What does running mean to you in six words? Magdalena Boulet and other top runners share their short stories
- Running can mean many things to different people – here, some of the world’s top trail athletes share their personal relationships with the sport
Iconic American author Ernest Hemingway once won a bet by writing a story in six words: “For sale, baby shoes. Never worn.” Sentimental, sappy, grim, brilliant – call it what you will, but perhaps its greatest beauty is the vast scope of interpretation that it offers.
It also gave me an idea: how would I describe my relationship with running in six words? Although nowhere near as poetic as Hemingway, I settled on this: “Very important, not quite top priority.”
It is a timely way to connect with my surroundings, to think and to clear my mind, and to spend time in beautiful places with wonderful people. But while a few years ago I obsessed over running – for example, deferring university for a year so I could improve my times enough to join the college team – these days there are quite a few other things I enjoy just as much.
I decided to ask some runners for their six words, too. Here’s what they shared.
Magdalena Boulet: “Epic, challenging, healthy, crucial, progressive, nature.”
Top US ultra runner and former Olympic marathoner Boulet was in Hong Kong this month for the Nine Dragons Ultra, a two-day trail race over 50 miles on the first day and 50 kilometres on the second. Boulet was the first woman across the finish line, with a combined time of 22:18:04.