"The most serious thoughts I've had in the last twenty years have come to me while running."

Philosopher Mark Rowlands has been running since he was young. In his experience, running and philosophy are inextricably linked. Now middle-aged, he starts his first marathon without substantial training and recounts his most significant moments in running: from the time he spent an entire day running as a child in Wales, to the years he ran on the beaches of southern France and the mountains of Ireland with his beloved wolf, Brenin, and his more recent daily runs in the swamps of southern Florida with his dog, Hugo.

Interwoven with these honest, passionate, and witty memoirs are the fascinating reflections that arise while the author runs: on running and freedom according to Jean-Paul Sartre, on running and Heidegger's thoughts on the aging body. In Mark Rowlands' personal view, running is "play," and thus it not only stands in stark contrast to the mindless work ethic of Americans but also embodies the most valuable thing that exists, what Plato called "the Good." Within this exceptionally original and moving book, significant reflections on mortality, middle age, and the meaning of life are developed.