Chapter 8 Chapter VII

Chapter 7 Autumn Days in Cambridge, Massachusetts, New York, October 30, 2005 It's like mourning the hasty defeat of the Boston Red Sox in the regional qualifiers-it didn't even win a game in the "Sock Showdown" with the Chicago White Sox. cold rain.That was the first obscene rain since autumn.The rain is strong and weak, as if on a whim, although there are times when it rains, it never reveals a bright and clear sky for a moment.The sky was always blank and tightly covered with the thick gray clouds characteristic of this place.Like an indecisive and hesitant person, the rain came and went, and finally made up his mind and turned into a torrential rain.Towns from New Hampshire to Massachusetts were flooded and arterial roads were blocked.I don't mean to force Red Sox to take moral responsibility even for these.I happened to be traveling in northern New England on a business trip to a university in Maine, and I only have the memory of driving the entire time in the dim rain.Traveling in this part of the world, which is always a pleasant experience when it is not the depth of winter, was regrettably less exciting this time.At that time, it was too late to count as summer, and it was too early for the season of red leaves.The torrential downpour caused a small problem with the windshield wipers on the rental car.I dragged my exhausted body and returned to Cambridge in the middle of the night.

On Sunday, October 9th, I participated in the race early in the morning, and it was also a rainy day.This is the half marathon held every year by the BAA (Boston Athletic Association), which hosts the spring Boston Marathon, this season.Start from the Robert Clementine Arena near Fenway Field, cross Jamaica Lake, turn back at the Franklin Zoo, and run back to the same arena to complete the race.There were 4,500 participants this year. I was running this event as an adjustment for the New York City Marathon, so I put in about an eighth and only struggled a bit in the final three kilometers.However, it is not an easy task to run the race "moderately" without using your true strength.When you're surrounded by other people, you can't help but exert yourself even when you don't want to.It is a very pleasant thing to go to a race with everyone "ready, run!", but the competitive instinct will show its edge unconsciously.At this time, you have to hold on firmly and run calmly.Because I had to put Genelec on the plane and take it to New York.The result was -iJ, fifty-five minutes, basically a pre-conceived result.In the last few kilometers, I stepped on the accelerator slightly, overtook more than 100 people, saved my remaining strength, and crossed the finish line.It's a cool Sunday with a drizzle of smoky rain.I put the number on my chest, listen to the breathing of the runners around me, run on the road, and truly feel: "Aha, the racing season is here again.".Adrenaline flowed to every corner of the body.Usually, I always run alone and silently. Experience this kind of environment will become a good stimulus, and you can also get a general feeling to understand what kind of rhythm should be maintained in the official race to run the first half of the race.Needless to say, what will happen in the second half of the race, the boat will be straight when it reaches the bridge.

However, when practicing on weekdays, I always run a distance similar to that of a half marathon on a regular basis, and I have experienced longer distances many times, so the race seems to end in a hurry.Hey, is this the end of the run? Of course, if you are exhausted after running a half marathon at a moderate pace, the full marathon is really hell on earth.The runners around are almost all white, mostly women.For some reason, runners of other skin colors were rarely seen. It was raining and raining intermittently, and there were also small work trips during the period, and I couldn't run as fast as I could for a while.With the upcoming race in New York, not being able to run is not a problem, but I can rest well.Want to eliminate fatigue, rest is the best way.As the race approaches, emotions run high and you run too much before you know it.But if it's raining, "It's impossible to think about it now", then you will give up your mind and give up.This is the bright side.

Although I didn't run decently, my knees complained of pain and pain.As with most troubles in life, the pain comes on suddenly and without warning.On October 17, when I was about to walk down the stairs of the apartment in the morning, my right knee suddenly became weak.Bend to a certain angle, the kneecap complains of unique pain.Unlike mere pain, in a certain place, it feels wrong, and it will suddenly make you unable to exert strength.This is called "knee trembling" or "knee laughing" in Japanese.You can't go down the stairs without holding on to the railing. The fatigue that may have been caused by accumulating the amount of training arduously surfaced to the surface as the temperature dropped sharply.Entering October, the heat lingered stubbornly, but a week or so of rain brought official autumn hastily to New England.Not long ago, the air conditioner was turned on, but now the cold wind blows across the city, turning everything within reach into the scenery of late autumn.Hastily turned the sweater out.It may be out of my subjective conjecture that the squirrels also changed their expressions and ran around to collect food.During this sharp season change period, the body will always behave abnormally, especially when humidity and cold come, which is very problematic.This was never the case when I was young.

