--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Running a marathon is just like reading a…" description: "\"Running a marathon is just like reading a good book. After a while you're just not conscious of the physical act of reading.\" — Frank Shorter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb0/frank-shorter-12870_book_running-a-marathon-is-just-like-reading_3053790.png" --- # Running a marathon is just like reading a good book. After… ![“Running a marathon is just like reading a good book. After a while you're just not conscious of the physical act of reading.” quote by Frank Shorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb0/frank-shorter-12870_book_running-a-marathon-is-just-like-reading_3053790.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb0/frank-shorter-12870_book_running-a-marathon-is-just-like-reading_3053790.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb0/frank-shorter-12870_book_running-a-marathon-is-just-like-reading_3053790.png) > “Running a marathon is just like reading a good book. After a while you're just not conscious of the physical act of reading.” [Frank Shorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shorter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Marathon running and immersive reading both become effortless, allowing focus beyond the physical act. **In simple terms:** Deep engagement makes activity feel automatic. Key Takeaway Embrace flow states. Themes sports reading flow focus Mood motivational contemplative Type inspirational psychological When to use this quote - long-distance running - book clubs - study sessions - creative work Key Concepts mindfulness endurance immersion Questions to Reflect On - When do you lose awareness of effort? - How can you sustain flow? A Different Perspective Physical fatigue can still intrude. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Conscious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscious/) [Good book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-book/) [Like Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-reading/) [Marathon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marathon/) [Marathon Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marathon-just-721273/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Running A Marathon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running-a-marathon/) [Running marathon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running-marathon/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes for me not throwing a tantrum is what running a marathon or swimming the English Channel must be like for others of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roseanne-barr/sometimes-for-me-not-throwing-a-tantrum-is-what-running-a-marathon-or/) [Roseanne Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roseanne-barr/) > [You can't run a marathon without running a marathon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sale/you-can-t-run-a-marathon-without-running-a-marathon/) [Chris Sale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sale/) > [Living life is like running a marathon. 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Writing books is also important to me, so you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hollis/running-a-marathon-was-important-to-me-so-i-found-time-to-train-for/) [Rachel Hollis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hollis/) > [We have all learned everything we know physically—from walking to running a marathon—by trial and error, so there's no reason to become our own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amby-burfoot/we-have-all-learned-everything-we-know-physically-from-walking-to/) [Amby Burfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amby-burfoot/) > [There are things I've always wanted to do. Things I may not be able to do, but I never really ruled them out -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-j-fox/there-are-things-i-ve-always-wanted-to-do-things-i-may-not-be-able-to/) [Michael J. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-j-fox/) > [Running a marathon is something I've always wanted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennie-finch/running-a-marathon-is-something-i-ve-always-wanted-to-do/) [Jennie Finch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennie-finch/) > [I thought about running a marathon a long time ago, but I'm just not a runner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-miller/i-thought-about-running-a-marathon-a-long-time-ago-but-i-m-just-not-a/) [Shannon Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-miller/) > [Who ever would have thought that I'd be running a marathon? Certainly not me, but it's amazing where life leads you if you're willing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-gosselin/who-ever-would-have-thought-that-i-d-be-running-a-marathon-certainly/) [Kate Gosselin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-gosselin/) > [I love my lifestyle now, but at the end of nine months, you're toast. You are toast. It's like running a marathon. You can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-meloni/i-love-my-lifestyle-now-but-at-the-end-of-nine-months-you-re-toast/) [Christopher Meloni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-meloni/) ## More by Frank Shorter > [What you did was live on very little. I think all of us that were competing - Bill is the same way - you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shorter/what-you-did-was-live-on-very-little-i-think-all-of-us-that-were/) [Frank Shorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shorter/) > [Again, racing for me was about energy management.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shorter/again-racing-for-me-was-about-energy-management/) [Frank Shorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shorter/) > [When you first run up First Avenue in New York, if you don't get goose bumps, theres something wrong with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shorter/when-you-first-run-up-first-avenue-in-new-york-if-you-don-t-get-goose/) [Frank Shorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shorter/) > [The irony of that is, what makes it kind of ironic, is when you do become successful as a professional athlete in particular, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shorter/the-irony-of-that-is-what-makes-it-kind-of-ironic-is-when-you-do/) [Frank Shorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shorter/) > [When I am totally race fit, I don't worry about breathing or technique - they take care of themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shorter/when-i-am-totally-race-fit-i-don-t-worry-about-breathing-or-technique/) [Frank Shorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shorter/) > [When you are caring about your children perhaps you always have to remember at what point you can become over involved because of something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shorter/when-you-are-caring-about-your-children-perhaps-you-always-have-to/) [Frank Shorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shorter/) > [The marathon is all about energy management. 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He was willing to go to Europe… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shorter/the-thing-that-makes-bob-kennedy-so-good-is-that-he-doesn-t-have-a/) [Frank Shorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shorter/) > [I want my time spent running to serve as a reward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shorter/i-want-my-time-spent-running-to-serve-as-a-reward/) [Frank Shorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shorter/) > [I started in law school in '71 and graduated in '74. So I was training for the Olympics, running or averaging around 20 miles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shorter/i-started-in-law-school-in-71-and-graduated-in-74-so-i-was-training/) [Frank Shorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shorter/) > [My goal has always been to slow down as slowly as possible. It's as simple as that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shorter/my-goal-has-always-been-to-slow-down-as-slowly-as-possible-it-s-as/) [Frank Shorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shorter/) > [The weather is perfect. The gods are shining on us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shorter/the-weather-is-perfect-the-gods-are-shining-on-us/) [Frank Shorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shorter/) > [It is not the time spent with the child at their activity that is going to produce the highest level athlete. It is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shorter/it-is-not-the-time-spent-with-the-child-at-their-activity-that-is/) [Frank Shorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shorter/) [Explore all 52 Frank Shorter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shorter/) ## More Book quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! 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There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I don't think I have made as much of my life as I should have. I should have written more books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/i-don-t-think-i-have-made-as-much-of-my-life-as-i-should-have-i/) [Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-m-schlesinger-jr/) > [Some books are not read in the right way because they have skipped a stage of opinion, assume a crystallization of information in society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/some-books-are-not-read-in-the-right-way-because-they-have-skipped-a/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [“People talk about books that write themselves, and it's a lie. Books don't write themselves. 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