I just finished Haruki Murakami's book, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. (It is a little strange to me that the first book I would get by him would be his memoirs on running, but that's what was available and how my thoughts have gone lately.) I was surprised at how much Murakami actually runs, or how much he ran ten years ago when he wrote the book. I expected something by an author who regularly ran around 3 miles a day, occasionally ran a 10k, and once did a marathon. No. Murakami has been running long distances regularly for as long as anyone I've heard of, probably around forty years now. At least at the time he wrote the book or journal entries the book was based on, Murakami was doing forty or fifty miles per week and had done a marathon close to every year for 25 straight years. Nor is he slow, not someone who plods through a marathon in over six hours. He was regularly running marathons in the 3:30 - 3:45 range, and didn't run over four hours until the time he was writing the book, well into his fifties.
Anyway, even though Murakami wrote about how he likes running for how it affords him time alone, I had this urge to write him and say that if he were ever in Denver that I'd love to run with him. (He does mention running in Boulder in the book.) Even to me, this seems like a very strange invitation to extend. I too really like my time alone when running. It's one of the things that makes it an attractive pursuit for me. I don't need to talk to anyone. However, I also like feeling a part of a group, even though I am not so open. I'm always invigorated by entering a race and being around a lot of other runners, even though I say maybe three words to any one person and definitely don't hang around post-race to socialize. It's still nice being around a lot of other people who can empathize, or is it commiserate, with what brought me there to that start line. Anyway, I feel like Mr. Murakami would understand my invitation, and may even take me up on it.
Not that I wouldn't have tons to talk about with the author. I would have tons to talk just about running or how he got started writing or just about him running a bar or Japan compared to the U.S. A million things. But I think that's why a run would be so good. I wouldn't be obligated to say much at all, and he wouldn't feel obligated to answer me. We are just running, after all, not doing an interview. Of there were conversation at all, it would come up naturally. There would necessarily be an economy to the conversation: we would only have so much distance and so much breath to spare. Frivolous conversation just would not do.
That's maybe why I've had the thought several times lately that I would love to just invite some people on a run if they were closer. If there were any conversation, it could be limited to as little or as much as any of us felt to offer. Pressure is transferred away from the conversation to the act of running. Getting through the run is the primary focus; the conversation is secondary. At least it can seem that way.
I think this is why guys like to do business over a game of golf or over a couple beers. If the stated mission is to play a game of golf, then at some point the 18th green is reached, the game is over, and the day is a success whether any business was actually accomplished. If we go out for a couple beers and not a word is said between us, well we can still hang out the Mission Accomplished banner.
I like the idea of a run though. There's a little more purpose there. I am pretty bad at small talk, mostly because I abhor it. It really isn't the other way around. I'm bad at small talk because it just grates on my soul, and not the other way around. With drinking there isn't that forced economy. If there is some more serious words to be said, we aren't limited by time. Just the opposite: The longer we sit and the more beers we drink, the easier it will get to have some serious conversation. Not with a run. There is a set distance, so if we're three miles into a five mile run, you better spill if there is something to spill.
Yeah, I like the idea of a run.
Anyway, even though Murakami wrote about how he likes running for how it affords him time alone, I had this urge to write him and say that if he were ever in Denver that I'd love to run with him. (He does mention running in Boulder in the book.) Even to me, this seems like a very strange invitation to extend. I too really like my time alone when running. It's one of the things that makes it an attractive pursuit for me. I don't need to talk to anyone. However, I also like feeling a part of a group, even though I am not so open. I'm always invigorated by entering a race and being around a lot of other runners, even though I say maybe three words to any one person and definitely don't hang around post-race to socialize. It's still nice being around a lot of other people who can empathize, or is it commiserate, with what brought me there to that start line. Anyway, I feel like Mr. Murakami would understand my invitation, and may even take me up on it.
Not that I wouldn't have tons to talk about with the author. I would have tons to talk just about running or how he got started writing or just about him running a bar or Japan compared to the U.S. A million things. But I think that's why a run would be so good. I wouldn't be obligated to say much at all, and he wouldn't feel obligated to answer me. We are just running, after all, not doing an interview. Of there were conversation at all, it would come up naturally. There would necessarily be an economy to the conversation: we would only have so much distance and so much breath to spare. Frivolous conversation just would not do.
That's maybe why I've had the thought several times lately that I would love to just invite some people on a run if they were closer. If there were any conversation, it could be limited to as little or as much as any of us felt to offer. Pressure is transferred away from the conversation to the act of running. Getting through the run is the primary focus; the conversation is secondary. At least it can seem that way.
I think this is why guys like to do business over a game of golf or over a couple beers. If the stated mission is to play a game of golf, then at some point the 18th green is reached, the game is over, and the day is a success whether any business was actually accomplished. If we go out for a couple beers and not a word is said between us, well we can still hang out the Mission Accomplished banner.
I like the idea of a run though. There's a little more purpose there. I am pretty bad at small talk, mostly because I abhor it. It really isn't the other way around. I'm bad at small talk because it just grates on my soul, and not the other way around. With drinking there isn't that forced economy. If there is some more serious words to be said, we aren't limited by time. Just the opposite: The longer we sit and the more beers we drink, the easier it will get to have some serious conversation. Not with a run. There is a set distance, so if we're three miles into a five mile run, you better spill if there is something to spill.
Yeah, I like the idea of a run.
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