How to run up a hill and love the effort
And when to run as darkness falls.
When to breathe
And banter with a would-be neophyte, dying after twenty yards,
Or laugh when gangs of lads sing insulting songs.
Where to cruise in the green.
How to feel the breeze in the fleeting moment,
When to clap the passing band, upright and brassy.
How to speak to dog and walker and make a brief friend with a grin,
Or encourage the bloke who’s out of steam:
“Went out too fast. Rookie mistake”.
When to walk and post on social media, or run downhill and then run up.
Find a flattish race
To see the crowds and hear the cheers.
But most of all,
How to sprint for home and
Become one with the universe in a blur of speed
And never to give up
Or forget to enjoy.
Everyone's a Batley Poet