Quest for the Finish-Diary of a Distance Runner is the story of one man's personal experiences in the custom of running. It details how he got mixed up in such an endeavor and how it became an integral part of his life; how it morphed into a preferred method for keeping fit. The author describes how a fitness routine can become a sport; how the everyday jogger can become an athlete; how the athlete moves from one challenge to the next. In relating his running experiences over the years, the author provides detailed and inspirational accounts of his own experiences in training and in races at distances from 1 mile to the 26.2-mile marathon. These accounts offer valuable insights into training and racing techniques: the challenges of reaching the finish line; the joy of competition; the anguish when things go wrong. The book is also a travel log of sorts, since it provides descriptions of running adventures across the USA and in several foreign countries. The author takes the reader on an often humorous and sometimes painful journey from the novice runner to the peak of fitness, followed by the eventual slow decline in performance that comes with age and life's struggles.