The Examined Run: Why Good People Make Better Runners

by Sabrina Little

Can running make me a more moral person? Can striving to be a better person make me a better runner?

In The Examined Run , philosopher and ultramarathon runner Sabrina B. Little asks whether running can be a laboratory for developing our character. She looks at the key ideas in virtue ethics--virtue, vice, exemplarism, moral emotions, and competition--and brings them into conversation with her experience in training and racing. Little pushes against the frequent conversations about ethics and sport that focus on the negative--doping and other forms of cheating or on simplistic expressions like “no pain, no gain.” She argues that these ideas don't address the rich picture of how athletics inform a good life, and sport's relationship to acts of justice or courage. A good athlete is not just one who avoids cheating--rather, they perform feats of perseverance and courage, and succeed by working to develop their natural capacities. Little employs her own experiences in training, coaching, and racing in world class ultramarathons to reveal how athletics and virtue are deeply interconnected.

Genres: Nonfiction, Philosophy, Sports, Fitness, Health

290 pages, Hardcover

Published March 1, 2024

Reviews

[Josh Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have never read a running book like this before and it’s one I plan on revisiting someday. Sabrina’s ability to put complicated themes and ideas into terms I can understand and apply to my own life was impressive all its own. On top of that, her ideas in general were fascinating.

Thanks to Sabrina for a copy of the book! I’m excited to chat with her on my podcast soon. 8/10

[Enrique Mañas · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Examined Run is one of the best reads I’ve had this year, combining two elements that are rarely found together: running and ethics.

Sabrina Little is herself a competitive ultra runner and a philosophy teacher at a university, so she has certainly some skin in the game. The book revolves around the ethics of suffering, cheating, the moral superiority of certain vices, happiness, emotions and more. Some of the notes I took:

- Often, when my students encounter philosophy for the first time, and it takes them longer to read it, they think something is wrong with them. Nothing is wrong with them. It takes me longer to read philosophy texts, as compared to novels and other kinds of texts, too.

- Doped performance will feel less meaningful, because they will be predicated on a lie.

- We become virtuous by doing virtuous actions, repeatedly, until they define our second nature.

- Virtue consists, in part, of well-ordered emotions.

- There are two kinds of virtues: moral and intellectual.

- We develop good character in the same way we become better runners: we practice.

- akrasia: knowing what the goal is and failing to do it.
- enkrateia: knowing what the good is and forcing yourself to do it.

- There is a sizable (Texas-wide) gap between knowing and acting.

- To get started, you just get started.

- There is empirical support that action on aggression breeds, rather than diffuses, future aggression.

- Certain virtues- such as joy, resilience, patience, perseverance and humor - are good making features of a flourishing life.

- It also offers practice in being the kind of person I want to be outside of sport - someone who holds to the commitments in my life that really matters, even when doing so is challenging.

- Only the disciplined ones in life are free. If you are undisciplined, you are a slave to your moods and passions.

- Moral virtues come about as a result of opinion.

- Practical wisdom is the excellence of acting well in various circumstances.

- The best captain was not necessarily the fastest athlete on the team, but the person who would lead by example in integrity, perseverance and community focus.

- Rainy runs are only uncomfortable while you are still getting wet. Once you are wet, they remain at the same level of bad.

- Physical practice should not be conceived of as a stand-alone tool in the formation of humans.

- Freedins are restricted, but it is for the sake of being free in a fuller, long-term sense.

- Emotions can cook your food or set your kitchen on fire.

- Though racing I have learned a lot about emotion management.

- Doing a good deed once is not enough to acquire a virtue.

- Empathy is not the only emotion that has the power to provoke good actions. Another one is admiration.

- Our emotions are educable.

- There is a strong cultural current of understanding our emotions as inviolable experiences, or as beyond reproach.

- One study found that, when we are sad, we perceive hills to be steeper.

- Kipchoge runs like a cheetah, and you run like a lion. A sea lion.

- It is more motivating to see someone act excellently than to be told to be excellent.

- I would rather be a loving mom than an unavailable yet speedy mom.

- Social practices should be examined both within and outside.

