Two passions define Haruki Murakami's life: writing and running. What connects both activities is their intensity. For Haruki Murakami, running represents a second life, from which he draws strength, inspiration, and above all, the tenacity to write. The idea and decision to become a novelist came to him while exercising. He balances the time spent sitting at his desk with running. After slow initial steps, he has professionalized over the past thirty years: in addition to annual marathons, he has also taken part in triathlons and ultramarathons of 100 kilometers. Haruki Murakami vividly and humorously recounts his frustrations and the struggle against the ever-present threat of failure and how he overcomes it. For him, running remains a great, wordless joy. For his gravestone, he wishes for the inscription: "Haruki Murakami 1949-".