The morning broke above the town, the clouds were hanging low A runner tied their laces with 2,100 to go The legs were stiff, the eyes were red, the washing filled the hall But Day 21 had come around and did not care at all The watch was charged, the route was drawn, the weather looked unkind Three weeks of hills were in their legs and weighing on their mind The family asked, “Will you be home?” They slowly turned away “There’s something I must finish first. It’s 2,100 today.” Here comes Day 21 With 2,100 to be done Three weeks waiting on the other side There are socks upon the line And a Speed Lid you can claim But first you’ve got to climb that hill again They climbed the track behind the house, then turned and climbed once more They passed the same confused old man they’d passed 10 times before The neighbours watched behind the blinds, the dogs began to bark As one more lonely Vertathlete went climbing through the dark At 500 they were cheerful, at 1,000 feeling strong At 1,500 every life decision felt completely wrong At 2,000 they stopped moving and declared the battle won The watch looked up and quietly said, “You’re short another 100.” Here comes Day 21 With 2,100 to be done Three weeks waiting on the other side There are socks upon the line And a Speed Lid you can claim But first you’ve got to climb that hill again Go up and down the driveway Turn around and climb once more There’s no dignity remaining There is only vert to score Every meter must be counted Every climb must reach the line Because “nearly” gets you nothing On the 21st of July The Creepers socks sat waiting like a trophy in a case For the feet that had been punished through each unforgiving day A Mountain Skag Speed Lid waited proudly for the head Of anyone who reached the mark before collapsing into bed And Kinisi made an offer, twenty percent was on the line But discounts are not handed out for stopping at 2,099 No speeches and no sympathy, no prizes for intent You climb the full amount today, then claim your twenty percent Here comes Day 21 With 2,100 to be done Three weeks waiting on the other side There are socks upon the line And a Speed Lid you can claim But first you’ve got to climb that hill again The runner asked the keeper, “If I finish this today Then surely I’ll be halfway through this game we chose to play?” The keeper checked the numbers, then he slowly shook his head “You’ll only be at forty-six point six percent,” he said “Twenty-three thousand one hundred meters once today is through But halfway will not come until you finish Day 22.” The runner stared in silence as the meaning settled in Three weeks almost completed and the fourth about to begin Here comes Day 21 With 2,100 to be done Three weeks waiting on the other side You can curse the calculation You can question your whole life But the numbers will not listen when you cry The first week took the hopeful and divided out the field The second found the stubborn ones who simply would not yield The third week took the stubborn ones and tested every seam Now only the Vertathletes remain inside the dream Some climb beneath the morning sun, some underneath the moon Some squeeze it in at lunchtime knowing work begins too soon Some circle one small hill until they know each stone by name But every road climbs upward when you’re still inside the game Here comes Day 21 With 2,100 to be done Three weeks waiting on the other side There are socks upon the line And a Speed Lid you can claim But first you’ve got to climb that hill again No one says you have to run No one says it must be fun Just get every meter safely in today You can hike it, you can crawl You can question it all But you cannot wish the final climb away So raise the road beneath your feet and let the daylight fade Remember every early start and sacrifice you made You haven’t reached the checkpoint yet, the work is still undone But 3 whole weeks will all be yours when you reach 2,100 Then Creepers for your tired feet, a Speed Lid for your head Twenty percent from Kinisi before you find your bed And when they ask what happens next, there’s only this to say: “Week 4 begins tomorrow, but we’re climbing this today.” Here comes Day 21 With 2,100 to be done Three weeks waiting on the other side There are socks upon the line And a Speed Lid you can claim But first you’ve got to climb that hill again Yes, first you’ve got to climb that hill again.
