In 1982, after selling his jazz bar to devote himself to writing, Murakami began running to keep fit. A year later, he had completed the Athens-to-Marathon route on his own and now, after dozens of such races—not counting the triathlons and his books that have received rave reviews—he reflects on the impact the sport has had on his life and, even more importantly, on his writing.

Part training diary, part travel chronicle, and at the same time a memoir, this revealing book describes his four-month preparation for the 2005 New York Marathon and takes us to places such as the gardens of the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo, where he once shared the route with an Olympic champion, and the Charles River in Boston, among young women who outpace him. 

Through this enchanting prism of athletics unfolds a panorama of memories and reflections: the moment of inspiration when he decided to become a writer, his greatest successes and disappointments, his passion for old vinyl records.
Funny and serious, playful and philosophical, Haruki Murakami's memoir is revealing, both for his fans and for athletes who find similar satisfaction in running.