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This I can say for sure, though my experience only lasted three days.
My friends ran. I ran because my friends ran. I remember trying to keep up with them and I will say that was the hardest thing I've ever tried. I watched their derrières disappear over hill after hill and at the end of it all I was still the one who was gasping for air and puking.
My running joke is I played football because I didn't like to puke from running cross country. Editor's note, I was 125 pounds, I wasn't that hot at football either.) I lasted through track season, but after three days of running my own derrière off I walked up to the coach and said "Coach, I hate throwing up, I'm just not cut out for this." He insisted it would get better but I didn't believe him in my fog of runner's high.
So when I see these kids, many of whom are brilliant scholars capable of doing math equations in their head that I can't even cypher with pencil and five erasers, lying on the ground gasping in pain, I am in awe. This is the hardest sport I know.... well I'm a terrible swimmer so maybe that is harder still?"
it was the only I time I ever quit anything. Running is hard. These kids deserve our respect.
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And it gets crowded around the finish line because often that spot where the clock records their final time, they are just plain done.