- Sometimes our families are in a busy season of life, or our friends need help. What we ought to do is to support them,not signing up for another race.

- Often, the advice to combat vices is to form virtues in their place.

- To combat selfishness we should develop the virtue that opposes it - charity or love.

- You have ample room for moral improvement, so it is constructive to examine the ways in which you fall short.

- Certain pleasures are of higher quality than others: reading a book (rational pleasure) or volunteering at a soup kitchen (ethical pleasure) instead of eating candy.

- Achievement is like a trick escalator that never arrives at its destination. It proceeds infinitely upward without relief.

- We are not great at rating our own happiness.

- Start with peer-review studies and credentialed clinicians, rather than running influencers or content creators online.

Some of our limits are the people we love.

- Not all pains are beneficial. Post-traumatic growth is a myth.

[Ted Moran · Rating 5 out of 5]

A decorated ultramarathoner who is also a philosophy professor and scholar in Aristotle? Sabrina Little is a unicorn and so is this book.

As a runner, I’ve been following her column in irunfar magazine (an online running magazine) for a long time, and I’ve always loved her writing. She has a knack for telling funny stories that connect into the philosophical concepts she explores.

Reading her writing in book form is even better. I feel like it gives her the space to explain more of the philosophical background behind the concepts she’s writing about, which I appreciate having only dabbled in philosophy in college.

I learned a lot — highly recommend for any thoughtful runner or student of philosophy!

[Annie Needs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I probably couldn’t have appreciated this book as much as I did now, but I wish I had read it at 17 & again at 19 & and again 21. And now maybe I’ll read it again when I feel my running-self (or just self in general) becoming unmoored.

A really good read about virtue ethics & philosophy in distance running. I felt intrigued, seen, challenged, and motivated throughout. It’s well-written, meaning I felt like I could appreciate the philosophical background & it wasn’t just clips of cheesy running mantras.

A few notes:
- maybe I liked it so much bc it largely aligned with my prior beliefs. Altho, I was def challenged by things in every chapter
- maybe the book with the least forced use of pronouns (meaning, it didn’t feel disingenuous when she/her or he/him was was used). Maybe bc the author is a woman, so really just the she/hers didn’t feel forced or awkwardly spaced like they usually do.
- maybe I’m officially a precocious academic
- philosophy bros are my nemeses! Pls call me out if I become one!

Highly recommend to anyone in the running world.

[Dax · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the runner who wants to be a better person, this is an excellent examination of what it means to be good. The discussions of virtues and vices are thought provoking and entertaining. A must read.

[Michaela · Rating 4 out of 5]

While quite different than I expected, it was a unique, well-argued, and thought-provoking look at how distance running coincides with the virtues that allow us to live a full, rich life. I'll be thinking about this one for a while!

[Vi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slow but funny and insightful

[Heather Perfect · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it was especially nice reading about virtues in the context of running. On my last run I kept pushing up a hill just because it felt like a good moment to develop the virtue of perseverance. So I suppose I’ve been inspired!

[Alejandro · Rating 4 out of 5]

The unique combination of virtue ethics and long-distance running makes this a unique read. Can we become better athletes by developing the virtues that define good people and avoiding vices and defects of character? The author believes we can. She first explains what virtues and vices are and then explores ways in which we can apply that knowledge to endurance sports.

What I liked about the book is that it's full of practical examples that you can apply not only to running, but to life generally. She writes about the importance of developing resilience, joy and perseverance. Similarly, we can become better athletes and persons by minimising envy, intransigence, pride and selfishness. These ideas might sound very obvious, but when analysed in a deeper way (as done by the author) it can make us realise that there is actually much room for improvement in our daily lives and we are not even aware of it.

Towards then end of the book she covers happiness and the good life. In modern life, it is common to set goals, sometimes really big goals. We then trick ourselves into thinking that once achieved, we'll be happier, only to find out that's not the case. So we move on to the next goal with the same hope, as part of a never ending cycle that wastes our time and does not make us happier. It could be you signed up for a race that you shouldn't have but you wanted to impress someone, or that you prioritised your training over your family and friends because you are selfish or too proud. The point is that we should examine more closely the motives behind our decisions and re-evaluate what makes sense in our life from a broader perspective.

