"Zen and the Art of Running" shows how to align body and mind for success on-and-off the track. Stop ten different people mid-run and ask them why they're running and you're likely to get several different cursory answers: to lose weight, to become faster, to build muscle. But ask them what they really get out of running and you'll hear that, from pro to weekend runner, they run to clear their mind. Like any individual sport, running requires you to be very in tune with your body. There aren't flying balls or opponents to concentrate on, so you're left alone with your thoughts, which is why so many people do it. Runners challenge themselves physically and mentally every time they lace up their shoes, which is where "Zen and the Art of Running" comes in. While many runners run to clear their mind, they don't necessarily know how to get more out of it than that. Now, with "Zen and the Art of Running", they can be pound the paved path to spiritual enlightenment.

Table of Contents

The book will cover the basics of Buddhism before delving into:; Zen motivation to get out the door and hit the streets; How to use running as a form of meditation; Tips for using Zen during training and racing; Coping peacefully with injury and aging.

Author Biography

Larry Shapiro, Ph.D. (Madison, WI) has run six marathons and, most recently, competed in an Iron Man triathlon (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run). When not in training, he'll run between twenty and twenty-five miles per week. When training, this number can balloon to about forty miles per week. He has his M.A. and Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania and is currently a philosophy professor at the University of Wisconsin.