2 lungs pumping as one. Propelling its host forward, one foot in front of the other. Acting like a metronome keeping time, keeping pace. Tearing up grass, pounding concrete, stirring up dirt like a mini dust storm. Lungs worked and shaped into peak condition to make it 3.1 miles for a personal record.
Slow twitch muscles working. Inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth. Get up on your toes. Relax your shoulders. Don’t cross your arms. Head positioned dead ahead. The sound of heavy breathing and spectators cheering- blurring together as one. The taste of sweat and blood. The numbing tingling of the shocking cold or the constant scorch of the relentless sun. Different spikes, different running forms, different race plans. Same exercised lungs. One quality that unites all runners as one.