He's been running...and running...and running...
He's been running in this race for quite some time now. In this race though, there are no competitors. That is, he's not competing against anyone but the time. A Time Trial let's say.
Although he has been running for a lot of time, strangely enough, he is not short of breath. He takes a moment while running, and goes over the memories of the start. Where the race began. It was a slow start. The track condition was neither encouraging, nor discouraging. Climate was also neither hot nor cool. Neither raining nor sunny. He just wanted to wait for a while and take a look at how track conditions go on changing. How the climate stands.
Then he felt like he was warmed up. Or the track eased a bit for him to run. Or the climate just got cooler. Or all of them together. But he felt like accelerating. And so he did. He was making distance very fast. For a period of time, breeze was flowing his way. His legs felt lighter than air. At a point of time, he thought he had lost contact with the ground and he was just floating ahead.
But this was not a DREAM run was it? Soon enough, his feet touched the ground, his speed remaining the same nevertheless. He told himself, "This race is really interesting, but far from over. So keep going." And he continued running. Later on as the time progressed, there came variations in the track, the climate. Sometimes climate was cool but track was rough. Sometimes track was flat, but climate very hot. Sometimes he had to run on a rough track in very hot climate. But he kept going. He knew that these obstacles are not going to last forever. He told himself, "You are bigger than this. And this race is far from over. So keep going." And he continued running.
Soon, as he had expected, there was a betterment in track, in climate. Even if it was bad, he had got accustomed to it and knew how to tackle it. Then smooth or rough, hot or cold ceased to make any difference. He was running with renowned vigour. He wanted to run harder. Because he thought, "The race is far from over."
He had been through so many kinds of places. He had been running up the hill surrounded by grass and trees and and water-falls and all the greenery. He had run through desert sand, beautiful in it's own way. Snowy mountains through the snowfall; in starry nights from villages far far away from all the hussle; on sea-shores with roars of it's waves matching his capacity. He had realised one thing. He had run in a few races earlier. But this race was the most important in his lifetime. And no race in future can probably match the quality of this one, he thought. He had to do his best. He would never get such opportunity again once this race was over. But then he as always thought, "The race is far from over."
Suddenly he came back to present. And he realised---"The race is not that far from over." FINISH-LINE was in his sights now, distant but visible. It struck him hard initially. Because the tranisition came too fast. But he smiled. He knew that the race was going to get over at some time. He always knew. He wanted to run through all the various kind of places and sure he did. Yes this was an amazing race, and it would be sad not be able to run longer. But he knew an aspect of human nature. One appreciates less what he has, and strives more for what he doesn't and tends to value it more. So this would remain the best race he had run, once it was over.
But it's not. It's not over yet. Some distance to go. And there's no question of speeding down until you finish the race, is there? One last hurdle remaining.....And here he goes....!!!!
