Ensign Lera Michaels - Finish Line

[steve...@yahoo.com]

((Ventral Ring Beta Module, Smith's Superior Holosuites, Deep Space 33))

Michaels: I must apologize to you. I neglected to tell the most important thing about long distance races. The one thing you must never do is start out too fast. She started out too fast and used up too much energy too early in the race. But she will finish.

Zerva: ::nods:: Understood. I’ll make a point to not do that. And no worries. Your advice is always good.

Michaels: And as long as I am doing too much talking perhaps it would be well if we made a few more changes to your running style.

Zerva: Yes please. What do you suggest?

Michaels: First. Hold your chin up and stand up straight and tall. Holding your chin up straightens your wind pipe. You will have an easier time breathing. Leaning forward does not help except at the very end and only if there is another runner next to you who is also leaning. Leaning forward means you are supporting your upper body weight with lower back muscles. Again. A waste of energy.

Zerva: Right. Back straight, chin up. Sounds a lot like some good advice my Sensei gave me. ::doing as instructed::

Ezra snapped into the more proper position. That was not unusual. Unlike so many others, he did not immediately fall back into his old habits. His sentences were still broken into short snatches of words separated by quick gasps for air. He was close to his

Michaels: See those buildings in the distance?

Zerva: ::nods:: I see them.

Michaels: That is Marathon. We are nearly finished.

As they made a wide sweeping turn, they spotted their first spectators, who were holding up signs that said things like "You're almost there" and "You're kicking asphalt" and "All this for a free banana?"

Spectator: Look! It's Lera and Ezra. You rule!!"

Ezra nearly laughed and Lera smiled.

Michaels: I thought you might appreciate that touch.

Zerva: ::smiles:: Thank you. I do. It means a lot. Your encouragement and coaching has been a great help.

Michaels: You are in good shape already but endurance running is a different from what you have been doing. All I did was give you the two credit introduction. We knocked off a few of your sub-optimal techniques.:: break :: It was nothing.

Zerva: No, I’m serious. I mean it.

Michaels: I know. Do not sign up for a marathon yet. The marathon is exercise in discipline and long term planning. It takes four to six months for someone who is not already a runner to prepare for a marathon. More people drop out before they get to the starting line than drop out during a race,

They turned the final corner and could see the finish line. There was a sign supported by two poles of the relatively narrow final timing pad that was barely wider than a sidewalk. Should she have programmed the finish line announcer to call out their names? It was too late now and it was not as if they had finished a 42 kilometer race, The 30 people clapping, ringing cowbells, and cheering was more than enough for a 10K.

Zerva: Look! More signs. ::reading them as they raced by:: “You can do it!”, “You’re almost there”, “I’m rooting for you Ezra!” More surprises I see. I love this. Nice touch.

Michaels: This is very typical of a race finish. Other than people calling out your name.

Zerva: You know, I think I’m getting a hang of this. Those signs help too.

Michaels: The racers draw strength from the crowd. Sometimes you'll see signs that are intended to be humorous though I frequently fail to understand the joke. One time, a supporter held up a sign during a marathon that said, "Just 40 kilometers left to go!" We had barely started.

Zerva: Do you think when this is over we could, maybe visit your home? I’m assuming if you’ve programed in your home town that would include the house you grew up in?

Michaels: There is a small difficulty with that. I have only included the exterior... you can see it about 100 meters up the road. First things first.

They were only twenty meters from the finish line. Even though it was little more than a warm-up run for Lera, she still felt the excitement of the coming finish. And the little extra she had arrange for Ezra at the finish,

Michaels: Here we are. Fast as you can across the finish line. Cross and then walk to that young Mexican girl you see there.

Zerva: Response

Ezra accelerated to near her racing pace and Lera stayed right with him. They ran across the finish line nearly side by side. A handful of spectators applauded. One woman flashed them a thumbs up sign.

Michaels: Well done. Keep moving. Watch me and do the same.

Lera walked slowly to the smiling girl and bowed to her.

Mexican girl: :: placing the medal on its blue ribbon around over Lera's head and around her neck.:: Congratulations, Lera. It is good to see you again.

Michaels: Thank you, Estrella. :: turning to Ezra :: Accept your medal, Ezra.

Zerva: Response.

Michaels: We are only getting medals because this is a race simulation. Do not expect a medal every time you do a training run.

They mingled briefly with the other runners, congratulating this one for their good run. Complementing that one on her medal. Lera and Ezra waited moments as the married couple staggered across the finish line. The woman started to collapse but one of the race's medical staff caught her and walked her over to the tent with the large red cross.

Zerva: Response

Michaels: We need to keep moving. After a long run, if you stop moving too soon, the blood will settle to your legs, and you could feel light headed. So we keep walking to the next station. If this were an actual marathon or half marathon, we would be getting some refreshments... to rebuild our carbohydrate levels. Bananas are very common. After we would be drinking something as well. Most races would offer us the perfect post marathon beverage. Mostly water, some carbohydrates and a small amount of pain killer.

Zerva: Response

Michaels: They would give us a beer. I have not figured out how to get the holodeck to produce beer or bananas. In all fairness though, a 10K is too short a run to need any of those.

They continued to slowly walk away from the finish line. Lera listened carefully to Ezra's breathing. She nodded. Though there were times when she had worried about him during the run, he was recovering nicely. He was in good shape. Just not an endurance racer, yet.

Michaels: Still want to see the house where I grew up?

Zerva: Response

--— ☼ --—

Ensign Lera Michaels

Engineering Officer
USS Khitomer
K240106LM2