As we’ve mentioned in our goals, TheUltimatePrimate primary purpose is to help runners get the most out of their runs. It may sound simple however there are always ways that we can better ourselves as athletes and tackle the next greatest thing.
When you see ultrarunners like Courtney Dauwalter or David Goggins tackling 240-mile races you can only begin to grasp how much there is to learn in our fascinating but much-loved sport of running.
One such way to learn more is to educate ourselves with the guidance of runners who have lived the experiences. Not only runners but professionals in various fields of exercise, diet and nutrition. It doesn’t stop there though, we can also learn heaps of knowledge, self-improvement and of course, we get entertained.
One of the best ways to do this is by listening to podcasts while running. Sometimes we want to hang up the tunes and take a step back. Podcasts are a great way to do this. Since we can’t exactly read a book whilst running, audio is the next best thing. Whilst audiobooks are an amazing asset in the 21st century, so are podcasts.
Here at TheUltimatePrimate, we’ve carefully curated some of the best podcasts that are recommended by other runners and those we feel you will enjoy and have ranked them accordingly. All of the below podcasts are amazing and depending on what you’re looking for, we’re sure you’ll get something out of them. If you have any suggestions, don’t hesitate to contact us.
15 Of The Best Podcasts for Runners
The Rich Roll Podcast
Rich Roll is one of the most famous vegan nutrition athletes, and he hosts one of the most popular running podcasts. He has the stamina to do ultra-endurance races that are much longer than typical marathons. His podcast is packed with famous guests and interesting topics.
Rich Roll is a famous health and fitness author and is great at getting famous people on his podcast. Famous guests include Des Linden (Boston marathon champion), Laila Ali (boxer), and the Hollywood celebrity Matthew McConaughey.
While I don’t like to listen to podcasts on serious, gruelling runs, I do listen to them when doing less intense training. The Rich Roll podcast is longer than usual – two hours – so one episode is enough for a fairly long run.
The guests have plenty of interesting stories to tell and plenty of tips on how to run efficiently. They also talk about topics other than running, such as the clean beauty movement, which is about avoiding harmful ingredients in cosmetics. You can count on Rich Roll to entertain you and to give you new tips you haven’t heard before.
Ali On the Run Show
The Ali On the Run Show is a tremendously popular running podcast. It has more than 4.5 million downloads and 2000+ five-star ratings on iTunes. It is hosted by Ali, a runner, marathoner, mother, and former competition dancer.
Ali talks to lots of different people who have interesting stories to tell about running and about the rest of their lives. The quality of the stories the guests have to tell is more than enough for me to recommend this podcast.
Some of the best runners in the world have appeared on the Ali On the Run Show, plus many relatively ordinary runners that have something interesting to contribute.
Marathon Training Academy
The Ali On the Run Show is a tremendously popular running podcast. It has more than 4.5 million downloads and 2000+ five-star ratings on iTunes. It is hosted by Ali, a runner, marathoner, mother, and former competition dancer.
Ali talks to lots of different people who have interesting stories to tell about running and about the rest of their lives. The quality of the stories the guests have to tell is more than enough for me to recommend this podcast.
Some of the best runners in the world have appeared on the Ali On the Run Show, plus many relatively ordinary runners that have something interesting to contribute.
The Running for Real Podcast
The Ali On the Run Show is a tremendously popular running podcast. It has more than 4.5 million downloads and 2000+ five-star ratings on iTunes. It is hosted by Ali, a runner, marathoner, mother, and former competition dancer.
Ali talks to lots of different people who have interesting stories to tell about running and about the rest of their lives. The quality of the stories the guests have to tell is more than enough for me to recommend this podcast.
Some of the best runners in the world have appeared on the Ali On the Run Show, plus many relatively ordinary runners that have something interesting to contribute.
KoopCast
Jason Koop is a longtime coach for Endurance athletes who launched a successful podcast at the end of 2019. Since running was a sport that people could do during the pandemic, people got into running in 2020, helping his podcast gain popularity.
The Koopcast does a good job of explaining new scientific information to average runners. The podcast offers a lot of scientific detail and in a way that is easy for people without a scientific background to understand.
Those who want a lot of practical advice and want it backed up by new, proven science should check the podcast out. If Jason Koop recommends anything about training or nutrition, you can rest assured that it is backed by science.
Those who love research and data will like it, and people who start listening to the podcast with no knowledge of health science will be able to understand and learn from it.
The Runner’s World UK Podcast
The Runner’s World UK Podcast stands out for the variety of interesting subjects it covers. Hosted by Ben Hobson and Rick Pearson, the Runner’s World UK Podcast covers running/fitness news, advice, and in-depth discussions. It used to be monthly, but it now runs every week and offers something different every episode.
A recent episode is called “Running and Grief” and is about how people can take up running as a way to cope when something tragic happens to them. Eliza Flynn and Dr.John Wilson talk about how running can help people move beyond a tragic event, even if they can’t get over it right away.
Run, Selfie, Repeat
The Run, Selfie, Repeat podcats offer short, weekly episodes that are supposed to get you fired up and out there training hard. The episodes are more inspirational than informational.
The point is to get you fired up about running; information is secondary to that. You won’t find long stories, and the episodes are too short for them anyway.
Trail Runner Nation
Going for a run on a rural property or in a state park is often more fun than running around the block. It is good for you to spend time in nature, and you can do this by taking up trail running. Trail running poses its own challenges – the ground is uneven, so it can be more demanding than running on pavement.
Trail running also has some safety hazards that you won’t encounter in the city, and this podcast is full of exciting stories of near-death experiences. You will hear the stories of famous historical trail races, the viewpoints of trail conservationists, and tips for making yourself a better trail runner.