I found the book enjoyable, but my guess is it's mostly for a smaller subset of readers that have an interest in both philosophy and running.

[Chaos & Confetti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ultramarathon runner, Sabrina Little views running and competition through a philosophical lens, looking into the norms and attitudes that contribute towards running culture and those that athletic activities may produce. Little delves into the ethics of sports and how when used correctly, they may shape better virtues and morals within their participants.

Little begins The Examined Run by warning that its content does require a more thoughtful and slower paced reading. In many ways, the book reads like a philosophy textbook or a dissertation. Definitions, theories, and sources are all clearly laid out and established throughout, with some even being repeated in case a section is read out of order. As someone who is neither a runner nor a seasoned philosopher, I appreciated the extra step to keep me on top of Little’s claims and ideas.

Despite being very focused on running and feeling intended for a more athletic audience, Little’s writing felt very approachable and understandable. Without leaning too far into the comedic side, Little does a good job of including just enough character and humor into her prose to keep her big ideas grounded and enjoyable. In terms of writing style, Little crafted a solid and accessible piece of text.

Thankfully, the actual content of Little’s writing also delivers. Her clearly well throughout and researched material provides a good dose of insight into the world of running and athletic, while also exploring many of the aspects that shape those who perform in them. Little is able to highlight the positives of disciplined athletics so well it almost made me want to pick up running.

The Examined Run is a great resource for those who enjoy either athletics or philosophy, and provides good thought into why both matter.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A challenging but very interesting look at virtue ethics through the lens of distance running. Since I love to run and am fascinated by virtue ethics this book was a no brainer. I will confess that listening to it in the car was a challenge at times and I think I am going to return to the book for a refresher.

But still, it was an interesting exploration of virtue, vice and the pursuit of the good life using distance running as a hook. It was useful for me to think through important concepts and ideas while also thinking about my recent embrace of distance running and how it has impacted and changed my life. Distance running does change your understanding and perception of such concepts at persistence, patience, suffering, character building, etc. And little doesn't dumb anything down but presents her arguments with humor and anecdotes from her own life and career.

I think her argument about how we approach sports in contemporary culture is also worth thinking more about. I am convinced that the absence of language and thinking around virtue is a critical part of what is wrong with so much of our culture; sports included.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book in which a runner considers how classical virtues connect with and affect sport, particularly running. Totally my jam. She talks about performance-enhancing virtues and performance-enhancing vices. I most appreciated the last two chapters, "The Happy Runner: Running and the Good Life" and "Limitless: The Pitfalls of Faustian Running". How hard should we push ourselves? She points out that it is imprudent to run to (or beyond) the point of injury or to put our efforts above living a well-rounded life that is replete with joy in others.

Quotes I liked: "It is clear that very different kinds of lives can constitute excellent instances of human nature. For this reason, it can be valuable to surround yourself with exemplars, or virtue role models, to demonstrate a range of possibilities for flourishing lives.... We need to self-examine because we only have one life to get it right."

"I gave up on the idea of progressing beyond discomfort because discomfort is a part of the process--not always, but sometimes, and definitely when you are pressing your limits."

[Carly Gilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Running meets academia. The merging of my two worlds alongside the introduction of an entirely new one: philosophy. It had kind of a slow start, so I kept it on my nightstand for several months while I read novels. When I started the book in the spring, I was injured and spent more time doing PT exercises than I did running. I returned to it several months later coming back from the injury in the midst of marathon training. This book really helped me to conceptualize the deep sense of purpose and meaning that running brings to my life. I ran the Columbus Marathon a few weeks ago and thought about the concepts of performance-enhancing virtues during this race, such as resilience, joy, and humor. These virtues certainly helped push me to the finish line of a grueling race done mostly during a torrential downpour of rain! I learned about virtue goals and how they differ from performance goals but are not any less powerful. Highly recommend this to all my running friends!

