The late George Sheehan (November 5, 1918 - November 1, 1993) was a runner, doctor and author of many books, most notably one of my new favorites, Running and Being: The Total Experience, which was published in 1978. (You can buy it here on Amazon, or, if you're like me and obsessed with the local Salvation Army, find it at the neighborhood thrift store with a far better cover.) The guy is a philosopher, not a trainer, overusing quotes from people like Thoreau and Nietzsche and relating it to the power you feel after spending a Sunday afternoon running in circles. Sounds cheesy, sure, but it's more meditation than motivation. If you've read and enjoyed Murakami's What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, then you'll love Running and Being. Sheehan was the oldest of 14 children, and while he was a track star at Manhattan College, he didn't renew his interest in running until age 45 while living in New Jersey. He began running in his back yard (26 loops to a mile) and five years later, he ran a 4:47 mile, which was the world's first sub-five-minute time by a 50-year-old.Read the book if you haven't already, and make sure you watch this video, THOUGHTS ON THE RUN, about Sheehan and running the Boston Marathon. It's a wonderful Youtube gem.