Literary Running

I got a book from the library today, "The Runner's Literary Companion: Great stories and poems about running." It's edited by Garth Battista.

I may have to break down and buy a copy for myself. I haven't had a chance to go through it too thoroughly just yet.

But here's one poem I'll share with you, my loyal readers.

Strategy for a Marathon by Marnie Mueller

I will start
when the gun goes off.
I will run
for five miles.
Feeling good,
I will run
to the tenth mile.
At the tenth
I will say,
"Only three more
to the halfway."
At the halfway mark,
13.1 miles,
I will know
fifteen is in reach.
At fifteen miles
I will say,
"You've run twenty before,
keep going."
At twenty,
I will say,
"Run home."


So, I typed that in because it was short and fairly easy to type. On some level, it is motivational. It provides a bit of a roadmap for me as my training for the Sunburst Marathon is about to get more intense.
Yet at the same time, I'm not sure that I'd call it great poetry. Your thoughts?