For long-distance runners who train hard every day, their knees are often the weak point.It is said that every time a foot hits the ground while running, the leg bears an impact three times its body weight.And this kind of action may have to be repeated nearly ten thousand times a day.Despite the cushions of running shoes, the knees endured silently between the hard concrete floor and the arguably brutal impact.Usually I hardly think about these things, but when I think about it, it seems strange that there will be no problems.The knee also wants to complain occasionally: "It's fine to run arrogantly, but you have to be considerate and considerate of me. If it breaks, it will be irreplaceable."

When was the last time I seriously thought about my knees? When I thought about it this way, I felt sorry for my knees.As the saying goes, regardless of whether the toes are high or arrogant, there are as many substitutes as there are, but the knees are irreplaceable.You can only be with the knee you have now for life, so you must cherish it and treat it kindly. Thankfully, as a runner, I haven't had a major physical breakdown, quit a race due to poor health, or forfeited a race.I also felt something wrong with my right knee (it must be the right side) several times before, but I tried to appease and calm down every time.I'm afraid it won't hurt much this time, I try to think so.However, after going to bed, the anxiety still refused to leave for a long time.Now that it’s over, what if you can’t run? Could it be something wrong with the programming of your workout? Did you not stretch enough? Did you run too hard at the end of your last half marathon? Something like that In my mind, I was overwhelmed and couldn't fall asleep for a long time.Outside, the wind whistled cold and harsh.

After waking up the next day, after washing my face and drinking coffee, I tried to walk down the stairs of the apartment.Put your hands on the railing, focus on your right knee, and tremblingly walk down the stairs.I found some residual discomfort on the inside of my knee, suggesting that the pain was there, but the shocking sharpness of yesterday was gone.I try to go up and down the stairs again.This time the speed was close to normal, I went down four flights of stairs and went up again.Tried various walks and bent the legs at various angles.I was slightly relieved to hear the ominous crunch of my joints.

This has nothing to do with running: my day-to-day life in Cambridge was never going to settle down.The apartment building I live in is undergoing a major remodel, and the drills and grinders are buzzing all day long.Outside the window on the fourth floor, construction workers came and went.Construction started in the dark at 7:30 in the morning and continued until 3:30 in the afternoon.The balcony waterproofing project on the upper floor is not legal, the room leaks seriously, and the water even drips onto the bed.All the containers in the house came to a mobilization. It was not enough to catch the rainwater leaking from the ceiling, and old newspapers had to be spread all over the room.Coupled with the sudden failure of the boiler, the supply of hot water and heating stopped.Not only that, but the fire alarm sensor in the hallway seemed to be malfunctioning, and the alarm was whining endlessly.Every day, the gourds are pressed down and scooped up, which is very lively.

I live in an apartment near Harvard Square, within walking distance of the university offices, which is impeccable in terms of convenience.I just happened to run into a large-scale refit project, and I was unlucky enough to just whine.I have accumulated a lot of work that must be done, and the marathon is imminent. At least, the knee troubles seem to have subsided.It's good news anyway.Keep your eyes on the bright side as much as possible.There is also good news. The reading at MIT on October 6 was very successful, perhaps too successful.The school prepared a large classroom for me that could accommodate 450 people, but about 1,700 people came, and I had no choice but to invite most of them to go back.Even the university guards had to be called in to keep order.The start was delayed because of the confusion, the air-conditioning unit was out of order, and the day was reminiscent of midsummer, sweating profusely in packed classrooms.

"Thank you for coming here to listen to my reading. I knew there would be so many people, so I might as well have borrowed Fenwei Park." I started my speech with such opening remarks.Because of the heat and glitches, everyone is restless, and it is necessary to make everyone laugh.I took off my shirt and put on a T-shirt to speak.The audience was almost exclusively students, and the response was overwhelming.Whether it's me or them, I interpret the topic in a comfortable mood from beginning to end.It is really gratifying that so many young people pay attention to my novels. there's still one.Scott Fitzgerald's turnaround is also going well.The first draft has been completed and the second draft, which is a minor revision of the first draft, is being worked on.After carefully re-reading and revising line by line, the translation gradually became smoother, and one could feel that the original flavor of Fitzgerald's article was being replaced into Japanese more naturally.It makes me feel embarrassed to say such things in a serious manner: This is really a wonderful novel, I will never tire of reading it, full of profound nourishment of literature, every time I read it, I have new discoveries and new touches .How can a twenty-nine-year-old writer see through the reality of this world so sharply, impartially, and tenderly? How is such a thing possible? The more I think about it, the more I read it, the more incredible it becomes.

