don’t often do that. Always puts the challenges in your life into context.” BUY NOW
Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
Born to Run by Christopher McDougall “I can’t really believe this story exists. If you are an endurance athlete this is for you. A tribe of ultra-runners and the greatest race that no one ever saw.” BUY NOW
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