Why I sprint - by Keats Snideman

This is a poem my brother Keats wrote called "Why I sprint." I thought it was moving and worth sharing. You can replace wherever it says "sprint" with whatever it is you like to do.

Why I sprint….
Why do I sprint?
I sprint because it makes me feel alive…pushing my body to its envelope is invigorating and a rush. I feel and connect with the brevity of life yet feel optimistic that I’m on the right journey.

I sprint because I can…I am fortunate to have a healthy and functioning body while there are so many who do not. I sprint for all the people who cannot and never know for sure when I too may be unable to sprint.

I sprint for fitness… One only has to glance at the beautiful bodies of Olympic level sprinters and realize the beauty of the human body at rest and in blurring motion. The incredible development of the hamstrings, glutes, calves, and quads are hard to deny on such Olympic bodies. And what about the impressive mid-sections on sprinters- truly a thing of beauty!

I sprint to build courage and strength…It is difficult sometimes to ask your body to go all out. Sometimes things flow and everything comes easily. Other times there is adversity and everything feels more difficult.

I sprint to help me overcome the adversity in my life as well as to help others with the adversity in theirs. What other reason is there for living if you aren’t helping others? By sprinting I am helping myself become a stronger person which in turn helps me help others.

I sprint to find efficiency…Sprinting is all about efficiency; to find the quickest and most efficient path between two points. It is difficult to be smooth and relaxed when asking your body to go all out however that is the goal. Extraneous motion does and will occur. The better my technique and the more I relax, the better I sprint. The best runs are the one’s the felt easy, effortless. I strive to achieve this zone of performance but it is not easy.

I sprint to learn to "flow" and let the speed come out; to let it occur rather than force it. Things work better in life when you just let them happen.

I sprint for love…Sprinting makes me realize how much I love life, my boys, my wife, my parents, my sister, my twin brother, and all of my friends. It connects me with deceased loves ones, especially my late Grandmother, Nana.

I sprint to feel free…to let it all out. I sprint for the many who are imprisoned, either physically, emotionally, spiritually or a combination of the three.

I sprint to break free of the claustrophobia of life that sometimes confines me. Sprinting can therefore be seen a drug, an escape, albeit a healthy one.

Lastly, I sprint to just be….What do you love to do and why?...

Keats Alexander Snideman Sunday, June 04, 2006