Forward is forward. That is more or less the whole argument, and Chris Bennett has built a career on it. As Nike Running's Global Head Coach he has helped millions of people take a first step, and his book This Is About Running. This Is Not About Running is his case for treating running as a practice in showing up rather than a test of speed, distance, or competition.

He is good company on the subject. The book mixes positivity, pop-culture wisdom, and back-to-basics insight to strip away the pressure that keeps people stuck, and the invitation is refreshingly low-stakes: you do not have to be fast, fit, or fearless. You just have to start. What follows, he argues, teaches you far more than running does, about resilience, confidence, self-trust, and the quiet power of momentum. Worth an evening whether you are lacing up for the first time, coming back after years away, or just want a better way to think about progress.

Good to know. The talk is free and takes place in the Combined Main and Dayton Program Rooms. Registration is required.