Konome-ame

今日も仕事のついでに代々木公園に寄り、織田フィールドの周辺をうろついて各国のアスリートに見惚れた。せっかくだからと隣の代々木競技場を撮影し、本屋に寄って帰った。昨日とまったく同じような一日だ。

池澤夏樹の新刊は見つからず。これで4軒空振り。が、書店巡りは楽しい。店ごとの特色を比較できるし、世の中の話題にも少々明るくなる。それにしても、雑貨またはコミックの売り場に力を入れている書店は目立つが、総じて文芸は立場が弱い。ぼくのように、思い悩むとドストエフスキーを手に取るような人間というのは、ほんとうにどうしたものだろうか、などと、やたら明るくて広い店内で心細くなった。

棒高跳びのデュプランティスの世界記録更新の跳躍はすごかった。テレビで観て感動した。競技場で観ていた人が羨ましい。6m30cm。

深夜、12キロ走る。ジョグから始めてサブ3.5のレース・ペースまで高めた。走りながら、いまよりずっと高い強度で走っていた20代のころの身体感覚をたしかに思い出した。よいランだった。

Once again today, I dropped by Yoyogi Park while out for work and wandered around the area near Oda Field, admiring athletes from all over the world. Since I was there, I took some photos of Yoyogi National Gymnasium next door and stopped by a bookstore on my way home. It was practically the same day as yesterday.

That was the fourth bookstore I’ve checked, and none of them had Natsuki Ikezawa’s new book in stock. But bookstore-hopping is enjoyable in its own right. I get to compare the personality of each shop and stay at least somewhat in touch with what’s trending. That said, I’ve noticed many stores are now focused more on selling lifestyle goods or comics, while literary fiction seems to be on the decline.

I couldn’t help but feel a little out of place, standing in a bright, spacious bookstore wondering what kind of person still turns to Dostoevsky in times of turmoil—like I do.

I watched Duplantis break the pole vault world record on TV, and it was incredible—6.30 meters. What a jump. I envy those who saw it live at the stadium.

Late at night, I went for a 12-kilometer run. Started at a jog and gradually worked up to my sub-3.5 marathon race pace. As I ran, I clearly remembered how my body felt back in my twenties, when I could run at a much higher intensity. A good session.