8:45 am: my thoughts"Wow, I need to pee before this race starts, otherwise...hmm, that girl is cute over there maybe if I can I will keep up just close enough to her that she'll notice me....oh wow, look at those punks over there, I really want to beat them just to prove to them they aren't so cool..."

8:56 am: me: "Matt, you ready for this big boy?
matt: "Buddy, I was born ready, don't throw the candy so hard (A loud grunt resembling old Jewish grandmother to follow)."
Blake: "Shoobeedoobee dudes, I just like fun and fresh water. My life is about being fresh, without fresh you have old and who wants to be old."
Justin: "I do agree with you Blake, it makes me think of this time in China when Tim was hungry and would only eat fresh food and so he climbed a 25 ft rock wall to grasp the most succulent melon we have ever seen."
Gabe: "Hey Buddy, did I ever tell you the story when the HOT girl thought my laptop
was a Mi-cro-wave (said by accenting each syllable with a strange Southern Texas Twang."

9:00 am: The race begins and the five of us march on battle amongst ourselves to complete the race and to beat our own expectations. The pain and joy of running is feeling that burn. The burn of desire. Pushing the souls of your feet to break through pain and suffering. To meet the obstacles in front of you head on. A Roman soldier would bring with him to battle a sword and a shield and his armor. Our armor is our minds propelling us to victory. Our shield is our desire letting nothing penetrate our will to victory. Our sword is the striking hearts that will be filled to their fullest at the end of the race. I say you at our next race let us have our shields held high, our armor strung tight and our swords raised to the heavens exposing our naked hearts.

(c) Don't Throw the Candy So Hard LLC.