Friday, March 29, 2024
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YOUTH ARE AWESOME

Youth Are Awesome, commonly referred to as YAA, is a blog written by youth for youth. YAA provides the youth of Calgary a place to amplify their voices and perspectives on what is happening around them. Youth Are Awesome is a program of Youth Central.

Any views or opinions expressed on this blog belong solely to the author and do not represent those of people or organizations that the blog may be associated with, unless explicitly stated. All content is for informational purposes only.

HomeUncategorizedWhat I love about running

What I love about running

The day you’ve been training for all season – all your life! – finally arriving

The smell of the outdoors

Lacing up your ratty, trusty runners

Pulling on your team singlet

Good old warm up: karaoke and A/C kicks

When the officials call your name

Peeling out and putting on your number sticker

The anticipation a few inches behind the start line, before the gun goes off

When the gun finally goes off, and you take off like a bullet! (or not.)

The wind in your hair

When you break free from the crowd that forms as everyone pushes for the inner lane

Hearing someone breathe down your neck and speeding up and refusing to let anyone pass you

Feeling the track beneath your feet

At last passing someone you’ve been following for ages

Having only one lap left

Recognizing the ragged breathing of your teammates

Hearing someone cheer your name, or shout your school team

When you start sprinting during the last hundred meter stretch of the race (and pass someone!)

Finally – finally! – crossing the finishing line!

Being so parched, so breathless, you couldn’t care less about how you look

Knowing you’ve given it your all, from that almost-puking sensation in your throat

That feeling of utter exhaustion, that you feel half-dead but never more alive, all at the same time

Sweaty hugs and hi-fives, all round

Being reunited with your beloved water bottle

That oh-so-satisfying stretch afterward

And that Are-You-Crazy!? look people give you when you tell them you love long distance running

 

Are you still there? Run for Youth Central in the Scotiabank Calgary Marathon! (It’s like running and flying and volunteering all in one!)

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2 COMMENTS

  1. Awesome! I used to run, but then I quit… and then I started running again. Your poem really captures what I experienced as well – except that when I break free from the crowd, it’s mostly backwards instead of forwards 😀
    That was the reason I quit at first.
    But you know what? Now I just run for the joy of running!~

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