Before I read this book, I knew little about George Sheehan, except that he was a Doctor, writer, philosopher and runner. I also knew George Sheehan as one of the most quoted writers on the subject of running. Now that I have read this book, I would have to say I know much more about George Sheehan and I would have to say that he is truly well described in this way.
This book reads like a series of magazine columns in that they are all about two pages long, interesting and to the point. This is not a criticism, because all pieces of this book fit together nicely to serve as a good reference for runners and an inspiring read as well. You will not find any pictures, tables, figures or training charts in this book, but you will find good understandable information on topics that are important to runners. The book was published in 1992 so some of the information may be a bit dated, and some more current concepts are not covered, but most of the basics of good health, good training and mental preparation are covered and supported by research.
You will also find many topics that are not expected in a book on running and they can be attributed to the philosopher George Sheehan. I find this attractive, because it appeals to my philosophical tendencies. Many of George Sheehan’s columns deal with attitude, which is important in sport and in life. The bulk of this review is a collection of quotes that I have taken from the book. I have chosen these quotes, because they speak to me in some way. They are sometimes about sport and training, but mostly they are about life, and how to live it fully.
George Sheehan puts much of himself into this book and I found it very inspiring. The book is filled with personal anecdotes which are told in a clear, concise and entertaining manner, and I would like to finish this review with the reason why George Sheehan is highly quoted – his words:
“Voices of dissent;”
Finally, I dispute any implication that exercisers and especially my breed, the runners , are a joyless lot. William James made a comment that seems apropos in this instance. “The human trait that makes angels cry,” James wrote, “is our tendency to criticize another person’s way of being happy.”
“Weather watcher;”
“Look outside” is the meteorologist’s version of the classic Greek axiom “Look inside.” When I report on another sort of weather-my internal climate-I look inside. If I don’t, I may make the mistake of assuming that the external data of my existence reflect what’s going on inside of me. A satellite photo of my professional life shows that all is well. My domestic radar picks up no rain that will fall on my parade. And my social barometer is rising and assuring me of another perfect day in a perfect life.
“Exploring the comfort zone;”
How fast must I go to enjoy these unexpected gifts from running? Do they only occur at a certain speed, at so many miles per hour? No. All I need do is run at a comfortable level: fast enough to open up the sweat glands. Fast enough to dispel my worries about the world. Fast enough to enjoy the workings of my body. And slow enough to let me observe the world around me. Slow enough to escape into the world within.
“The call to heroism;”
Heroes, according to Ortega, are people like Quixote who know we have to face giants, people who are not satisfied with reality. The hero perpetually resists what is habitual and ordinary. It comes out of a characteristic of human life, which Ortega calls “the will to be what one is not yet.”
“Chariots of Fire;”
The self-esteem earned through running has liberated me from the ruling opinions. It has freed me from comparison with others. I no longer think of myself as inferior or superior to anyone else, just different. My goal is the perfection of my unique and original self.
“Clock-watchers at the starting line;”
Sisyphus had his rock, and I have my clock. Every day in training, every weekend in the race, I face an unforgiving foe. If there is a difference between the runner I was and the runner I have become, it’s due to a shift in my standard for success from the award ceremony to the watch on my wrist.
“Back to the track;”
It’s appropriate that both the young, who have all the time in the world, and the aged, who no longer have enough time, both turn to the sprints. There, time is compressed into an unforgettable moment. Old age, which appears to be a matter of survival (and therefore endurance), is not that at all. Time, not distance, becomes important. Life is no longer a marathon; it has become a 100-meter dash.
“The saving grace of the 10-k;”
Having endured this world-class suffering, I am no longer an outsider. I am again one of the saved. It is as if I have gone to confession (“Bless me, Father, for I have sinned, it’s three years since my last marathon”), been given penance, and received absolution. I can then leave the “confessional” in a state of grace.
“Running faster and farther, without adding mileage;”
…How, then can swimming and cycling benefit my running? This experiment provides the answer. The triathlon-trained muscles slow down the lactate accumulation, which may well be the major limiting factor in running performance. So it’s reasonable to assume that all else being equal, the nonrunning muscle mass we train, the better we will run.
“Climb every mountain;”
Each of us must have a mountain, even if some might look on it as little more than a hill. We need a meaningful goal, a reason for engaging in this enterprise of being fit. Otherwise, it’s simply not worth the amount of time and effort we put into it.
“Hurray and worry;”
…The errors in our attitude so evident in sport are the errors we have in our attitude toward life. The athlete realizes that there has to be a balance between tension and relaxation. The coach has two types of problem players: those who try too hard, and those who don’t give a damn. Sport and life are best played in a state of relaxed tension or tense relaxation.
“Explosive emotions;”
There is a need, of course, to get psyched, whether it’s for a race, a game, or just the next 24 hours of living. We need a fire burning within us to do our best. But that incentive must be directed within. Our opponents are there to bring out the best in us, not the worst.
“Stressing the positive;”
We cope best when we have developed the basic values and virtues necessary for the good life. It is not so much what we do when under stress, but who we are. It is unlikely, of course, that anyone who has gained mastery and self-esteem would react by anger or rumination or self-indulgence. I could see, however, an initial reaction of irritation, then intense thinking, and then perhaps relaxing over a few beers.
“Acting your age;”
…Now that I am in my seventies, I still try to be the runner I was at Manhattan College. I want my pulse and blood pressure and cholesterol and all my physiological and metabolic functions to match what they were when I was 20. Life is not a spectator sport. All of us are athletes, only some of us are in training, and some are not.
“Life skills taught here;”
When you come down to it, what running does is give you the basic skills to live well. Each one of us is obliged to live our own life, without precedent or design. We arise each day to act out our own drama, write our own novel. Each of us is a unique, never-to-be-repeated individual.
“The truth about aging;”
When I finished, I remembered something the aging Robert Frost said: “It never gets any easier to save your soul.” Fortunately, it doesn’t get harder, either. The race asks what it has always asked-no less and no more-simply everything over which I have control.
“Families are forever;”
In giving me cancer, fortune had smiled on me. Pain was a key to opening up a new and larger life. The interests of my past are still present, but now finally seen in perspective.
“Epilogue;”
So you can see the hour is also for my soul. When I run, I am alone with myself. I have the time needed for prayer. That prayer may resemble no other prayer by any other human being. It may not even satisfy the conventional definition of prayer. But it is prayer nevertheless, a dialogue that has gone on within me since I have turned to running.