Run your own race

I was just settling down into my run, when a bunch of runners overtook me. They were all wearing tee-shirts of the Comrades Marathon- arguably the greatest ultra-marathon in the world.

They were faster than I was, but not too much. I was tempted to speed up and match their pace. To prove to myself that I could be as good as them. But sooner than the idea surfaced, I squashed it.

They were running their run, I was running mine. There was no need to compete, because the only reason we run is for ourselves. True about life itself. 

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This is the fifth year that I am going to be a part of NaBloWriM. The writing mojo seems to have deserted me, but by elaborating either on a quote that touches my heart, or by attempting to capture a fleeting emotion, let me see how long I last.

Why compete?

The other day, a runner shot ahead of me, throwing an almost triumphant look at me as he passed. He couldn’t sustain it, and even at my steady pace, I overtook him before the end of the loop. He speeded up to overtake me, but was forced to fall back again. After it happened three times, I got fed up and increased my pace very slightly. He tried catching up, but after a few attempts realized he couldn’t even keep up. A few minutes later, he dropped out- his run ruined.

Why do people have to compete all the time?
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A Drabble is a story told in exactly 100 words.