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This book describes and analyzes the levels of experience that long-distance running produces. It looks at the kinds of experiences caused by long-distance running, the dimensions contained in these experiences, and their effects on the subjective life-world and well-being of an individual. Taking a philosophical approach, the analysis presented in this book is founded on Maurice Merleau-Ponty s phenomenology of the body and Martin Heidegger s fundamental ontology.

Running is a versatile form of physical exercise which does not reveal all of its dimensions at once. These dimensions escape the eye and are not revealed to the runner conceptually, but rather as sensations and emotions. Instead of concentrating on conceptual analysis, this book explores the emotions and experiences and examines the meaning that running has in runners lives. Using the participative method, in which the author is both the research subject and the researcher, the book contributes to the philosophy of physical exercise.

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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.

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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.

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