Satire On Running

Running! What better feeling could there be? I think running is the metaphor used for writing the poem "I Have Ten Legs" written by Anna Swir, which you can find in Classics for Young Readers, vol. 7 page 292. The first line in the poem reads, "When I run I laugh with my legs," page (292), I believe the writer is talking about the joy of running.

Running is much more than it seems. People view it as a way to get in shape, lose weight or even just a hobby. It is much more than that, running is a dumbed down version of a psychologist. Two miles in, a lifetime to go, came directly from what someone's mind wants them to believe during a run, it wants them to quit, cut it short. Why would someone keep going if the only reward they could maybe receive is a shiny piece of metal or to lose a few pounds? Why would someone go to practice and push themselves to the point of exhaustion, get up, and do it again everyday? For most, this would be absurd, but a select few realize the undercover benefits that come with this kind of self induced trauma.

So I decided to keep running. I knew that I may be a little more sore tomorrow, but if I was going to accomplish my goals I had to work hard. I kept running, and toward the last mile I began to really feel the burn, but I did push and finished with plenty of time to spare. That practice is what I thought of as i crossed the finish line with a smile on my face. As I headed back to camp still beaming about my time I thought to myself,

“In running, it doesn’t matter whether you come in first, in the middle or last. You can say, ‘ I finished’ There is a lot of satisfaction in that” - Fred Lebow. I began cross country in eighth grade shortly after my brother joined the year before. He enjoyed it a lot, so I thought it would be fun. I’ve been on the team for two years. I would like to run for the rest of my life. Cross country changed my life positively forever. It taught me to push myself past what I thought was my limit. It revealed to me a great community of people and it taught me to leave my comfort zone.

I have an unorthodox relationship with running. As a child, I swore I would never run, that I loathed even the mere idea of running for fun. But now, I find it an escape, a paradise where I can truly be who I am, with no exceptions..

In sixth grade I quit the school band in the middle of my third year to join Running Club. The goal of Running Club was to run a 5k after weeks of practice and I accepted the challenge. Throughout the duration of training, I would find the long runs consistently demanding and a test to my motivation to persevere in the club. One of the coaches, Miss. Ames, was my teacher from the previous year and she ran with me during practice. She constantly encouraged me to push myself a little more every run and to keep practicing. I was frustrated with my performance, but Miss. Ames continued to encourage me. Nevertheless, preparing for that 5k was an eye-opening and an overall amazing experience.

Of the more than twenty million Americans who are running today, most who start do so for the wrong reasons, with the wrong attitude, and tend to lose interest after a few weeks or months. Many quit. This is usually because they become concerned with superficial goals such as time and distance and never discover the more profound mental benefits that running offers. (Lilliefors 15)

“Good Job keep going, you can do it, run run faster, you got this!” These were the words coming from the audience as I was finishing my last 100 meters in the cold, pouring, rain during sectionals. I was in second place in my heat and my heart was thumping and I couldn't see through the water stains on my glasses, but I heard someone someone breathing hard and their spikes hitting the track as they ran behind me and I knew I had to push even harder.I remembered the rough trading I had in practice and knew I could do it.

My 5k run was an experience. I had to give it my all. I started out with enough to stop a train. I had energy but it was dwindling into oblivion. By the time I had got to the long straight dirt road people started to pass me. When I turned around I saw lots more making me feel better. I again picked up my pace and continued. I learned that I was not alone. I know I wouldn’t be at the top so I stopped and started walking. Soon a man came and said “come on buddy only a quarter mile left.” I started to run again and I beat my last time.

In cross country I believe in me working hard and finishing strong. I never walk or stop to catch my breath because I go hard from the start to finish. I may not be the strongest or the fastest but I will be working the hardest. “Cross country teaches us to challenge our self. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we couldn't go. It helps us find what we are made of.” When I run I always start fast and end faster. When I see people walking at practice I say, “Stop walking, start running!” Then they will start to run. My coach always said, “Tell your body no!” that means the more you stop the more your body will want to stop.

The feeling of crossing a finish line, whether it be a 5-K walk or a half-marathon, is indescribable. The short-term goals of regular runs pay off, and you reap the self-esteem and confidence boost. For those who struggle with depression, events like these runs give you tangible proof that you can make it. One popular t-shirt saying goes, "Pain for minutes. Glory for a lifetime." This mantra applies so well to life's struggles. Turn to the person who knows you best-yourself-and use running to prove how much you can achieve.

I ran my first race when I was 12 years old. It was a 5K in Fargo, North Dakota, that I completed with my father. I competed in cross country and track for six years. I was the varsity cross country captain from 10th to 12th grade and I look back on those years fondly. During my senior year of track in high school, I fractured my fibula during a 4 by 800 meter relay race and as a result decided not to pursue competing at the collegiate level. Despite the absence of competition, I still run as a hobby as much as I can. It is a big part of my life and provides me with opportunities for meditating and developing self-discipline.

Although running may not seem like a big sport like football, basketball or soccer, it takes a lot of courage, heart and strength to be able to run. In the article called “Cool like me” by Donnell Alexander he says, “cool is finding the essential soul, while being essentially lost”. When we feel stressed and feel like we want time for ourselves away from society, running is a solution. Running is not just considered a sport, running is a lifestyle that people choose to live. It makes them feel good, look good and it makes them happy.

I go to the grass by where we will line up for the race and I put my spikes on. Making sure every spike is tight; I double knot the laces and stand up. Now my stomach really hurts. The nerves of a runner before a race are one of the worst things to handle. The announcer puts me in line and I take a deep breath once it’s my time to go up to the blocks. I set up my blocks for my standards and take off my sweats. The breeze hits my thighs as my tank top flows from side to side. The sun wishes me good luck just before I start my race. I slightly shake as the announcer tells us, “Runners to your mark!” and I get down. Shaking more vigorously now, my heart is pounding in my chest. It seems like hours waiting for him to yell, “Get set!” “Go!” but once he does I know it’s go time. I push off my blocks, and I run as fast as I can. I can feel my legs moving together in motion as the balls of my feet dig into the track. My spikes are doing their job in helping me grip to the surface as I make my way to the finish line. Neck and neck with the girl next to me I hope she gets winded out near the end and slows down so I can just scarcely make it past her. I feel like I am running as fast as a horse. Crossing that finish line and coming to a slow stop, I breathe heavily as I exhale in relief of being over. I did it, I’m done… and I did well. My legs raw, I get off the track. (AB) Some fellow sprinters congratulate me as I do the same to them. That is what’s nice about track, it seems like most of the people are very friendly. They have no problem congratulating you or talking to you about how nervous they are before a race. We know we are all in the same boat and all we want is to succeed. Every blue moon a distance runner will congratulate a sprinter but I don’t think it has ever happened to me. I don’t know if they are just caught up in their own world or if they are just being stingy about the whole

Why do I run? I run because running in itself teaches you more life lessons then any wise man you ask on the street, any internet search, any dictionary, any encyclopedia, any college class, anything. Running teaches you the life skills it takes to make it in this world and be a successful individual. Running gives you the ability to overcome any obstacle that may come in your path. If you’re a runner, you’re a survivor, you’re a fighter and most importantly, you’re a doer. Doers win in this world; they surpass those you don't know what it is to push their mental limits. Running is a gift from god that can be used to create a strong person inside that when they're knocked down they get right back up. Running has made me the man that I am today and I praise the lord everyday for