Running Through the Clouds Author: Phil Hewitt Translator: Chen Xiaoshan/Fang Jiawen People's Literature Publishing House

★34 touching true running stories, let you feel the power of this simple sport to dispel the haze in your heart.

★Feeling anxious, depressed, or in trouble in life? Why not try to move your legs and run.

★Whether you simply run 1 km in the park, or run 5 km, 10 km, a marathon, or even a 100 km ultra-cross-country run, you may feel a strong spiritual force that will clear away the haze in your heart.

★The author of this book, Phil Hewitt, is a veteran runner who has published two best-selling running books and has run 34 marathons around the world. Hewitt was once attacked with a knife, which caused him severe physical and mental trauma. He relied on running to recover his health and returned to the marathon he loved.

★The appendix of this book, "The Science Behind the Subversive Power of Running," elaborates on the scientific basis for the healing effect of running on mental health, thereby encouraging everyone to join the running sport.

★Running can not only burn fat, but also "purify the impurities in life" and is the purest spiritual tunnel.

★In this book, you will see how people rely on running to get out of the abyss of physical and mental trauma, loss of loved ones, addiction, depression and anxiety:

▶Teresa Giammona, whose firefighter husband died in the 9/11 attacks, suffered tremendous mental trauma and was left raising four young daughters alone. She successfully coped with life's challenges by running.

▶Charlie Engel, who was once addicted to drugs and alcohol, relied on running to get rid of the addiction and became a good husband and father.

▶Dan Keeley used to work hard and be ambitious, but he was extremely sleep deprived and mentally excited, and fell into a state of disorder. He calmed himself by running, and regained an ordinary and happy life by running more than 2,000 kilometers from Rome to London.

▶The Schneider twin brothers Alex and Jamie have suffered from autism since childhood. Their mother Robin helped them find their life path: running, and Alex also grew into a professional competitive runner.

▶Hannie Alston, who once suffered from depression and anorexia, regained her life through running and became a world-class orienteering champion.

▶Bryn Phillips suffered severe mental trauma due to an accident in which the plane he was on fell 10,000 meters in a few seconds. He was afraid to take any means of transportation for a time. However, running, a sport that requires "two feet as a means of transportation", helped him repair his heart and regain his courage.

...The experiences of more than 30 runners in the book tell you that when you run, you will become your own absolute role model.

“There’s something magical about running.

After running a certain distance, it transcends the body.

Run farther and it will transcend thought.

If you run further, what will be clearly visible in front of you is the soul."

—Kristin Armstrong

【Content Introduction】

As a sport, running can keep the body healthy and bring people a wonderful physical state. Just as importantly, it can also bring us back from a terrible mental state. For people who have suffered trauma, depression, certain physical or mental illnesses, and have caused their lives to fall into crisis or even collapse, running may be a good medicine and bring hope for rebirth.

In 2016, the author of this book, marathon runner Phil Hewitt, was stabbed by a gangster in a terrible robbery. He developed severe symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Hewitt found that running could effectively help him recover. This aroused Hewitt's interest. He interviewed 34 other runners who had experienced trauma, loss of loved ones, serious illness, addiction, depression and anxiety. Through their arduous but enjoyable running journey, they finally gained physical and mental healing, saw the hope of life, walked out of the dark zone of self-isolation, and reconnected with other people and society.

In addition to these moving stories, the appendix of the book also elaborates on the scientific basis for the therapeutic effect of running on mental health, thereby encouraging everyone to join the running movement.

【Recommended by media and experts】

Li Jingze, writer, literary critic and running enthusiast

Scholar, writer, and running enthusiast

Writer Xu Zechen

Health expert and professional running coach Zhang Zhanhui

Global ultramarathon runner Guan Yadi

★Sincerely recommend★

A very good book...with a fascinating story.

-- BBC Radio 4 Today programme

This is a collection of inspiring stories about runners who have endured unimaginable adversity, found direction and determination, and ultimately found peace deep within themselves.

—Dean Karnazes, ultramarathon runner and New York Times bestselling author

It's a book about courage, kindness, sadness, and resilience, and about healing from trauma. It teaches you that running is a form of self-discovery... and about witnessing the best of humanity.

—Kate Mosse, bestselling author

This brilliant collection of nonfiction stories connects readers to the restorative power of running. An experienced journalist and editor, Phil engrossingly profiles runners from around the world whose voices remind us that despite the hardships people encounter and endure, the indomitable human spirit can overcome anything through an exhilarating run.

-Hugh Bonneville, famous British actor

This extraordinary book, both humbling and inspiring, is a hymn to the triumph of the human spirit and heart.

—Peter James, British bestselling author and screenwriter

I dare say that everyone will be moved, excited, and inspired by the stories of these courageous runners. Phil Hewitt tells these stories beautifully. Hewitt understands the challenges these runners face because he has also struggled to escape his own demons. This book may change your life. It may even save it.

—Peter Lovesey, author and historian

About the Author