If you’re one who has trouble getting lost in your own head while working out, then listening to music or books is an excellent solution. Personally, when I’m feeling a little scattered and unable to get into the right meditative state for my run, I prefer to listen to books. As I get engrossed in the book, the time really flies by, and I learn something while getting in shape.

Instead of listening to books on tape from the library (the cheapest option), I got an mp3 player and a subscription to Audible.com. The main advantage of this method is that you’re not turning over the tapes every 30 minutes to listen to the next side, which I find really annoying.

If you don’t have an mp3 player, Audible has special relationships with a number of manufacturers, including Apple for the near-universally hot iPod, and they’ll give you a substantial discount off the player when you subscribe to one of their subscription programs for as little as $14.95 a month. Depending on how you subscribe, you can get one or two books a month, which translates into getting new books for about half the price you would pay for a new book, hardback or on tape. I love this service!