Audible teams up with Strava for exclusive running challenge
Audible has announced a partnership with running and fitness app Strava to provide a new challenge for runners in Australia and New Zealand.
Participants who complete a running challenge on Strava equivalent to the average length of an Audible audiobook—six hours and five minutes—will be eligible to receive two months of Audible audiobooks at no cost, provided they are new members and opt into the 'Run with Audible' challenge before 31 May.
According to research from Audible, eight in ten (80%) Australian runners say that listening to audiobooks while running provides benefits such as entertainment (43%), relaxation (37%), and distraction from worries (31%).
Running is reported to be growing rapidly in Australia, with marathon participation increasing by 115% over the past five years, based on data from Ausrunning.
Audible's 2024 Compass Survey found that 89% of listeners say audiobooks allow them to consume more books, highlighting the appeal of multitasking for many Australians.
Teaming up with media agency Wavemaker, Audible designed the Strava challenge to encourage runners to integrate audiobooks into their fitness routine. New members who complete six hours and five minutes of running using Strava's platform can unlock a two-month extended free trial of Audible Premium Plus.
The challenge is open only to those who receive an invitation through Strava, and it does not apply to existing Audible members, recent cancellations (within six months), or those already participating in an Audible free trial. The promotional terms state that the offer is limited to one per customer and may not be combined with other offers or redeemed for cash.
To qualify, runners must log their activities between their local challenge start and end dates and upload them to Strava within three days of the challenge's conclusion. Activities must be classified as runs and can be tracked via GPS or entered manually, though manual activities will not count toward leaderboard rankings.
Audible is also working with Hello Agency to run an influencer campaign featuring athletes Max Hoonhout, Katie Williams, Matt Poole, and Alfie Robertson. The campaign is designed to show how these athletes incorporate audiobooks into their training and daily routines.
In addition, Audible will host an activation with Unofficial Run Club at Milsons Point, Sydney, offering post-run coffees alongside Audible content for participants of the club's Friday run on 2 May.
For the 2025 HOKA Runaway Sydney Half Marathon scheduled for 4 May, Audible will serve as an event partner. As part of the partnership, athletes will run with speakers that play motivating scenes from popular audiobooks, aiming to inspire runners during the race itself.
Polly Blenkinship, Head of Global Brand Media at Audible, said, "Whether you're just starting out or a seasoned runner, listening to Audible can keep you motivated, moving and entertained. This multi-touchpoint approach has been specifically designed with runners in mind, meeting them where they are and providing the ultimate training companion for runners of all levels."
Runners can select from a catalogue of over 850,000 audiobooks, podcasts, and Audible Originals, with motivational titles such as David Goggins' "Never Finished", Mel Robbins' "The Let Them Theory", and Hugh van Cuylenburg's "The Resilience Project" highlighted as potential workout companions.
As part of the challenge conditions, Audible emphasises that participants must honour Strava's Community Standards and comply with local health guidelines when undertaking physical activity.
