Delve into the Run

This Is Running is not a manual on pace, but a visual and literary archive of the spirit. It traverses the global landscape—from the red clay of Iten to the pavement of LA—exploring how running shapes culture, identity, and the quiet obsession of the long mile. It is a testament to the sport not just as movement, but as a way of being.

The Author

Decoder of the Stride

Raziq Rauf is a running coach and journalist, but his true craft lies in the "slightly-to-the-side" perspective he brings to the sport. From the pages of the BBC and the Guardian to his dedicated community at Running Sucks, Raziq has spent years documenting the pulse of the pavement. Now based in Los Angeles, he brings a rare literary sensibility to a medium often cluttered with gear reviews and split times. He is not here to optimize your stride or sell you a shoe; he is here to ask why we lace up in the first place—and what we find, or lose, or become along the way.

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The Book

This Is Running:
Beneath the Surface of the Run

Running is a global monolith—an estimated 621 million people moving through space. Yet, behind the staggering statistics lies a world as diverse as the humans who inhabit it. This Is Running is not a manual; it is an anchor. It is a curated exploration of the sport’s rich, tangled culture, moving from the high-altitude trails of the Rarámuri in Mexico to the neon-lit streetwear subcultures of the modern city.

Raziq explores the why, the where, and the how, weaving together the insights of psychologists, sociologists, and the runners who define the vanguard. It is a collection of glory in all its forms: the technological revolution of "super shoes," the meditative boom of trail running, and the sacred rituals of the world’s most grueling races—from the Barkley Marathons to the UTMB.

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The Voices

Echoes from the Community

  • "Absolutely awesome." — BroBible
  • "This isn't your typical running book. It’s a collection of glory, in all of its forms. It captures the beauty, the anguish, and the rituals that made us fall in love—and stay in love—with running."
    — Anne Helen Petersen, Culture Study
  • "Even the most seasoned runner will learn something new and new runners will develop a deeper understanding of the roots of the sport. The cross section between sport and culture is intricately intertwined and the result is a book that leaves you with a fiery desire to get out the door for a run." —Laura McGreen, Running content creator with a 232k following on IG