Haruki Murakami -- Excerpt from "what do I talk about when I talk about running"

At a dinner table at the end of last year , Talking about running , Talk about what you're thinking while running . I don't run , But I often go swimming , In the boring and interesting process of moving forward after diving, my thoughts are turning aimlessly . then , The customer's president Su recommended Haruki Murakami's book on running , I asked the name of the book , Because the name of the book is not easy to remember （ The title of the book is a bit awkward ）, I was given the approximate title of the book , A few days later, I asked my colleagues to tell me the full name of the book ：《 When I talk about running , What can I talk about 》.

Because of less reading , I've only seen Haruki Murakami's before 《 Norwegian forests 》, I followed Haruki Murakami's instructions 《 The great gatsby 》, Look again 《 Two cities 》 and 《 Great future 》 Wait for some books . Haruki Murakami really likes 《 The great gatsby 》 This book , So I mentioned it again in the book , And translated it into Japanese .

It's like a book is written chapter by chapter intermittently , It took me two months to read the book intermittently . The book tells the story of Haruki Murakami's transformation from a shopkeeper to a novelist , His experience of running and participating in triathlon and so on .

Here are some sentences or paragraphs in the book that I think are good , Share here .

1. you 're right , It's this trivial 、 Small events abound , For me, it has its own meaning , It's a useful memory .

2. honestly , I don't even think I have business talent , I just feel that once I fail, I will be at a dead end , Just desperate to work hard . Diligent 、 Hardiness 、 No matter how hard you are , Once upon a time, now , These are the only things I have in mind . If compared to a horse , I'm afraid I'm not a racing horse , And it is closer to the inferior horse engaged in miscellaneous service .

3. Whatever you do , Once you do , I have to do my best , Otherwise, you can't rest assured . Entrust the store to someone at will , Hide away and write novels , I can't do such a flattering thing . Do your best to work hard , Still can't do well , You can put it down with peace of mind . However , If because of ambiguity 、 Half hearted and half hearted and ended in failure , I'm afraid the feeling of regret can't be brushed away for a long time .

4. For long-distance running , I didn't hate it . But school physical education , But I never liked it , The games are even more disgusting . They are the sports that the top forces us to do .“ here , Run !” Force me at a time I don't like , Do something you don't like , Regarding this , I couldn't stand it since I was a child . conversely , If what I want to do , When you want to do it , Do as much as you like , I will work harder than others .

5. Be interested in learning , It's after the prescribed education system has been basically completed , Became the so-called “ Social people ” after . I understand, , Areas of interest and related things , Follow your own rhythm , Use your favorite method to pursue , Can master knowledge and technology extremely efficiently . For example, translation skills , It's also so self-taught , It's out of your own pocket , Bit by bit to learn . It took a lot of time , The skill is mature , There have been repeated mistakes , But that's why , What you learn is more solid .

6. The school thing , It's a way to get inside , Learn something , Then go out of the place . School is such a place ： In school , The most important thing we learned , Namely “ The most important thing you can't learn in school ” This truth .

7. It has been said , I'm the kind of person who doesn't ask questions , A constitution that will gradually get fat if you don't do anything . My wife doesn't care how much she eats ( Not much to eat , But eat dessert whenever you have something to do ), No exercise , It won't get fat at all , Not even fat . I often think about ：“ Life is really unfair !” Something that people can't get without working hard , Some people can get it easily without effort .
   But think about it , This kind of constitution that is easy to be fat by birth , Maybe it's a kind of luck . for instance , People like me in order not to gain weight , You have to exercise hard every day , Watch your diet , Be moderate . What a hard life ！ But if you never get lazy , Stick to it , Metabolism can be maintained at a high level , The body is getting healthier and stronger , I'm afraid aging will also slow down . People who don't do anything and don't get fat don't need to pay attention to exercise and diet . There's no need , But looking for someone who does such a troublesome thing , Certainly not too many , So people with this Constitution , Often with age and physical decline . If you don't want to exercise , come very naturally , The muscles will relax , The bone will weaken . What is fair , You can also take a long-term view , To see .

8. People are born like this ： You can stick to what you like , I can't stick to what I don't like .

9. How to say that long-distance running is consistent with your temperament , There are days like this .“ I feel so heavy today . Don't want to run .” There are often similar days . At this time, they will find all kinds of high sounding reasons , Want to rest , Don't want to run away . I once interviewed Seto guliyan, an Olympic long-distance runner , After he retired and took office S&B Soon after the team coach . I asked ：“ A high-level long-distance runner like Seto Gujun , Is it possible that I don't want to run today 、 I feel bored 、 Want to stay at home and sleep ?” The so-called fury of setgu Jun is wide open , Then I used something like “ How can this man ask such silly questions ” Answer in a tone ：“ That's a question ！ This happens all the time .”
   Now reflect , I think this is a stupid question . at that time , I also understand . However , I still want to hear his own answer . Even if physical strength 、 Amount of exercise 、 Motives are vastly different , I still want to know how to get up early in the morning 、 When you tie your jogging shoes , Does he have the same idea as me . Mr. setaku's answer made me feel relieved from the bottom of my heart . Ah , Sure enough, everyone is the same .

10. There's only a slight reason to keep running , The reason to stop running is enough to fill a large truck . We can only take that “ The slightest reason ” One by one, they polish it carefully . to make use of every bit of time , I'll polish them tirelessly in my spare time .