On October 20, I stopped running for four days due to rain and leg discomfort, and started running again on this day.In the afternoon, when the temperature rose slightly, I dressed warmly and tried to jog outside for about forty minutes.Thankfully the knee didn't feel abnormal.At first I ran a few steps slowly, observing the situation while slowly increasing my speed.It doesn't matter.The feet, knees, and heels are all moving freely at the moment, no problem.I breathed a sigh of relief.In any case, being able to participate in the competition and complete the race is more important than anything else.Insist on running to the finish line, do not stop and walk halfway, and then enjoy the race.These three, in order, are my goals. The sunny days lasted for three days. Thanks to him, the waterproofing project of the roof was finally declared complete.Davide, a tall young man from Switzerland, who worked as a supervisor, once looked up at the sky and sighed with a sad expression: "There will be three days of good weather, and the waterproofing project will be completed..." The sunny day lasted exactly three days .Now you don't have to worry about rain.The water supply boiler has also been repaired, and hot water is flowing smoothly.Finally took a hot shower.The situation that the basement was closed due to boiler construction was also eliminated, and the washer dryer can be used.From tomorrow, indoor heating will also be restored.Mrs. H, who was once in a mess, seems to be changing for the better in everything, including the state of her knees. October twenty-seventh.Today I was finally able to run at eight percent strength without any discomfort.There was still a tinge of foreboding left yesterday, but this morning I can practice as usual.I ran for about fifty minutes, and in the last ten minutes I sprinted freely.I imagined that this was the official race, and I ran into Central Park, with the finish line just around the corner, imagining this scene and speeding up.There is no problem.Push your feet hard on the pavement, and keep your knees straight.The crisis has probably been weathered. It's getting pretty cold all around.Halloween pumpkins are piled all over the street.In the early morning, the road along the river is covered with colorful fallen leaves.Gloves have become a necessity when running in the morning. October 29th, a week before the event.Beginning in the morning, light snow fluttered little by little, and after noon, it officially turned into a heavy snow.Not so long ago it seemed like summer! I wondered to myself.Standing at the window of the university office, I watched the wet snowflakes flying in the sky.Physical condition is not bad.When I was exhausted from training, my legs were heavy, and I even staggered when I walked, but recently when I ran, I felt my gait was light.I realized that I was probably getting rid of fatigue subtly.When running, I also feel "I want to run again". Even so, the anxiety still refused to escape.Could it be that the shadow that flashed before my eyes has dissipated? Wouldn't it still be lurking in my body, quietly waiting for the time to attack, like a person hiding in an invisible place and holding its breath? Shoulder, like a clever thief waiting for someone to fall asleep? I focused my attention, trying to peek into the inside of my body, trying to see what form there was.However, just like our labyrinthine consciousness, our body is also a labyrinth, with darkness everywhere, dead ends everywhere, wordless revelations everywhere, and duality waiting for us everywhere. What I hold in my hand is only experience and instinct.Experience has taught me: "I have done everything that needs to be done. No matter how wildly I think about it, I can only sit and wait for that day to come." The only thing my instinct told me was: "Imagine!" I closed my eyes and imagined myself coming from Brooklyn , from Harlem to the central block, running across the streets of New York with tens of thousands of runners; the scene of crossing several huge steel suspension bridges by myself; the feeling when running along the southern end of the bustling Central Park and approaching the finish line ; the quaint steakhouse near the hotel for dinner after the race.I no longer stare at dark colors, nor listen to silent voices. Liz, who is in charge of my book at Random & Co., sent me an email saying that she, too, will be running the New York City Marathon.This is her first full marathon.I replied: "Have a good time!" (Have a good time!) Yes, marathon running, it only makes sense to enjoy it.If it is not a kind of enjoyment, why do tens of thousands of people come to run the 42-kilometer race? I reconfirmed my reservation at the Central Park South Hotel, pre-purchased a flight from Boston to New York, and stuffed my usual sweatshirt and jogging shoes into my gym bag.The next thing is to take good care of your body and wait quietly for the day of the game.I prayed with all my heart that the weather would be fine, a surprisingly beautiful autumn day. Every time I visit that city to run the New York City Marathon (this time seems to be the fourth time), I always have the free and easy and beautiful ballad composed by Vernon Duke in my mind—" Autumn in New York.The empty-handed dreamers are destined to sigh for this strange land.This is autumn in New York, and I love living here again. Dreamers with empty hands, May sigh for exotic lands It'S autumn in New York, It'S good to live again. New York in November is indeed a charming city.The air seems to have made up its mind, clear and clear.The trees in Central Park are starting to turn a golden yellow.The sky is unfathomably high, and the glass of the tall buildings reflects the sun luxuriously.From block to block, seemingly endlessly, forever.Elegant cashmere coats are displayed in the window of Bergdorf Goodman.The smell of grilled pretzels wafts from the street corner. On the day of the race, should I run across the autumn day in New York with both feet, and run through the "strange land" while savoring it to the fullest? Or do I have nothing to spare? I have no way of knowing since I haven't started the race yet.This is the marathon.