The show is hosted by Scott Warr and Don Freeman, two ultramarathoners who know what they are talking about. They invite elite athletes onto the show, and you will hear interviews of famous current trail runners. The duo also talks about world-famous trail running locations, such as the Alps and Dolomites.
Run to the Top
The Run to the Top podcast offers actionable lessons from top athletes, coaches, and scientists. It is great for people of all fitness levels, including those who do not run but are considering taking up running. Run to the top is very popular, with more than 5 million episodes downloaded so far.
One great thing about this podcast is that there are many episodes on injury prevention. Runners can often end up with stress fractures – injuries from running for too long and putting too much stress on their bones.
Stress fractures can keep you away from running for a long time. Some episodes deal with how to prevent stress fractures and other injuries and how to recover if you are injured.
No Meat Athlete
The No Meat Athlete has an excellent cast, including many well-known vegan and vegetarian athletes. It covers building strength and endurance without relying on meat and the benefits of a plant-based diet for athletes.
Guests include Brendan Brazier, Rich Roll, Heather Crosby, and Nicole Antoinette. The podcast covers training for ultramarathons and the science of vegetarian and vegan fitness.
The podcast also discusses the power of habits, how to run with good form, the advantages of avoiding most cooking oils, and how to cook delicious and strength-giving foods. Some episodes talk about how easy it is to get enough protein without eating meat and how plant-based nutrition can benefit all types of athletes.
Billy Yang Podcast
Filmmaker Billy yang offers a great multi-topic podcast with stories about running, other sports, films, entrepreneurship, Covid-19, and more.
One recent episode deals with Covid-19 and whether there is any way to catch it when out running. Does the virus linger on surfaces, and do a lot of people get the virus while outdoors?
The episode also discusses vaccines and whether or not they are safe. Dr. Andy Pasternak, the medical director of a major endurance race, talks about infectious diseases and how outdoor events might be different in the future. Many other episodes combine running with another subject.
Billy Yang often invites other famous athletes and trainers, some with their own podcats, onto his show. A recent episode features Sally Mcrae and Jason Koop. They discuss the advantages of hiring a coach and when it is worth it, how to train to sleep efficiently during a 250-mile race, and more.
Diz Runs Radio
On the Diz Runs Radio Podcast, Denny Krahe (aka “Diz”) talks to other runners about the sport and about life itself. The podcast is recorded while Diz is out running with others. Diz claims that great conversations happen while you are out running with people.
The conversations flow naturally and do not seem to be scripted. People talk about their lives and countless different subjects. Fitness topics include heart rate training and avoiding weight gain due to eating too much after running.
Another plus is that Diz has a blog and often has a blog post for each podcast episode. The blog articles aren’t nearly as long as the podcast episodes, so the blog articles work as summaries. You can read a blog article about heart rate training and then decide whether to listen to a longer podcast about it.
Science of Ultra
Science of Ultra is a podcast for those interested in hardcore, exhausting, particularly long endurance races. You don’t have to stop at 26 miles – some people can do 50 or even 100 miles.
Not every long-distance runner wants to train for ultramarathons; they might be more interested in running marathons in a shorter time each year. However, running 50 or 100 miles can be a great athletic achievement.
Many people love the idea of training hard and getting to the point where they can handle an extreme endurance race. How do you go about getting fit enough to handle an ultramarathon?
Dr. Shawn Bearden of the Science of Ultra podcast talks about how extreme endurance athletes are able to do it. He talks about what they eat, how they sleep, how they move, and the science behind how this helps them to perform at an elite level.
Running on Om
Julia Hanlon started the Running on Om podcast back in 2013 as a podcast about connections between the spirit, body, and mind. In the 2010s, Hanlon interviewed entrepreneurs, yoga masters, writers, and musicians.
The blog briefly ended in 2019, but it came back in 2020 with a new emphasis on women in professional running and endurance sports.
The blog continues to deal with the mind, body, and spirit now that it is about athletics and the outdoors. Hanlon interviews women in endurance sports about how they use a strong mind/body/spirit connection to perform well at their sports.
A popular episode interviews Ajee Wilson, professional runner and 2016 olympian. Wilson talks about the determination and perseverance required to succeed.
Becoming Ultra
Becoming Ultra is about ultramarathons which is anything longer than a standard marathon distance. It is for experienced ultramarathoners as well as people who have not yet attempted their first ultra.
Ultramarathons are not for everyone, but if you are considering going that far, this podcast can help you get there. While it has great advice on training and nutrition, it really stands out for the inspirational stories it offers.
You will hear the stories of ordinary and sometimes formerly out-of-shape people that worked their way up to being able to endure a 100-mile race. The podcast stands out for its great first ultra stories. It doesn’t get much more inspirational than hearing someone tell the story of how they got through an ultramarathon for the first time.
Guests include Bell Beitler, a high-school athlete who mostly abandoned athletics for forty years before running in his fifties. He was able to complete his first ultramarathon at the age of 57. It is easier to get in shape later in life than you think – you won’t be as good as a younger athlete, but you can still do things that most people decades younger than you wouldn’t dream of doing.
Conclusion
There you have it, some of the best podcasts for runners out there today. Podcasts are a great way to learn about nutrition, and training and to gather inspiration from other athletes. If you have any other suggestions or a podcast of your own let us know about it below! And hey, if you just started running check out our beginners post on picking your first shoes!
Marko Rakic is a trail runner and fitness enthusiast from Sydney, Australia. He is the lead writer for The Ultimate Primate and believes the best way to live a happy life is through constantly challenging yourself.
