A collection of the best writing on running—for anyone who loves reading as much as running, or who just loves to run. This inspiring collection of forty-eight short stories and poems—brimming with courage, fear, pain, hope, and elation—offers an intimate glimpse of the runner’s art and heart. The very best writing about running is here, yet the selections aren’t simply about the physical challenge of going just one more mile or knocking off another second. Here you’ll find a love story, two war tales, a horror story, several murder mysteries, and a surreal comedy—by such authors as Evelyn Waugh, Walt Whitman, Joyce Carrol Oates, Max Apple, and A.E. Housman. Whether you’re a weekend athlete, an Olympic hopeful, or simply someone who likes to read rather than run, this wonderful and exhilarating anthology has something to offer. “Animates the spirit of running better than any other book.”—Runner’s World