Fleet of foot
Three speeds
Lope, Easy and All Out
They all had their purpose
A Lope downfield
A sudden square to the sideline
A ball in the air just above the defenders
Slipped through its arc to waiting soft hands
Ball safely tucked,
The loper pivoted
Turned upfield
Then in Easy gear
Right. Left.
Zig. Zag.
Tackler one
Just ahead
Looks uncertain
Judging your speed and line
Short step in
Give him a right foot
For the fake
And move sharp left
Tackler two
Coming from the side
Arm around you
Stutter step
Roll out of it
Roll free
Now to All Out speed
Another tackler
Dead on
Looks confident
Lower shoulder
Drive through
Roll again
Roll free
I will run this way... forever.
In later years
Trail jogging
Dog along side
Miles of sun, sweat and endorphins
Feet noisy
On evenly crushed gravel
An easy cadence that settles runner and dog
He dreams of days when fleet of foot
I will run this way... forever.
Now in days of elliptical machines
He moves easily and with purpose
Its about balance...
Its about MP3 music...
Its about pushing back through jogging days
Through half-marathons
Through Ironman triathalons
Through 5ks and 10ks
Through 3 gear days of football
I will run this way... forever.
