Charbonneau - R is for Running

is for Running A Primer for the Footsore by Ray Charbonneau 2011 by Ray Charbonneau This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Second Smashwords Edition ISBN: 9781465893376 Design: Y42K Book Production Services: y42k.com Also by Ray Charbonneau: Chasing the Runners High Overthinking the Marathon Idle Feet Do the Devil's Work Edited by Ray Charbonneau: The 27th Mile For more information, please visit http://www.y42k.com R is also for Ruth, on the occasion of her second marathon A paperback copy of R is for Running is an inexpensive gift for the road warrior, trail trotter, or weekend jogger! For more information, visit y42k.com A is for AGE The younger the faster But sooner or later You become an old bastard B is for BEER Drink after the race A little too much and Youll fall on your face C is for CARBO-LOADING Push back the wall By cooking up pasta And eating it all D is for DNF Quit fore the end A shrug of your shoulders Then go home to mend E is for ENDORPHINS
The runners high Theyre what were all chasing One answer to why F is for FINISH The end of the run A prize when you get there Makes it more fun G is for GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM It shows where you are And when youre done running It tells you how far H is for HILLS Run up, then run down Do plenty of climbing To earn you a crown I is for INJURY Not much you can do Sooner or later Onell happen to you J is for JOGGING Youre still on the go Its just like youre running But a little more slow K is for KICK At the end of the race If you want to win something Better pick up the pace L is for LONG RUN Usually done slow The easier you run them The further you go M is for MARATHON A test of your heart The first 20 miles Is only the start N is for NUMBER Pin one on your chest So races can tell Your time from the rest O is for OUTDOORS The place where you run Trudging on treadmills Just isnt as fun P is for PORTAPOTTIES There isnt much time Youve had too much water So get into line Q is for QUADRICEPS In front of the thigh If they get too tired Youre going to die R is for REST A day with no run Do some cross-training Or lie in the sun S is for SINGLET The shirt for thinclads It bears your club logo And leaves a weird tan T is for TROPHY Win one at the race Who cares if its tiny And labeled Third Place U is for ULTRAS A test of your will If it werent for the finish Youd be out there still V is for VO2MAX What does it mean? Your oxygen usage Higher is keen W is for WINNING The reason we race But only one person Ends up in first place X is for XXL Shirts come in that size They fit onto Clydesdales With Kenyans for thighs Y is for YASSO 800s Dont run them sedately For runners of Barts age You call them 880s Z is for ZEN The miles we schlep? A journey of thousands Begins with a step About the author : Ray Charbonneau is the author of a number of books on running. That number is currently four. His work has appeared in the Boston Globe, the Christian Science Monitor, Ultrarunning, Marathon & Beyond, Level Renner, Cool Running, and other publications. He's also the editor of "The 27th Mile", a benefit anthology for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing. Ray has run more than thirty marathons and ultramarathons, including one and a half 100 mile races, without winning a single one.