The Lifetime Between

Hooo hooo hooo hooo..... Breathe. Breathe. Get the oxygen in. Get the muscles pumped. You are ready. You are ready. Breathe. Breathe deep. You can do it. You can beat them. Its just 9 seconds. You are the best. Come on. Calm down. It'd be over in a flash. Hooo... Hooo..... breathe. They are cheering for you. All of them. All ten thousand pairs of eyes on you. Look around. Wave. Smile....

Yes, this is what you've been training for all year. All your life. Just this instance. Just the next minute, and you'd have lived your dream. This is what its all about. The final 100m. Breathe.... Breathe.... the start is coming soon. Get ready. Everyone is counting on you. Mom, little bro, your wife, or soon to be wife. Right after you get the gold. Yes. You need the money. She needs the money. No nervousness now. Feel the calm. Get in the zone. Keep all these thoughts out. Hoo.... Hooo..... breathe. Tip-toe. Stay frosty. Keep your muscles warm.

Move to the line. Do not have a false start. Keep your twitching in control. Soon, your muscles will be in full burn. They will explode and you will not feel the ache. You will be the fastest. You are the man. Yes you are. Fingers and knuckles down. Legs in. Bend and flex your knees. Yes. Breathe. That's it. Look at the others. Nervous. They are fearful of you. You and your smile. Killer grin. They are putty in your hands. They will be in your wake. You are in the centre lane. Look up. The finishing line is there. Right across, ready for the taking. Hooo.... Hooo.... Breathe.... Sweaty palms. Its fine. You can do it. Pay attention. Hear the angels sing. Feel the beat of your pounding heart. Here comes the gun.

Last gasp. No turning back now. Only forward. This is it. Since high school. Since college. This is what you were born to do. This is your destiny. Have a last look down. You are a catapult. Your muscles will not fail you. They are primed and ready. They are taut, ready to spring. At the sound. Wait for it. Hear it the instant its uttered. Its waiting for you too. To come together. The symphony of you. The beauty of the dash. All the elements are here now, together. Right now. Breathe. Look up. Ready…… Steady……. GO!

Move Move MOVE! Come ON! Blast forward. Jerk. Swing your arms. Swing them. Stretch forward. Reach. Burst. Go Go Go! Shit, the guy on the right is actually good. I can see him by the corner. No worries. That was a good start. The finish is running up to me. Just 8 more seconds.

Dash Dash dash! The ground is disappearing below you. Behind you. The rest flying up to meet your feet. Your spikes eating into their soul, chewing up the distance between. There is nothing between you and your goal. Nothing can beat you. 7 seconds. Wasn’t that a song once? Move move move!

Feel it. Feel the wind. Feel the air whizzing by. Feel your feet sliding each other. Feel your arms in mechanical excellence. Feel your lungs in maximum capacity. Feel your wings flap. Feel it, the victory. The ultimate goal. 6 seconds.

Concentrate! There is only the now. There is no tomorrow. Open your legs wider. Further. Faster. Stronger. Explosive force. Kill your legs. Feel the momentum. Embrace the cheer. Feel the love. Earn it. Fly fly fly! 5 seconds. Soon.

Wait, what is that by the finish line. At the edge of my tunnel vision. Something in a black drape. His head is turning. No, focus. You are almost there. The Olympic gold is in sight. You are the fastest man in the world. Smile. 4 seconds.

There is something about this figure. Can’t take my eyes off him. Oh my god, Its looking right at me! Jesus Christ! Focus, straightahead. You are imagining things. Speed! To the finish. Mother fuck! Damn, the heart is pounding. 3 seconds.

FUCK! My chest just exploded! What the fuck is happening? Endure the pain. It will pass. The fucking finish line is just in front. Reach for it. Bend forward. Ignore the pain. My god, the pain! ARGH! Finish the fucking race, you coward! BREATHE! 2 seconds.

NO! Something’s wrong. The ground is coming up at me. Why?! NO! Finish the race. Finish it. So close. Hold back the pain. Hold back the light. That damn bright light. You can do it. Breathe. ARGH! Bear it. You are an Olympian. There it is, the last 5 metres.

Here I go. Lean forward, and cross the line. I’m so tired. Lie down. My chest! Where am I? Ah yes, the finish. I am at the end. At last. My god, the pain, its unbearable. I’m dying, I think. Never mind. I’ve done it. I’ve won. Its all that matters. I have it. The gold. I’m the fastest man… alive.