"Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional."

Only a week is left for Rotorua Marathon.I think my training has done well so far. All I should do is getting myself into a good condition. I don't need to run a long distance any more. I just have to stretch my mustles and take a rest.

My objectives are...
 *Finishing under four and a half hours
 *Finishing without walking

I wouldn't accomplish them if I didn't think positively during the race. I think mentality is as important as physicality. I like following proverb, quoted from one book, which a marathon runner repeated like a mantra.

"Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional."

This phrase means that the hurt is unavoidable reality, but whether or not you can stand any more is up to yourself. Although I don't know who said these words, I really feel sympathy to this phrase. This seems to be one of the best suited phrase whenever I feel pain physically or mentally.

Anyway, I may think about and repeat it again and again in my head during the race.
 - Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. -

"South of The Border, West of The Sun"

Recently I feel my reading skill is slightly getting better, especially in the point of speed. I read novels in English a lot. I am choosing the easy one which basically I don't need to use a dictionary. I like reading books. It develops my imagination.

Last couple of days I was reading "South of The Border, West of The Sun" witten by Haruki Murakami. The lead character of this book "Hajime" often met a woman "Shimamoto" who was his neiberhood in his youth. However after Hajime moved to the other place, though it was not so far from the place he used to live, he stopped going to her house because of his hesitation. And then he never meet her until he was thirty-seven years old when he was already married and had two children. One day Shimamoto stopped by his own bar and they met again. He was happy with his wife and children with no doubt, but after meeting her, he can never forget about her and he realized he really love her. His wife "Yukiko" noticed that he has someone else he loves. This book describes his feelings about Shimamoto and his family and the person he fell in love with in junior high.

It was a little complicated for me. I couldn't understand the expression which the lead character Hajime is feeling. Is there anybody who has a similar exprience to him? - meeting the person who really loved in the youth after getting married and fall in love again? I think there is possibility it happens, but his case is too unsusual in several phase.

At any rate, I enjoyed reading it. I'm glad to read it in Enlish so fast. It took only five days to finish it.

Job search

It's still hard for me to find a part-time job. I have missed three interviews before. I judged that I can't find a job so easily, I decided to hand in my CV to wherever I want to work. That means whether there is an job advertisement or not in the shop, I try to negotiate with the shop staff without any appointment. I will more focus on quantity than quality. I have to try again and again.

Three weeks before Rotorua Marathon

The day of running in Rotorua Marathon is coming. Only three weeks are left for training. Since I have to cool down my muscles and take a rest from two weeks before the race, I can do full training for only a week. Taking part in the full marathon which means 42.195km race is the third time for me. The previous two races were not good. Actually these were awful. I couldn't do training so much before the races and my body didn't become enough to finish 42.195km without walking. I was totally exhausted after the races. Needless to say, the time wasn't good either. However, I have been doing training to run long distance for several times from this February. I think the condition is better than the previous races. I am really looking forward to running Rotorua Marathon - the first marathon in overseas. I should be careful not to have my legs hurt from now on. Only if the condition is good, I will break my record and I won't need to walk during the race.

SALVATION of a SAINT

I borrowed a book titled "SALVATION of a SAINT" written by Keigo Higashino who is one of the most famous novelist in Japan nowadays as I mentioned before. His books are basically mystery. But I think one of his attraction is it's not only mystery story but also describes human's habits and emotions vividly. His books sometimes show us the social problem. Meanwhile it sometimes indicates deep humanity. I am always impressed in his expression. I am always surprised with the result of the end. Though it's easy to read, it's very meaningful. It seems that so many books of his aren't translated to English. I could find only this book and "Devotion of Suspect X" which I introduced on this blog before. I would like to read his books more in English. I hope that more books of his would be translated to English as soon as possible.

 

The Devotion of Suspect X

Keigo Higashino's book is easy to read and impressive even though it is written in English. I borrowed his book in library, titled "The Devotion of Suspect X". I spent only three days to finish reading it. I think the translater has a good skill and I never felt a sense of discomfort. I feel like to have spent really good time during reading through this book.