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this audiobook (while running!) and bought a hard copy to re-read and take notes in. This is a marvellous work, truly original. It’s a primer in philosophy, wonderfully summarising classical philosophy of ethics (with some modern philosophy too). It’s a self-help guide to thinking about character in one’s own running; Little is a coach, and I felt at times like she was coaching me. It’s also an inspiring ode to running by an accomplished runner and apparently quite good human being.

Little’s academic style makes for some repetition between chapters (perhaps made more noticeable when listening to the audiobook) as she refers to previous or upcoming arguments. She also, I think, dodges some of the darker issues of women’s running: while she goes into depth about doping, she barely touches on eating disorders, surely a far more pervasive problem of “vice”
in the sport. Overall, though, this is a thought-provoking book, written with intelligence and warmth, that I look forward to re-reading.

[Bill · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Examined Run is an academic monograph. I am not part of its intended audience. I only finished it because of what the author describes* as the “vice of excess . . . called pertinacity.” However, during the four weeks or so I was reading, rereading, and imagining rewriting, I noticed what was perhaps a training effect─a general increase in my ability to focus in other areas of my life. For me though, the juice was not worth the squeeze.

This is my opinion only. Obviously, other people really like the book.


*Sabrina B. Little, The Examined Run: Why Good People Make Better Runners, (New York City: Oxford University Press, 2024), p. 161.

[Shawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm writing a review of this book for a journal, so I can't say much here. But here's the short of it. This a well-written book that tackles some interesting and important questions but is really disappointing because it utterly fails to take account of and engage with the philosophy of sport literature. (Not a single reference!) This is a book published by a prestigious academic press that failed to do the basic research necessary.

[Egidijus Lukšys · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seems like just another running life coach wannabe book, but that's were you mistaken... I believe at first sight you would not expect for this book to be so in depth on running philosophy, but it not only will help you find or re discover your "why" but also in detail explain why people do indeed run. Highly recommended for running beginners and pros, Sabrina Little I'm already looking for your next book.

[Hugh B · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the founder of character acceleration bootcamps, I have a deep interest in virtue cultivation and optimizing human performance, both of which are central to Ms. Little’s book.

She presents valuable insights at the intersection of distance running and character development. While the book is runner-centric, its lessons apply to any demanding pursuit that requires discipline and strategic thinking.

In The Examined Run, Little offers a nuanced interpretation of what may be philosophy’s most profound directive, inscribed on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi: Know Thyself.

Her core thesis suggests that by examining both the existential and epistemic aspects of our endeavors, in this case, distance running, we can become better people. So her subtitle works in both directions. Why Good Runners Make Better People, with “good” signifying self-awareness and a grasp of virtue ethics, including an understanding of vice. With this foundation, intentional self-improvement becomes possible.

Little constructs a compelling and well-organized argument for why runners, and by extension anyone striving for excellence, should reflect on their journey through the lens of character. At a minimum, this reflection leads to better decision-making; at best, it confers a competitive edge.

One of the book’s more provocative ideas is its treatment of vice, particularly how certain vices can enhance athletic performance while remaining difficult to reconcile with behavior off the track. This contradiction underscores the complexity of human nature and serves as a fitting coda to The Passion Paradox by Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness.

Although Little outlines several strategies for cultivating an awareness of virtue ethics, I had hoped for more evidence, perhaps a dedicated chapter on the current state of virtue formation and the efficacy of different strategies.

A fundamental question raised: Can virtue be taught? Socrates (in Meno) argued that it cannot be imparted didactically, while Aristotle contended that habit-based education must precede education by reason. Is there empirical evidence that reading, writing, and thinking about ethics improve character? Can we reason our way to greater virtue? If so, how durable is such training? Are certain methods more effective than others? How far can rational introspection take us on the road to moral excellence?

Or, as we’ve observed in our character accelerators and in line with Aristotle’s thinking, must patience, self-awareness, humility, and other pro-social cognitive habits be forged through practice but also under applied duress? To borrow an adage that might make Little cringe: Pressure makes diamonds. Or, better yet, there is no growth in the comfort zone, and no comfort in the growth zone.

