What I talk about when I talk about running

[Maitha]

In this book Murakami told us about how he is interested in running, he started the running because he wants to be fit. On year later, he participated to run in the marathons. Moreover, he did hard training and exercised well every day because he wants to join New York City Marathon that was in 2005. However, Murakami had a pain in his knee but he didn’t stop running. To get rid from the pain he run slowly at the beginning then he increased the speed until he can run again. Finally, he reached his dream and he joined New York City Marathon. And in this book he reflects how the sports affected him on his life and also how it helps him to be a good writer. This is my first time to read a book about running or in general about sports but I enjoy reading it and Murakami’s way in writing was very beautiful and he encouraged me to begin my day with running.

[Thomas]

That's wonderful, have you kept at it? I too enjoyed this book very much and not to discourage you, but a couple of things are worth mention. First, keeping on running through a knee pain is more often than not not the best course of action. Sore muscles and fatigue aside, running should be painless. Second; I'm sorry to say that you won't find another book about running that is anything like this (I would love to be proven wrong about this!), but other books on running may be good in other ways.

[Paul Martin]

Thomas is right; running through knee pain is almost always not the right thing to do, although it seemed to turn out alright for Murakami. I guess we'll never know, considering his reclusiveness and the fact that he states in Running that it would probably be the most autobiographical thing he would ever write.

[David]

As a (near daily) runner, I have to disagree with one bit; running isn't painless! It hurts. It hurts most of my body, but I still do it, and I expect the pain. If I thought running should be mostly painless, I'd never run again.

Some knee pain isn't serious; some knee pain is serious. It's hard to tell the difference.

[Paul Martin]

I think there might be different views on the limit between "exhaustion" and "pain".

Sure, in a way it "hurts" to run - I don't feel good inside after 30 km, but a sharp pain in the knee is, in my experience, something different.

But I agree, painless might be a slight exaggeration.