11. Beyond talent , If you mention the important qualifications of novelists , I will not hesitate to raise my focus . This is to gather the Limited talents you have , Then the ability to focus on what is most needed . Without it , It's not enough to accomplish anything . Use this power effectively , Can make up for the lack and bias of talent .
    After concentration , What is necessary is endurance . Even if you can concentrate on writing three or four hours a day , For a week , But say “ I'm exhausted ”, In this way, you still can't write a long work . Concentrate on writing every day , Hold on for half a year 、 One or even two years , Novelist —— At least a writer who is interested in writing a novel —— Must have this endurance . Let's compare these to breathing . If concentration is holding your breath , Endurance is holding your breath , Learn to breathe quietly and slowly . If these two breathing methods cannot maintain balance , It is difficult to persist in writing novels as a professional writer for many years . You have to hold your breath , Keep breathing .
    thankfully , Concentration and endurance are different from ability , You can get... The day after tomorrow through training , Can continuously improve their qualifications . Just sit at your desk every day , Training puts consciousness into a little , You can master . This is very similar to the muscle strengthening method written earlier . Write without interruption every day , Focus on work , These have to be done —— Continuously transmit such information to the body system , Keep it in mind , Then quietly move the scale , Raise the limit value bit by bit , Be careful not to let the body notice . It's like jogging every day , Strengthen the muscles , Gradually build the runner's body , It's similar . Stimulate it , continued . Give it more stimulation , continued . This process certainly requires patience , But you will get the corresponding return .
    Excellent detective novelist Raymond · Chandler once said in a private letter ：“ Even if there is nothing to write , I must sit at my desk for hours every day , Concentrate alone .” What did he do this for , I can fully understand . Chandler did this , To improve the physical strength necessary for professional writers , Quietly boost morale . Such a daily training is indispensable to him .

12. People in the world laugh at people who keep running every day ：“ Do you want to live a long life ?” I thought , People who run because they want to live a long life , Probably not much . Cherish “ It doesn't matter , At least want to live a perfect life ” People who run in this mood , I'm afraid there's a lot more . It's also ten years , Instead of living in ignorance , Have a clear purpose 、 Of course, it is far more satisfying to live vigorously .

13. In such a shift and change accompanied by reality , I know myself in this huge mosaic , It's just a tiny piece of color ; Like the water in the river , It's just running under the bridge to the sea 、 A part of nature that can be replaced .
    Look at their running posture , It's a sad thing to . You will simply feel , The world is really passed down . in the final analysis , This is something similar to inheritance and handover . therefore , Although they caught up with and surpassed , Will not sprout chagrin . They have their own pace , It has its own timeliness . I have my pace , My timing . These two are very different things , It's only natural that I'm different from them .

14. One day you will always lose . Like it or not , With the passage of time , The body always dies . Once the body dies , The spirit will also be at an end . I know it well , But I want to turn that fork —— That is to say, my energy is the fork between the defeat and Transcendence of toxins —— Postpone... Backward , Even a little . This is the goal I set as a novelist . I don't have any right now “ haggard ” Spare time . Because of this , Even if people say I “ That's not an artist ”, I have to keep running .
    Keep moving , strengthening “ Basic physical strength ”, This is the source of creation .
    I have my duty , Time has its duty , And far more loyal than people like me 、 More accurately complete . Since time came into being ( When on earth ), It never rested for a moment , Keep going . People who escaped their premature death , As grace , Are given the precious right to actually grow old . The honor of physical decay awaits ahead , We must accept and get used to it .
    An innocent youth who does not challenge the record , Nor is it an inorganic machine , It's just an insight into its own limitations , A professional novelist who tries to maintain his ability and vitality for a long time .

15. Scott · Fitzgerald's 《 The great gatsby 》 The translation of is also going well . The first draft has been completed , Working on the second draft , That is, minor modifications to the first draft . Reread carefully line by line , To modify , The translation gradually becomes fluent , You can feel the original flavor of Fitzgerald's article , It is being replaced by Japanese more naturally . Now I still say such words in a serious way , It embarrasses me ： This is really a wonderful novel , be worth reading a hundred times , Full of profound nourishment of literature , Every time I read, I find something new , There are new moving places . A 29 year old writer , How can you be so sharp 、 justice 、 See through the reality of the world tenderly ? How can such a thing be possible ? The more you think , The more reading , The more I feel incredible .

16. With age , Experienced all kinds of mistakes , Pick it up, pick it up , What should be abandoned, abandon , Will have such understanding ：“ Shortcomings and defects , If you count them one by one , There will be no end . But there must be some advantages . We can only face the world with what we have at hand .”

17. Physically painful , In spirit , Frustrating situations sometimes arise . however “ Pain ” For this movement , It's a prerequisite . Without pain , Who else will challenge the time-consuming and labor-consuming sports of triathlon and full marathon ？ Because of the pain , Because of this pain , Only in this process did I find myself feeling alive , At least part of the discovery . I now realize that ： The quality of life is not achievement 、 Numbers 、 Ranking and other fixed things , It's something of mobility contained in behavior .

18. We ended the small event on early autumn Sunday , Will return to their respective homes , Go back to your daily routine . then , For the next race , Train silently in their respective places as always . Look coldly or overlook , Such a life may be impermanent and unhelpful , Or very inefficient . There's no way . Even if this is the vain act of pouring water from an old pot with a small hole in the bottom , At least the facts that I tried will remain . No matter how ineffective it is , Whether it looks good , Something vital to us , Almost invisible to the naked eye , But what can be felt with the heart . and , Something of real value , It is often achieved through a very inefficient business . Even if it's a vain act , It's not stupid . I think so , As a real feeling , As a rule of thumb .