The piercing of the gunshot and the race between my heart and mind is on

And just like the pounding of running feet on the pavement, my heart is racing

But it is the only thing I can hear

Out of nowhere comes an overwhelming fear of death

I want to speak, but the words don’t come out

I want to scream, but my thousands of thoughts are running through my mind and veins, as if the runners were running through my body

I want to breathe, but I can’t, just like the runners yearning to feel the rush of air through their lungs

I feel like I am suffocating but trying to catch my breath, like a runner trying to pace herself without coming in last

But to be honest, sometimes I don’t know what I am running from

Sometimes it is an unexplainable place

Where my demons run wild, fighting with my thoughts

Sometimes it is so clear, though it be internal and completely irrational

But regardless, it is so real to me

My head feels heavy and it is spinning

Everything is a blur, just like the runners speeding through the streets of towns that they will soon forget

Suddenly everything becomes quiet

The darkness fades as the finish line emerges in the distance

I catch my breath as I cross it

26.2 miles later, my mind is clear

And as quickly as it came, it is gone