Podcasts

I'm terrible.  It's been 11 days since I've run.  Between taking finals, deadlines at work, and the disgusting wet snow, it's been hard to find the time or motivation to go running.

 

But once in a while, something comes around that makes me so excited to get my shoes on and hit the trails.

Today, it's a new podcast, Serial.  I heard about it because the morning news said that the final episode is coming out today.  Having never heard of it until today, I had to start from Episode 1 and so I've been binge-listening at work, though I am consciously saving some for some long runs in the near future.

A lot of people ask me what I music I listen to when I run, and how I keep myself from getting bored.  The truth is that I get sick of music very easily, and 85% of the time, I listen to podcasts (thank you, NPR).  Here are some of my favorites:

• Radiolab - A music-rich documentary which covers science and philosophy.
• Snap Judgment - Telling stories about the human experience, woven together with music.
• TED Radio Hour - Recaps and interviews with the speakers of some of the best TED talks.  Each episode features a certain theme.
• All Things Considered - Coverage of breaking news stories, which often incorporate different perspectives you wouldn't find in mainstream media.

I like running those podcasts because they are mentally engaging, but easy enough to understand.  I don't know how they do it, but every week, they manage to broadcast stories about something that I am genuinely interested in.  Oh, and I also love all of the hosts.  I have a feeling that Serial is going to rank up there soon.

When I'm not running, I enjoy podcasts that are a little lighter, and little more funny.  Such as:

• Car Talk - Two hilarious brothers solve callers' automotive questions.  Tom, one of the co-hosts recently passed away, but there are still 20 years worth of shows to listen to.
• Pop Culture Happy Hour - A panel discusses recent trends in pop culture.  

I could be deluded, but I really feel like I'm getting smarter from listening to all these podcasts.  And if I'm not, well, they're still nice company to have around.