h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

As I walk into the hot sun, I take a leisurely sip of water. Ahh, my last for awhile. I snuck out, so I'm the first one. Spare me the humiliation of my speed (lack of it). I jog around the track, pushing myself to go on, stop not till one round is achieved, two. The motivation of a few less rounds in front of everyone. I am a thrower at heart, I enjoy it, but I yearn to feel the wind in my hair, without pause. My friend steps out. Hey, you're not supposed to be running yet...but I'm beyond caring. All that is there is me and the track, relinquishing all space, time and everything. The coach comes out with the team and I reluctantly stop. My muscles groan. Practice has begun.
Like I expected, we begin running. Ignoring pleas of already-done-it and no-stop-cheating, I join the masses. We run as one, then...paradigm shift. The track stars leave everyone else behind, the pals start pairing off. I feel lonely. In the sense that running does, not a sad kind. That each is simply an entity, floating through eddies. Out of nowhere, I feel a pull. There I am, a proverbial shove through the continuum. I whistle through the air, feeling weightless, supported by my friend. Whizzing through, we come back to start. You really should catch up, he says. I smile and shrug. Later, when I am asked, how was track practice? I say, it was fine. But in my mind, I am thinking, the pull that pushes us apart is the same one that bind. Run a mile in my shoes, and see what you find.

Hi Ramya

I followed the crumb trail back to your journal. Congratulations on writing this. It brings the atmosphere of this training session right to my laptop.

I'll mention it to Dmitri ( the editor of the Post) who might pop along to read this as well.

Good luck with your writing - it is very pleasant to have a newcomer joining in with our plans and being so positive.

I am very happy to meet you.

Lanzababy

Boy, thanks, Lanza. I really enjoyed this - and I *hate* to run anywhere, always have.

This description is very zen, I think.

I see Lanza has already beaten me to your entry

I am incapable of running,

I mean I didn't like it before, but an injured toe makes running, and anything else percussive on that toe pretty much impossible