Lo que corre alrededor

La soledad del corredor de Fondo (II)

Vuelvo a correr...


«Luego dobló metiéndose por una lengua de árboles y matojos donde
ya no le pude ver, ni pude ver a nadie,
y entonces conocí la soledad que siente el corredor de fondo
corriendo campo a través y me di cuenta que por lo que a mí se refiere
esta sensación era lo único honrado y verdadero que hay en el mundo,
y comprendí que nunca cambiaría,
sin importar para nada lo que sentía en algunos momentos raros,
y sin importar tampoco lo que me digan los demás.»
Alan Sillitoe

Hay algo en correr solo que amplia el campo de tus pensamientos.
Pero creo que nunca correre lo bastante para saber tanto como Colin Smith.
Mis gemelos me niegan la distancia necesaria para estar solo.
Creo que nunca sere tan sabio como Colin Smith.

Y desde luego de Emil Zatopek ni hablemos:


Fue cuando los rusos ocuparon checoslovaquia en la primavera de 1968.
Emil, el heroe nacional, no se mostro sumiso.
Los rusos decidieron humillarlo, el gran heroe, la locomotora humana: "Sera barrendero."
Pero los rusos ya entonces habian olvidado los principios basicos de la revolucion, el pueblo no olvida a sus mitos.
Cientos de checos salieron con sus escobas para rodear al humilde Zatopek, barrian con el, incluso cuando los rusos lo mandaron barrer de noche, los checos desafiaron con sus escobas el toque de queda.

"Barrer las calles y ganar una maratón no son cosas tan distintas. Ambas exigen un temple de acero"
Emil Zatopek




The final lap: Schade, Chataway, Mimoun, along with Zátopek who is in agony. One of these will win; the rest are dead or dying. At the sound of the bell Zátopek punches maniacally, leaping the entourage in a single bound, his eyes barely visible under his brow's furrows. He can't shake his attackers! The strategic kick gains him NOTHING, costs him nearly everything.

In 100 meters Chataway sails past him, Schade in his shadow. 200 meters from the medals Chataway, Schade, Mimoun run inside each others shorts. Zátopek is two meters behind them, his speed unequal to their's, his massive strength drained. Schade asserts his right to the lead. Chataway disputs it, taking command heading into the final turn. The crowd is frantic, howling wildly.

Then the howls coalesce. They are screaming Zá-to-PEK! Zá-to-PEK! From deep within, the Czech Locomotive has summonded the courage of the angels! Chataway, who in two years will push Bannister through the 4-minute barrier, leans hard into the turn, balancing himself for a devastating sprint. It never comes. Zátopek springs like Blake's tyger, his jaws slavering, his driving leg pummeling the dirt track. Panicked by Zátopek's fury, Schade and Mimoun blast past Chataway.

It's too late. Zátopek is all over them and away, his upper and lower bodies almost going in different directions as he powers through the turn far wider than any of the others. Chataway, passed by three different men in the space of four footsteps, brushes against the turn's pole and crashes to the track.

Zátopek's face is crucified with noble effort, his eyes closed, his mouth agape. Mimoun claws the air with arm thrusts, as if to grasp Zátopek's singlet and halt him. Schade in third, glares angrily through his eyeglasses, his top speed gaining him naught on Zátopek's courage.

"Zá-to-PEK! Zá-to-PEK! Zá-to-PEK!" The Beast of Prague breaks the tape, after breaking the field, in 14:06.6. Mimoun crosses second in 14:07.4. Schade, third, in 14:08.6. Zátopek takes nearly 9 seconds off Schade's still wet Olympic record. The final lap takes 57.9 seconds, and many years of pain and determination.

Emil Zátopek has his 5K gold. The rest of him is steel.

Fast Tracks - The History of Distance Running
Raymond Krise and Bill Squires describe the 1952 Olympic 5,000 Meter Final