The Paris Olympics, the city of light, love, and endless traffic jams, and it is already SO EXCITING.
Now though, let's turn our attention to another kind of race: the literary marathon. While athletes limber up for their moment of glory, let's lace up our reading shoes and jog through some classic works of literature that celebrate the sweat, tears, and triumphs of sport. If there's one thing we know, it’s that literature can make even the most gruelling physical endeavours seem like a leisurely stroll along La Sienne de la controverse.
The Starting Line: Chariots of Fire, W.J. Weatherby
We begin our literary Olympic journey with a classic that’s as British as strawberries and cream at Wimbledon: Chariots of Fire by W.J. Weatherby. I defy you not to hum the tune... This is the real-life story of two runners, Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams, who competed in the 1924 Paris Olympics. This literary classic is driven by faith, ambition, and the quest for personal and national glory. "I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast," says Liddell. You may start wondering if you too could run that far if you really put your mind to it (spoiler: you can’t). But the beauty of this book lies in its ability to make you feel like you’re right there on the track, heart pounding, lungs burning, determined to win.
Hitting the Stride: The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner, Alan Sillitoe
Next, we turn to a tale that’s less about the glory and more about the grit. Alan Sillitoe’s The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner is a stark, raw exploration of the solitary nature of endurance running. Set against the backdrop of a bleak, post-war England, it follows a young delinquent, Colin Smith, who discovers a form of freedom in the monotonous rhythm of long-distance running, "I'm a long-distance runner. I've always been a long-distance runner". This isn't your typical feel-good sports story. It's more like a literary cold shower, jolting you awake to the harsh realities of life. Yet, there’s something profoundly inspiring about Smith’s defiance and resilience. Much like an Olympic athlete who battles personal demons, Smith’s journey is one of inner turmoil and quiet rebellion.
The Marathon: Infinite Jest, David Foster Wallace
Now, for all you post-modernists, let’s tackle the literary equivalent of an ultra-marathon: David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest. This sprawling novel features tennis in a way that’s as demanding and complex as the Olympic Games themselves. Set in an elite tennis academy and a nearby drug and alcohol rehab centre, this novel explores themes of addiction, competition, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. One of the central characters, Hal Incandenza, is a teenage tennis prodigy whose life is dominated by the sport. "I am in here," Hal says, echoing the claustrophobic pressure of high-stakes athletics. Wallace’s portrayal of the obsessive nature of training and competition resonates with the intensity of Olympic preparation, where every moment is dedicated to the pursuit of perfection.
Infinite Jest is as much about the mental game as it is about the physical one. The novel’s labyrinthine structure and depth mirror the complexities of an athlete’s psyche, where the boundaries between success and failure are razor-thin. It’s a marathon read, demanding stamina and focus, much like Tom Pidcock's astonishing win on the hillside.
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