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I know them.
I have Seen them many times.
They are rare.
Some of them go out early morning and they strive to beat the sun.
Others isolated at noon, tired in the afternoon or try don't be run over by a truck in the night.
They are crazy.
In the Summertime running, jogging, sweating, dehydrating and finally become tired...
...only for enjoying the rest.
In the Wintertime they cover, wrap, complaint, they cool, catch a cold…
and they let the rain wetting their face.
I have seen them.
They pass fast on the avenue, slow between trees, meander dirt roads,
climb cobbled slopes, trot in the corner of a lost way, dodge waves on the beach,
pass wood bridges, step on dry leaves, upload hills, jump puddles, across parks and get angry with cars don't stop.
They start from everywhere and run, run, run...
They listening music that go along with legs rhythm,
listening birds and seagulls,
their pulses and their own breath,
look forward,
look their feet,
smell the wind that passed through eucalyptus,
the breeze that came out from the orange trees.
They Breath the air that came from the pines and slowdown when they pass beside jazmines.
I have seen them.
They are out of their heads.
They use air cams and brands sport shoes,
run barefoot or waste footwear,
sweat shirts, caps…
and take their own time again and again.
they are try to win someone.
They jog with the body relaxed,
get forward to woman with the white dog,
turn after column,
look for a fountain to refresh... and go on.
They inscribe all race...
but no win any
They begin to run the night before, dream with run
and in the early morning wake up like a child in Christmas day.
they have clothes ready that rest on a chair,
as they did it in the childhood when holidays began.
They eat paste the day before and don't drink alcohol,
but celebrate with barbecue just when finish the race.
I never couldn't know their age,
but sure they are between 15 and 85 years old.
They are men and women.
They are gone.
They inscribe in 8K, 10k races, and they know...
...that will cannot win although missing all the other.
They have eagerness on each start...
…and some minutes before of race, they need to go to toilet.
They adjust their chronos…
…and locate four or five whom have to win.
This are their reference of race "five that run like me",
win at least to one of them is enough for sleeping with a smile in the night.
They enjoy when pass forward another runner...
…but encourage him,
they tell him there is a short distance for finishing...
…and ask him for keeping rhythm.
They ask for a water supplies point,
and get angry because don't appear.
They are crazy.
They know in their homes have enough water,
without waiting for a child that rise a glass when they pass.
They complain about the sun,
and about for the rain that not permit see.
They are gone.
They know that near there can find a shadow of a tree, or cover under a shelf.
They have no rehearsed it, but have all excuses for the moment they come the finish.
They have no rehearsed it,are part of them:
"Wind against",
"No air",
"New sport shoes",
"Bad measure circuite",
"Some of them that go forward and not permit to be passed forward",
"Party the night before",
"Wound in the right foot of the seam for the new sock",
"My knee returned to betray me",
"I Boosted very fast at the beginning",
"They don't give water",
"When I finished I was going to check but I didn't want".
They enjoy when begin, enjoy when running and…
…when finish enjoy raising their arms…
...because they say that they got it...
That they won again!
They don't realize that finish after hundreds…
...or thousands people...
...but insist they won again!
They are rare.
They create a goal each race.
They win to themselves,
what are looking on the edge,
what are watching by TV,
even what don't know that there are crazy running.
Their hands are shaking when they hang up the number,
merely because they are gone.
I have seen them pass.
their legs are painful, cramp, have trouble breathing,
pain in the flank...
...but they go on.
as they move forward on a race, their muscles suffer on and on,
Disfigure their face, fall down their sweat along their cheek,
cramps begin to repeat…
...and one and half mile before finish…
…begin to ask themselves what are they doing there.
Why I am not one the people on the edge cheering?
They are crazy.
I well know them.
When they end embrace their wife or husband...
…that hide by true love the face's sweat and body.
They are waited by their sons and even a grandson…
…or grandfather encourage them when they pass through finish.
They take an advice on the forehead blinking:
"I finished!!
I got it!!".
Immediately They finish drink water and wet their heads,
throw on the grass for resting, but are held up by runners that…
...came before and are congratulated,
throw again…
…but this time they go to congratulate runners that finished after them.
They try to fall down a wall when they lean with their hands,
raise their leg from their heel,
embrace other runners that finished with sweater than them.
I have seen them many times.
They are out of their heads.
They look with affection and without shame to runners that end ten minutes after.
They respect the last and the penultimate… ...because they say that are respected by the first and second.
They enjoy with the applause…
…although they came closing the race,
winning only the ambulance and the motto.
They group by teams and trip 200 miles for running 10k,
buy all their photos...
…and don't realize are as the same as above.
They hang up their medals in walls that can be seen...
…and people have to ask about them.
They are gone.
"This is from a month ago"
They say, trying to use their more humble tone.
"This is the first I won"
They say avoiding to say that this medal was given to all…
...even the last and the inspector.
Two days after the race already are jumping puddles,
climbing hills, waving arms,
greeting cyclers, giving five other runners.
They say that a few people in our time are capable of being alone with themselves...
...during an hour per day.
It's said that fishers,
swimmers and a few more.
It's said that people cannot stand much silence.
They say that enjoy it.
They say that stay with their thought, make balance, make redemption,
congratulations themselves,
ask themselves and talk with themselves without fear.
It's said that other people finds excuses for being always with someone.
They are out of their heads.
I have seen them.
Some of them only walking,
but one day, when nobody see them,
will began to jog a little bit.
In a few months they will began to change…
...and will be as crazy as the others.
They stretch,
look themselves,
turn, breath and go on,
They speed up, slow down and speed up again.
I seem that they want to win to death.
They Say that want to win to life.
They are…
...absolutely crazy.
"These crazy that run" Animation by James Jarvis Text & Voice: Marciano Durán