Platitudes aside, Little’s thesis calls for more empirical study, A/B testing and randomized control trials. We know that team sports, scouting, volunteering, band and other non-academic pursuits can significantly shape character development in our youth. No one, after all, ever became more patient by sitting through a lecture on patience. What is the evidence for how moral growth occurs and is optimized? And what is the shape of this learning curve plotted against age?

Mentorship and behavioral modeling, which Little discusses in depth, also play a role. But what is the neuropsychological mechanism behind this influence? Why do two runners with similar arcs develop vastly different moral codes? To what extent does virtue formation align with adaptation theory? While philosophers pose these questions, only scientists can answer them.

As with any book in the self-improvement genre, what yardstick are we using to measure the impact of an intervention? How do we know the needles are moving? How do we benchmark humility, magnanimity, courage or steadfastness? Are there observable changes in the neural pathways that govern ethical behavior and character formation?

Self-reporting is notoriously unreliable, as few of us possess the self-awareness to assess ourselves accurately. Psychometric tools like the Big Five can track broad personality shifts but only generally. Pre- and post-intervention interviews using situational prompts can accurately illuminate moral reasoning. Input from friends and family can also provide valuable insight. Needed as well is long-term observation to validate the efficacy of any intervention.

This leads to another fundamental question the book raises: Is the goal of character education to build character or merely to deepen our conceptual understanding of it, in hopes that personal evolution follows? Can focused activities like running serve as a natural incubator for virtue, or does intentional coaching make the difference? Left alone, does character development unfold organically, or must it be actively cultivated? And paradoxically, does explicitly naming and analyzing the process risk undermining it?

Little’s attempt to tether character development to running may seem niche, but as a metaphor, it serves as an effective entry point for the kind of reflection she seeks to inspire. To this end, the book succeeds, offering a valuable guide in our ongoing pursuit to know thyself. And as I former competitive ultra-distance runner, I can concur that running builds character.

[Caleb · Rating 5 out of 5]

An informative, engaging book from an author who is uniquely positioned as an expert in both running and philosophy. The book functions well as both an introduction to virtue ethics targeted at runners, as well as a deep dive at the issues of virtue and sport for those knowledgeable about both. I’ll happily recommend it to my running friends who are interested in philosophy or ethics.

[Claudia Galvan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me tarde en leer este libro porque es bastante profundo pero a la vez muy inspirador. Me recordó el contenido de mis clases de filosofía y de moral pero aplicadas al mundo del running. Totalmente apegado a una visión aristotélico/tomista.
La escritora habla de verdades “incómodas” que hacen pensar por qué corremos y si realmente vale la pena tanto esfuerzo y dedicación.

[Amy Coughlin McNeil · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a runner for the last 33 years, this book did what the best books do. It put words to things I have always subconsciously wondered about and feelings and questions I have experienced. And it explained its way to some logical answers through a thought process I could follow. It wasn’t easy reading, but it was worth it.

[Aidan Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm already a pretty convinced virtue ethicist, so the ethical arguments weren't new - but what was new was the conversation with athletics, particularly athletics on a high level, that clearly described the incredible relevance of these classical conversations to our pursuit of the good in everyday life.

[Meg Lurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"But it is not repeatedly "doing hard things" that develops a good character; it is practicing being a certain type of person and acting from the right motivation during those hard things that helps us to cultivate virtue" (page 5).

[Ailema]

If you sometimes struggle for meaning in your running practice or take conceptual offense at some aspects of how we discourse about this sport, this is balm for the soul, and the lessons go beyond running. a little dry at times but a great read.

[David Rebula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deeply philosophical. Not in the enlightening way. But in the technical definitions of specific words and phrases used in academia. Not an easy page turner. Digestible, sure, but more of a textbook than a nonfiction work. Eh.

[Tor Kinsarvik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some excellent points here, but the book feels a little belabored and repetitive.

[Jeremy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unique and excellent.

[Magreth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book was written more for teenagers. It is a good book, but it probably won't benefit an adult much.

[Patrick]

Idiosyncratic attempt to meld distance running with virtue ethics. Some interesting passages but not going to finish.

[Katie Rund · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very useful book examining how virtues matter for running (and by extension, other hobbies we might pursue)