The Navy Run: Thoughts of a sore Runner

There’ll be good days and bad days

Days when things just don’t go your way

Today was just one of those days

But keep your chin up

And hold your head up high

Because you tried

Finished what you had started 

Giving it your best

The delay in the start

May have annoyed you

And the thought of crowd management 

May have caused a custom wariness

But then this was a route 

Which you were familiar with

The weather Gods relented

With a nice cool breeze 

And then you got to remember

This is the Navy

And boy they don’t disappoint 

The arrangements were splendid

And I managed to understand the route

And all the markers along the way

The volunteers where cheery 

Boosting the spirits of runners weary

The twist and turns were meant to be

When you run at the BKC

So there were cheering and excitement 

All the ingredients for a good run

But then weariness and soreness

Caught up, adding to the fatigue

With stitches being felt at your side

And not just on your clothes

Causing you to slow 

First into a crawl and then to a walk

Much to your dismay 

Making you wonder 

Why on earth did you try something new

When you knew the outcome

Of not stretching well

A miscalculation or just age catching up

Slowing you down

But then giving up 

Is something you don’t know

So with all the energy you had

And from the urging of your fellow runners

Who passed you by

You gave it all you could 

Finishing with a burst of sprint

And then having the honour

Of receiving the medals 

From the men in white

Then having the pleasure 

Of listening the naval band 

Playing those oh so familiar tunes

Then you had the meet and greet

The pleasure of meeting

Your fellow runners 

Posing for pics and selfies

Smiles all around

Making you forget 

The pain and disappointment 

Finally cheering your friends

As they went to collect their winnings

Take a bow the organisers 

And of course the Indian Navy 

You never cease to make us feel proud

And hold our heads up with honour

The pride we feel when we see 

The woman and men in white

A big salute and thank you

Not just to the Navy

But to each and every volunteer

So in the end it may have been

An opportunity that went a wasting

But then today may not have been my day

But then there’s a lesson to learn

And learn I will and move on

To come another year 

Stronger and better than the previous