I've heard some pretty difficult questions
in my days.
Some like "Why am I here?"
or "Why does-"
"Larry drink so much?" but the
one I've had
the most trouble answering is "why-"
"Do you run?"
My answer, and i have one,
goes. like. this.

To feel the sun at your back
is the greatest feeling
in
the
world.
The LAST 100 METERS is a far greater
------------------rush!
than any crackcocainemarijuana, but thanks anyway.
Because sweat
d i p n
r p i g down your face is fearpaininhibitions
falling to earth like comets.
I run forTHAT kid, the one who always pulls





ahead on the last mile.











THAT kid, who thinks he wants it more
than



me.
THAT kid who I love
and

hate.
THAT kid who I
beat! can
Because life is too short for you to do anythingbut
take the looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong way.
I run for
Mr. Lakey, thankyouverymuch
who said I was slow. Sorry that didn't turn out.
For Prefontane, who shattered
a theory
a record
a wall,
who died young.
For those who have turned back to
see
if someone's coming up to
pass
you, I do not run for you.
















TO look back is TO show fear
And runners
(good ones)
have no fear.
Because my
cult
is my family,
and the rest of you just don't understand.
And I run for that
hELL of a hILL
that pushes me to do what I thought impossible.
Why do I run?
Because it beats field hockey.