Chapter 306: Eddie tells me what to eat

 

Walk across the Brooker, towards a couple of parkrun flags. We become part of a crowd which is rapidly growing in size. Everybody gathers around the race director.

Except for Eddie the magpie. He walks around a grassy area searching, probing, and poking the grass with his beak. He continually nods his head as he looks for food.

Eddie has a few friends. Eddie is not hiding or camouflaged. He is proud of his black and white feathers. Proud the way they highlight him. Make him stand out. He and his friends are happy. Singing and chirping to themselves. I listen. Sounds beautiful.  

I tell Eddie I am here to do parkrun. He laughs and says:  Keep those dogs away from us. 

I say: Don’t complain about us. We are the ones who planted and mowed the grass. You like the area where we have planted grass. You like the way we have watered and mowed it. We are the ones who farmed and grew your food for you.

Eddie probes the grass and pulls up a worm.

Eddie: This will help you run faster. This is mine. You’ve got to get your own.

The parkrun race director does her briefing and  unleashes us.

She says: Go to the start.

The crowd shuffles tentatively towards the start line.

I have to decide where to stand.

My aim is to run with people who push me close to my PB.

I find myself somewhere in the parkrun crowd. I look around me. I have been given these people to start with.  

The race director blows the horn and the front runners explode away. The wave of running runners flows back and very quickly the running peloton is running up the parkrun track.

I run. I sneak a look at the people around me. Should I pass these people or will I struggle to keep up with them.  Perhaps I can forget them and just run.

We approach the path branching off through native bush. A marshal stands and takes photos. Some people wave at the camera. I just run past her.

On the narrow path I settle down. Not a time to pass other runners. A time to look out for walkers, prams and dogs.

Back past the marshal and now a straight run to the finish line.

I run with my arms. I push my arms bigger and faster. Must increase my leg speed. Legs go quicker.

Must breathe bigger. Exhale bigger.

Must concentrate on running faster.

I see the finish line. Now sprint. Think of nothing but running. Think of nothing but striding, breathing and swinging arms. I will catch that person in front of me. Getting closer. Keep on pushing.

Cross the finish line. I get handed a finish token. I look for a person surrounded by people holding similar tokens.

Somebody asks me : How did you go?

I say: The clouds know. They will tell everybody in the world shortly.

Eddie already knows. He tilts his head and says: Not very fast. Didn’t eat a worm.