Table of Contents

​Introduction.- 1: Running as phenomenal and bodily inquiry of the self.-  2: The philosophical basis of running.- 2.1: The groundwork of Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s philosophy.- 2.2: Merleau-Ponty's philosophy of the body.- 2.3: Martin Heidegger's fundamental ontological philosophy.- 3: Long-distance running as the subject of study.- 4: Running as a way of life.- 5: Viewpoints to a long-distance runner.- 5.1: The “they”, authentic being and inauthentic being.- 5.2: The authenticity and inauthenticity of running.- 5.3: Running as “care”.- 5.4: The prerequisites of physical exercise.- 5.5: The uncovering and the covering of the world for a runner.- 5.6: The distant is far and near.- 5.7: Repetition.- 5.8: Running, false devotion, fanaticism and dependence.- 5.9: Ready-to-hand and present-at-hand as the dimensions of human relation with the world.- 5.10: The world as present.- 6: The world is running.- 6.1: Running experiences.- 6.2: The Buddhist marathon monks of Mount Hiei.- 7: Experiential cores.- 7.1: Disappearance of the contradiction between the subject and object.- 7.2: Calming down of the mind, quietness.- 7.3: Attunement.- 7.4: Presence.- 7.5: Power.- 7.6: Joy.- 7.7: Devotion, gratitude.- 7.8: True self, enlightenment, Absolute.- 8: Going beyond the reason and the wisdom of the body.- 8.1: Running as meditative thinking.- 8.2: The call of conscience.- 8.3: Active-passive process.- Conclusion.- Literature.

About the Author

Tapio Koski (born 1958), M.Sc., Lic.Phil. and PhD., has specialized in the philosophy of sports and Oriental physical education. Koski has published three monographs in Finland as well as a number of scientific articles and other human interest articles. He runs and has: run four marathons, a first-degree karate black belt, practiced taijiquan for 20 years and has been doing rinzai zen meditation since 1987.