I’ve never thought of myself 

as an athlete, 

A little too slow, a little too soft.

But I love to run,

Feel my heart pumping

Muscles working,

The ache of a job well done.

The calm that descends 

in the middle of a run,

The peace that follows a cool down.

The slap, slap, slap 

of my feet on the pavement,

Birds in the trees 

as the leaves tumble down

Cool air on my face, 

sweat drying

I may not be an athlete, 

but I’m a little athletic,

each time I go for a run