Beauty is one aspect of the sport that often gets buried in piles of expectations, splits, form, training, and pressures that are heaped upon talented runners. It is so wonderful to take a step back from all the technicalities and enjoy the pure, unadulterated beauty of watching a fine-tuned human being put one foot in front of the other with the raw persistence and elegance of the ancient Greeks. From the determined six year old persevering through the home stretch of his first race to the chiseled Olympian fiercely competing for a gold medal, the grace and power of a well-run race is as impacting to me as my first glance at the Mona Lisa or the passionate notes spilling from a renowned symphony orchestra.
Running is a spicy tango with the road, a soft watercolor of sweat and strain, a chorus of strength, endurance, and vision, and a joyful love story that a gifted athlete tells the world with every step they take. It displays the splendor of a body in perfect rhythm with the music of the soul. At its core, a beautiful run is nothing less than the perfect blend of athleticism, discipline, and dreams coming together to proclaim the triumph of the human spirit over perceived limitations.
Pre was able to exemplify this unmatchable beauty in its purest form every time he set foot on the track. In some small way, I joyfully follow in his footsteps as I explore all of the wonderful aspects of running. Whether I am out for a slow Sunday jog or flying through the last lap of a mile race, my soul longs to free the masterpiece within me.