George Sheehan as a researcher of the humanistic potential of amateur stayer running

The object of the study is the works of the American doctor, journalist, marathon runner, popularizer of running and thinker George Sheehan (1918-1993), first introduced into scientific circulation by Russian researchers of the philosophy of sports: "Running and being: a complete experience" (1978) and "The main thing with Sheehan: 30 years of running wisdom of the legendary Dr. George Sheehan" (2013). The subject of the study is the cultural content of amateur stayer running, its personality-creating potential, explicated from these works. The achievement of the cognitive goal is connected with the comprehension of the life path of Dr. Sheehan, his philosophical authorities, anthropological views, the phenomenology of running experience, as well as the social effect of the ideas he propagated. Recognized as the founder of the emerging philosophy of running, J. Sheehan considers amateur stayer running as an activity during which a qualitative transformation of the athlete's personality occurs, associated with the possibility of achieving religious and mystical contact with the primordial and deep dimensions of his being, providing creative impulses and insights. Using the example of his own life, the American researcher describes the bodily determined basic contradictions of the aspirations of an amateur stayer and the social environment, and also sees in running activity and the effects generated by it the foundations of their conjugation. Stayer running is understood by Dr. Sheehan as an environment of moral and volitional formation of an individual, aimed at comprehending his originality and affirming the personal meaning of existence, gaining ideological competence. The researcher fruitfully reveals the humanistic dimension of running on the basis of such concepts and existentials as "body wisdom", "game", "heroism", "running experience", "connection with the Absolute", "unique potential". Dr. Sheehan believes that the usual health-related arguments in favor of running are "pathetic ideas" compared to gaining the ability to live at your true level, to hear the "call of being" addressed to the individual, to achieve your "original splendor", to become the best version of yourself.