Joe+Minihane

Each step echoes with astounding1） clarity2）. The world opens as I stride3） forward. I have no wings， but I fly nonetheless， soaring over the weathered4） roads. My smile is nothing compared to the brightness that washes over me. The world turns to light. Happiness is everywhere， radiating in massive waves from my soul， set on fire. The struggle leaves my pounding chest， my burning calves5）， and my heaving lungs as I barrel forward. I am joy， energy， and life. I am a runner. I love to run， and this is what defines me as one of the most misunderstood athletes there is.

The body&apos；s natural instinct is to run to find food. A study of fossils by National Geographic in 2004 "identified a range of physical traits that suggest human ancestors evolved as distance runners. The adaptations helped them chase down prey and compete more effectively with the speedier carnivores6） on the open plains of Africa." Chasing prey is no longer necessary in the developed world， but running now provides us with a different kind of nourishment： food for the soul. The peace and solace in nature， the rhythmic pounding of our feet， and the awareness of ourselves in the moment fills us up and recharges our tanks to meet the demands of the world.

I&apos；ve heard too many times that yes， running has benefits， but they come at the expense of your knees. I have been warned （and feared myself） that the knees are weakened and essentially ruined by the sport. However， recent studies prove the opposite. Boston University researcher David Felson found that people with knee arthritis didn&apos；t have much of a running history， and people who ran didn&apos；t have an increased risk of osteoarthritis7）.

With benefits like a well-fed soul and a healthy body， running seems unsurpassable by any other activity. Why is it， then， that so many people "hate to run" or "just can&apos；t do it" or think that runners are crazy people？ The answer， I think， is that running isn&apos；t easy. In a society where convenience and simplicity are held in high regard， it&apos；s no wonder that so many shy away from an activity that takes time and effort to perfect and enjoy. When I started to run the one-mile loop in my neighborhood， I barely knew what I was doing. It was so tough， I don&apos；t even know why I continued.

One day， though， I realized that I loved to run. The act has a sort of song to it， a rhythm made by my feet， my breath， and my very existence. It gave me the courage to explore new places and try new things. It made me the person I am today. Whether the sun is scorching my skin or hidden by rainclouds， I hear the music. Whether the leaves are soft green， vibrant red， or crumpled on the ground， I hear the music. Through wind， snow， and ice， the music still plays. Anyone can be a runner， and anyone can strive to hear the song. As for those stubborn few who will forever scorn running？ Let the runners hear their song in peace.

And whatever you do， don&apos；t tell us that our knees will pay the price.

在跑步中發(fā)現(xiàn)自我，在跑步中看新的世界，在跑步中體味生命的真義，這便是跑步的真諦。

每一步都伴隨著回響，聲音清晰令人吃驚。隨著我向前大步邁進(jìn)，世界開闊起來。雖然我沒有翅膀，但我在飛翔，飛過飽經(jīng)風(fēng)霜的道路。我面帶笑容，但卻根本無法表達(dá)充盈我全身的愉悅之情。整個世界都變得明亮起來。歡樂充滿了我的每一個細(xì)胞，從我的靈魂深處大波大波地散發(fā)出來，好像快要燃燒了一般。隨著我快速前進(jìn)，痛苦離開了我怦怦跳動的胸膛、燃燒的小腿和起伏的肺部。我感到無比快樂，渾身充滿能量和生機。我是個跑步者，我愛跑步，這一點讓我成為世界上被誤解最深的運動員之一。

人體的自然本能是為找到食物而奔跑。2004年《國家地理》在其一項關(guān)于化石的研究中“確定了一系列顯示人類祖先曾進(jìn)化為長距離跑步者的物理特性。這一適應(yīng)結(jié)果幫助他們追捕獵物，在廣闊的非洲平原上與速度更快的食肉動物有效地競爭。”追捕獵物在這個物質(zhì)發(fā)達(dá)的世界已經(jīng)不再是必須，但奔跑如今給我們提供了另一種不同的食物：精神食糧。自然的寧靜和慰藉、雙腳有節(jié)奏的落地聲，還有當(dāng)下的自我意識都充斥著全身，我們的油箱又加滿了油，足以面對世界的各種要求。

我聽人們說過太多次，是啊，跑步有益，不過都是以損傷膝關(guān)節(jié)為代價。我也曾被警告過（我自己也一度害怕），這項運動會損傷并最終毀掉我的膝蓋。然而，最近的一些研究證明事實恰恰相反。波士頓大學(xué)研究員戴維·費爾森發(fā)現(xiàn)患有膝關(guān)節(jié)炎的人并不是以前經(jīng)常跑步的人，而跑步的人也并不比其他人更容易得骨關(guān)節(jié)炎。

既能滋養(yǎng)你的精神，又能給你一個健康的身體，這樣的益處似乎使跑步成了不可超越的運動。既然如此，為什么還有那么多人“討厭跑步”或是“就是沒法去跑”或者認(rèn)為跑步的人都是瘋子呢？我覺得答案是，跑步并不容易。在一個高度注重便利和簡單的社會里，一項需要時間和努力才能完善并享受的運動讓許多人避之不及，這毫不奇怪。我剛開始在我們社區(qū)跑一英里的圈時，幾乎不知道自己在干什么。那個過程非常艱難，我甚至不知道自己當(dāng)時為什么會堅持下去。

盡管如此，某一天，我意識到我愛上了跑步。這項活動帶著某種音樂性，我的雙腳、呼吸還有我的存在構(gòu)成了某種韻律。它使我敢于探索新的地方，嘗試新的事物。它使我成為今天的我。不管太陽是炙烤著我的皮膚還是躲在烏云背后，我都能聽到這首樂曲。不論葉子嫩綠、火紅或蜷縮在地，我都能聽到這首樂曲。穿過風(fēng)雪、透過冰層，樂曲依舊響徹耳畔。任何人都可以成為一個跑步者，任何人都能夠努力聽到那樂曲。至于那些永遠(yuǎn)不屑于跑步的冥頑不靈的少數(shù)派？就請你們讓跑步的人安安靜靜地聆聽他們的樂曲吧。

不過，不管你要做什么，就是別跟我們說跑步會損傷膝蓋。

1. astounding [??sta?nd??] adj. 令人震驚的

2. clarity [?kl?r?ti] n. （指輪廓、聲音等） 清晰

3. stride [stra?d] vi. 大步走，闊步行進(jìn)，邁步

4. weathered [?we??（r）d] adj. 經(jīng)過風(fēng)吹雨打的；飽經(jīng)風(fēng)霜的

5. calf [kɑ?f] n. 小腿

6. carnivore [?kɑ?n?v??（r）] n. 食肉動物

7. osteoarthritis [??sti??ɑ??θra?t?s] n. 骨關(guān)節(jié)炎