Steve Friedman

One dog and two complete strangers set out to run across America. Over some 3,000 miles and 101 days, the strangers shared stories of ambition, addiction, dreams, and fate. But one thing they never discussed: the worst day of the trip, which they knew was coming.

As one of the world’s best endurance runners, Danelle Ballengee was always up for a challenge. But when she got severely injured and stranded in the desert, she prepared to give up. Fortunately, she brought a friend along.

Think you know the story of Zola Budd? Think again. Even if you remember how the barefoot prodigy broke world records, became a symbol of South Africa's oppression, and was blamed for Mary Decker's Olympic nightmare, her story has more heartbreak, more hard-fought redemption, and considerably more weirdness than the legend.

At 4:15 most mornings, John Moylan knew exactly where he'd be—on a run, doing the roadwork that would get him through the day ahead. Then came 9/11, and suddenly his routine stopped. Reviving it would be his toughest battle.

Running crazy-long distance was Shannon Farar-Griefer’s salvation from childhood trauma and reckless behavior. But can it save her from the ravages of an unpredictable, devastating disease?

A tale of screaming kids, weeping adults, frayed family ties, hard labor, wild animals, and one unusual 5K race.

He started running to heal himself. But 33 years later, when Bart Yasso chose one of the most brutal races on the planet for his final competition, something even greater had been gained.

On April 15, 2013, four random souls found one another in the smoke and blood on Boylston Street. One was gravely injured. But they all needed something.

As a father, husband, runner, and astronaut, Willie McCool seemed to inspire everyone who knew him. Even at the end. And even now.

From child prodigy to teen phenom to lost burnout. Who is he now?

Forty years ago, a California teenager ran a race that shocked the world. It seemed important at the time. It's even more important now.

How a whole-foods, plant-based diet—free of all meat and animal products—has propelled one runner to ultramarathon greatness.

Pennsylvania's old order Anabaptists famously eschew modern conveniences, extolling the virtues of hard work and self-reliance. That turns out to be a great way to produce incredibly strong runners—as long as the elders approve.

For one slothful writer, a running cruise to Alaska was more than a passage to paradise—it was a mission to rescue the happy runner imprisoned in his curmudgeonly soul (while not getting eaten by bears).

No woman had ever dominated ultrarunning until you came along. You scaled mountains, ran thirty-four 100-mile races, and competed so fiercely your rivals called you the Barf Queen. But your crowning achievement was a secret.

Rick Trujillo trains in the Rockies, not on the roads. He chases elk, not PRs. He fuels up on Oreos, not PowerBars. He loves running. But is it possible to love it too much?