For Michael O’Regan and Shaun McMaster
A novel about running, free as an audiobook
John Starrett’s debut novel, free to download. About 4 hours 17 minutes of listening, in 23 chapters. Pop your email in and it comes straight to your inbox.
The Reluctant Olympian is written by running coach John Starrett, and it has been released as a free audiobook. It follows Adam, who keeps a boarding house in Oxford and runs before dawn so that no one will look at him; until the whole world starts looking. Fill in the form and we’ll email it to you straight away.
About the novel
Adam runs in the dark, before Oxford is awake. Fog on the towpath, the streets empty. At home he keeps a boarding house full of strangers who never need to look at him too closely. He is quick, and he would rather nobody noticed.
Then he meets Aoife, who talks to him only while they run. Through her, ambition and love come into his life at the same time, and so does the past he has been running from.
Set around the turn of the millennium, it follows Adam as one of distance running’s last great barriers comes within reach: could someone, one day, break two hours for the marathon?
A story for listeners, not just runners
You don’t need to have run a step to enjoy it. It’s a quiet tale about grief, love, ambition and what it costs to be seen. Running is simply how Adam moves through the world. For runners, it’s a story to enjoy rather than a training plan.
From Chapter One
In December the fog came up off the river in the dark and stood in the streets of the town as if the river had died in the night and this were the ghost of it. He ran before light. Down Woodstock Road under the black trees and along the towpath where the fog lay thickest and the world went by him in grey ruins.
Listen free
The Reluctant Olympian is a free audiobook, and it’s ready now. Fill in the form and we’ll email you two links straight away:
- The whole audiobook as one file, with chapters. Download it once and play it in Apple Books or any audiobook app. It remembers where you stopped.
- Every chapter, ready to play in your browser. Tap a chapter and listen on your phone or computer, with nothing to install.
It runs to about 4 hours 17 minutes, in 23 chapters. It’s an audiobook only and it’s completely free. There’s no print or Kindle edition.
About the author
John Starrett is a running coach and the founder of Stazza’s Stable. He’s been coaching for about 40 years and has coached runners to 950+ sub-3 marathons, working with everyone from beginners to Olympians.
Before coaching online, John worked at the Iffley Road track at the University of Oxford, looking after its 50+ sports teams across physio, nutrition, strength and conditioning and fitness testing. So when Adam runs through Oxford in the dark, those are streets John knows.
The Reluctant Olympian is his first novel.
With thanks to Michael O’Regan for editing the book.
Frequently asked questions
Is The Reluctant Olympian really free?
Yes. The audiobook is completely free. Fill in the form and the links arrive by email straight away.
How do I get it?
Pop your first name and email into the form on this page. We’ll email you a link to download the whole audiobook as one file with chapters, and a link to listen chapter by chapter in your browser.
How long is it?
About 4 hours 17 minutes, in 23 chapters.
Can I listen on my phone?
Yes. You can play the chapters in your phone’s browser or the Google Drive app, or download the audiobook file to Apple Books or any audiobook app. The email explains how.
Who reads it?
The audiobook is narrated with an AI voice.
Do I need to be a runner to enjoy it?
No. It’s about a man who wants to go unseen, and about love and grief. Running is how he moves through the world.
Is it a true story?
No, it’s fiction.
Is there a print or Kindle version?
No. It’s only available as a free audiobook.
Who is John Starrett?
He’s a running coach and the founder of Stazza’s Stable. He’s been coaching for about 40 years, from beginners to Olympians, and The Reluctant Olympian is his first book.
Get the audiobook
Ready to listen? Pop your details in below and The Reluctant Olympian comes straight to your inbox.
Get the audiobook, free
Send me the audiobookRun yourself? John coaches runners one to one, from first marathons to Olympians. See how Stable coaching works