What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (book)

Finally finished the Murakami book. And I am sorry to report I was disappointed. Really looking forward to that one, highly recommended. Maybe my hopes were too high.

It's a short book, and yet it felt long. I think it was because he was either a) telling me things I already know or b) telling me things I was horribly uninterested in. Or maybe it was the way he told it. I mean, I thought it was boring.

I heard a piece of fiction he wrote this weekend on This American Life, a short story I'd heard before but hadn't made the connection. On seeing the 100% perfect girl one beautiful April morning. Long. Meditative. Dull. (That's not fair, on that program it does follow the best romantic short story in history, Kiss, written and read by Tobais Wolff.)

Maybe that's not was irritated me about this book. I think it was more personal than that. He turned sixty years-old this January. And he runs a marathon every year. The year before I ran NYC he ran NYC. There's this really tense part (which isn't tense at all because he has already made it clear that his is still running marathons - and triathalons) where he is really anxious about his knee hurting. Maybe there's something wrong, maybe he can't run any more, maybe all of his training is for nothing.

Except, again, we know that's not true. But it's true for me because I do not know my future, I do not know if I will ever run again, so listening to someone who has twenty years on me, half of my life over again, fretting about something which has not come to pass ... well, it made me want to strike him. I am sorry but it's true, I want to slap him stupid.

Oh, and when he gets to the bit about running the NY Marathon? He just flits through it, no big deal, time wasn't so great, kind of disappointed.

Slap-slap-slap.

Running Lakewood

Don't forget to stretch!

Route: Lakewood Loop
Listening to: PODRUNNER Classic - Making Tracks (140 BPM)

Distance: 6.15 miles
Weather: warm and breezy - beautiful

Call On Me! Hands down, that is my favorite Podrunner mix, ever. But then, I have not listened to nearly all of them, but I do have fond memories of that one from training.

One word about today's run: Big, fat midges. Mouthbreather had some problems. But it was a delicious run, I have not gone so far in quite some time. Almost the same route as I ran last Christmas, only a little farther, to 112th.

I had the chance to check out the new BIG FUN CLEVELAND (Big Fun - one of the top 20 coolest stores in America as ranked by Playboy!) Wow. Envious. That place looks much better thanb Steve's place on Coventry. Cleaner, friendlier layout, not so chaotic, with so much style. And an adult section that befits the neighborhood! Woo!

Three questions (see below)

Sometimes, Mr. Murakami is highly nfuriating. At the age of thirty, this man who had never written prose in his life - while leisurely watching a baseball game - he decided to write a novel. And it was a success! Around the same time, he decided to become a runner. And he still is! At the age of whatever, with little or no physical complaint.

The first time he ran a marathon, he attempted it without training - and he failed! Aw, boo.

FringeNYC

Never too soon to choose which Fringe shows you are looking forward to seeing. Though it doesn't say 2009 yet, you simply need to visit FringeNYC and look up the "2008" show listing to see what is performing this year.

I never know what is going to be good, or a hit, or both, so suggestions will be welcome. I have a couple of months to make any decisions. Top of my list, however, is Abraham Lincoln's Big, Gay Dance Party.

Listening to: PODRUNNER Classic - Accelerator (162 BPM)

Distance: 3.25 miles
Temperature: 52º
Weather: cool & clear
Weight: 155 lbs.

Here's the (next) big questions ... nytheatre.com will be providing concise interviews with FringeNYC participants, if they answer a questionnaire about their show. It is a great, online interview, as they ask three simple questions which are decidedly difficult to answer.

So I am asking you. How would you answer these three questions - if you were me - about the show AND THEN YOU DIE?

1. What is your show about and what can audiences expect when they see it?

2. Why is your show pertinent to today’s times and/or why should your show be the choice for audiences to see?

3. Why did you choose to present this show?

We are allowed 300 words for all three answers, total. We are instructed not to use superlatives or hype, but just to explain what makes this show unique. Challenging!

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