M’s the Word: Running, for life

Why competition is healthy when harnessed to a good cause

By Malcolm Allison on Jun 6, 2011

Some films have a particular resonance for me.

I think I have confessed to Pretty Woman and Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, but as I lie here obviously not sleeping, at 4.19 in the morning in Denver (I have really no idea what I should call the real time, I think I am 8 hours behind home), I cannot get the picture of Bill Murray, on an automatic bicycle in the gym, out of my head. (For more on Malcom Allison's favorite films, see ‘M's the Word: Do the right (marketing) thing'.)

Fortunately, I have only 40 minutes to wait before I need to wake anyway, to prepare myself for the 5k run.

I was goaded into this by one of the opinion leaders I work with. (For Malcolm Allison's take on KOLs, see ‘M's the Word: Let the sun shine on KOLs'.)

We meet at various hotel gyms, usually early in the morning, as he pumps his way through 30 minutes of a nordic track machine and I pummell the rubber pavement.

I am told the air here is really thin, which means I might have difficulty.

Aparently, Denver is one mile above sea level.

I had not noticed this on my brief excursion from the congress center yesterday.

All I noticed was how menacing a hoody can be, when worn as a uniform by half a dozen young men with ill-fitting trousers.

And how many people have an empty cup as the tool of their trade.

And how cold it was, although there was none of the promised snow.

Thirty minutes left, and I wonder if I dare to close my eyes for a few minutes to gather the extra clarity in my head.

Strangely, the thing that stops me sleeping again is the thought that I might oversleep, and miss the run.

I would not be missed, I could pretend afterwards, because I already have the t-shirt.

Unfortunately, as was pointed out to me by someone else at the dinner last night, I have this stubborn streak, which means I tend to do things when I have committed.

So I will dress slowly, stretch my legs, and be waiting at the bus stop early, adjusting to the air level.

I am actually looking forward to the run now.

I am proud to have donated my $30 for this cheap t-shirt, and I shall enjoy the shared humanity of running alongside an assortment of out-of-condition souls who are demonstrating in their small way, their support for the cause.

It is easy to become innured to the sufferings of others and to foget how lucky we are.

So I pull on the t-shirt, and for 30 minutes I shall be carried along by a feeling of goodwill, the common-ness of running, thinking about the good that will come from our shared pain.

After all, if I fall I can feel safe that there is a doctor nearby. Hopefully, behind me.

I did mention the competitive streak, didn't I?

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