“SPIEGEL: Are you a better writer because you run?

Murakami: Definitely. The stronger my muscles got, the clearer my mind became. I am convinced that artists who lead an unhealthy life burn out more quickly. Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin were the heroes of my youth — all of them died young, even though they didn’t deserve to. Only geniuses like Mozart or Pushkin deserve an early death. Jimi Hendrix was good, but not so smart because he took drugs. Working artistically is unhealthy; an artist should lead a healthy life to make up for it. Finding a story is a dangerous thing for an author; running helps me to avert that danger.”

Zie voor een vroege bespreking Canuck in Asia, Harakui Murakami Talks to Himself While Running, but only in Japanese (So You Can’t Hear Him). En zie verder vooral ook Haruki Murakami Resources: Excorcising Ghosts.

Zie ook Measuring Distances and Areas in Google Earth

Times: More Rimbaud and less Rambo, critics tell sweaty jogger Sarkozy

“Is jogging right wing?” wondered Libération, the left-wing newspaper. Alain Finkelkraut, a celebrated philosopher, begged Mr Sarkozy on France 2, the main state television channel, to abandon his “undignified” pursuit. He should take up walking, like Socrates, Arthur Rimbaud, the poet, and other great men, said Mr Finkelkraut.

“Western civilisation, in its best sense, was born with the promenade. Walking is a sensitive, spiritual act. Jogging is management of the body. The jogger says I am in control. It has nothing to do with meditation.”

Boris Johnson: Bravo, Sarkozy – from one jogger to another (via)

Zie ook Webgemm: Hardlooproute bepalen met Google Earth