Circulatory System

Have you ever given blood? Remember how they tie your arm off with that rubber band and the blood pools in your vein. When they untie the rubber band the blood begins to flow into the container. Free of the constriction the life blood flows faster and faster into the container.

Likewise, a run with thousands of people is the life blood of a community. Each runner brings much needed oxygen to the body of the city by increasing their vigor, and extending their lives. Crowds of people donate their spirit to help those in need.

The Starting Line

At first we are constricted and pushing against the starting line. When the horn sounds, the thin starting band is broken and the crowd begins to flow.

At first the corpuscles of the crowd will flow slowly - walking because there is no room to run. Then, as the constriction releases, the road opens up and we run faster and faster.

• I look behind me my friend is to the right, running as she listens to the music.
• Far behind me I hear ROTC cadets calling out their song
  "I don't know but I've been told...."
• A lady in orange is running behind her boyfriend.

The crowd is still thick, but everyone is running at their best pace. To my left I see an opening, a sidewalk with few runners.

I bound upon it.

I keep up with Orange Lady for a while, but her boyfriend turns and runs backwards. She speeds up and loses me. We round the bend of the Texas State Capitol.

Mile 1

We round a corner and see a steep hill.

We run uphill

• My legs push up the grade.
  • The light outrun the heavy.
    • It begins to lightly rain on us.

Then downhill

• My legs slow my descent.
• The heavy outrun the light.
• The mist makes the road slick.

A peel of thunder erupts and the crowd roars in defiance and delight.

Mile 2

People are grabbing water from volunteers. Kerploosh! They throw the water on themselves then discard the cups on the ground. The spray lands on my knees which are getting sore, but maintaining pace with the others. The blood is flowing clean and fast now. Refreshing my legs, and the city they run through.

Mile 3

A Dixie band plays. People are waving noisemakers and cheering each other on.

I hear ahead of me a woman is running and screaming at others! "Way to go Sarah!" she yells to her friend "God Bless Us ALL!"
As I pass her I get a friendly bit of banter from her. "Way to go Mr.. Green Shirt...kickin' my ass!"

Mile 4

It is a long upward grade! We you can hear the mass letting out a collective groan, and make a series of light hearted jokes as they see the road ahead.
"My GOD!"
"When does the trail turn back to the end."
"Where's Sarah?"
"How much further?"

Exhaustion creeps in. The crowd is thinner, and I weave gently through it. Yet more and more I feel the weakness overtaking me, and the crowd is increasingly surging past me as well.

We have run so far, but much more remains. I spy a friend standing by the roadside. She is waving a noisemaker. We wave at each other and I feel my energy lift.

Mile 5

A man with a bullhorn stands on a bridge.

"Let's hear it for 8945!" he announces "You in the green shorts! Keep it up! Awesome! You people are A-W-S-O-M-E!"

The people on the bridge cheer us as we pass below them. Another band plays. I spot the lady in the orange shirt that I had seen earlier. Many of the people I saw in the first mile are still with me. My friend is nowhere to be seen, but I am sure she is only a minute or less behind me.

We begin to minutely pick up the pace. The pain is starting to spread throughout my legs, but I don't care....I am running with the pack. I am running with these people who would stand in the vigor and exhilaration of a run. I am running with the other immortals!

The Last Stretch

We circulate past the bridge which cross the river. Despite the shots of pain in my thighs and the stab of a tiny knife when I breathe I pick up the pace. Some people are running much faster now. Zooming past me. Yet I wind through a massive group of people as I approach the finish line. The people behind me give my ego a boost, those ahead of me inspire me to run all the faster.

A tall sandy blonde woman passes me and I rally my last ounce of willpower as we exit the bridge. People are yelling as we head towards a banner of the finish line.

I run with her just in front of me. Her long legs are flying. My shorter legs begin to dig into the ground pushing the street behind me. I am determined to pass her before we reach the end.

My lungs grasp for air. My stomach contracts in a tight ball. Every fiber in my legs is screaming for more air. They burn like a fire as I gain on her. Everyone is running as fast as their exhausted bodies can carry them. An old man passes me momentarily, holds in front of me then fades behind at the last second. I no longer see the tall blonde only the banner of the...

Finish Line

I nod to the amazon blonde beside me. I don't know who crossed first, and it doesn't matter anymore. I had pushed more because of her and the others. She is beside me as we walk away from the finish line, allowing others to push through the artery. I am sure the older guy was only a second behind me.

We can't talk because we are both breathing too fast. Sweat starts to pour from my face...it won't evaporate because I am no longer making a breeze with my running. I hold my hands over my head. The mass of people flow into the waiting area.

"Good run" we say to each other. An exhausted smile is on every face as we emerge into the park.

Then I see my friends, they have run too and we share in some water, juice. Our faces are flushed with the thrill of running another 10k. We have given the gift of life to ourselves.