Double Knot

This poem is dedicated to the magnificent Spine family of volunteers and race organisers. I wrote this after an amazing volunteer saw how shattered I was (having been awake herself for umpteen hours) and just dived in and took off my shoes and socks as I stared into the middle distance...to her, and to you all my profound thanks.

____________________________________

Double Knot

20 hours in and your eyes start to go

But none of them know, how could they?

They’ve been busy out there, getting to know themselves

Their trances interrupted by your devotion

Nothing is too much, you say

Imploring them to understand that their race is your race too

 

Such nice heroes, they don’t like to ask

Their manners won’t comfortably task you

So we get straight in, we take a knee

Fingers through the mud and shit

Into that double knot and peel off the socks

With that, they get the picture

 

They get that we are relentless,

Tailwinds with hands and feet

Toiling so you’ll sleep and eat

And stay in love with this brutal race

As each charge flies our nest, we win!

And as more arrive, we begin again 

Our solo aim: making these giants taller still

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Stegosaurus Dreams

Image
Ultrarunners are never happy. It’s late afternoon on Friday and I’m heading along the forest track towards Byrness. I’m grumpy because this wide, well defined , boring  track is far from the wild fells and moors that draw me to such races. However I’m  begrudgingly admitting to myself that this bombproof  track means not having to navigat e or to  watch my footing ,  and  I can  grind out some  easy  miles. Progress here is  dull, but  fast. I’m jogging bits and walking bits and generally feeling in control.  I’m w ell ahead of any cut off, somewhere in the mid-pack and well set for a finish.  All things considered, I’m grumpily happy. Without needing to concentrate  much on this simple track , by mind starts to wander. I notice a n object by the side of the  way . It’s Olaf, the sentient snowman from  Frozen . He’s gormlessly , harmlessly waving at me. As  I  get closer, he shimmers away revealing...
Read more

This Too Shall Pass

Image
This too shall pass Sick of this rain The novelty's gone Gloves are soaked through Stomach in knots Food needs eating But can't bear the thought I swear the mud is getting muddier The miles are getting longer Even though that's physically impossible And to cap it all, it's getting dark It's always either getting dark or dark My head is dark Fuck this shit This too shall pass Sun's up That pasty went down a treat I'm full of running Legs somehow fresh Despite the miles This place is amazing This race is amazing I know it's just a field But right now, it's the best field I've ever been in Life is good I get to do this all day And tomorrow too It's worth every penny Every gram of bulging kit That medal isn't yet in touching distance But I can see myself wearing it This too shall pass Lows too low Highs too high A surefire way to tire Easy on the bass Tone down the treble Just keep on the level Where it's clearest  Where it feels best It ...
Read more