Intro – soft piano] Twenty-three days behind me, 2,400 meters ahead. And every part of my body Is telling me this is the end. [Verse 1 – intimate vocal] The alarm goes off before the sun, I close my eyes, but the day’s begun. My legs don’t bend, my feet are torn, My shoes are still wet from the night before. There’s washing piled by the bedroom door, I can’t remember what clean clothes are for. I’ve climbed every street, every track I can find, Now the same little hill is consuming my mind. [Pre-Chorus – strings begin] My watch says tired. My heart says stop. But the road keeps rising And the clock doesn’t stop. [Chorus – restrained, emotional] I’ve got 24 reasons to quit tonight, 24 reasons to leave it behind. Every step says I’ve given enough, Every hill says I’m not getting up. But there’s one more reason I’m still on my feet, One distant starting line I still want to see. So I’ll take one more step, Then I’ll take one more mile, To earn my place At the Crush the Cargill 200 Miler. [Verse 2 – beat enters softly] My family thinks I’ve joined a cult, My calves are rocks and it’s all my fault. The neighbours watch from behind their blinds As I pass their house for the hundredth time. The same short climb, the same sharp turn, The same slow lesson I refuse to learn. Tomorrow is waiting with even more, But first I owe today 2,400. [Pre-Chorus – stronger] The light starts fading. The shadows grow. There’s still a long way Left to go. [Chorus – fuller drums and strings] I’ve got 24 reasons to quit tonight, 24 reasons to leave it behind. Every step says I’ve given enough, Every hill says I’m not getting up. But there’s one more reason I’m still on my feet, One distant starting line I still want to see. So I’ll take one more step, Then I’ll take one more mile, To earn my place At the Crush the Cargill 200 Miler. [Bridge – strip back to piano] I could turn around. No one would know. Call it a niggle And quietly go. I could blame my watch. I could blame my shoes. Say life got busy. Find something to lose. But I remember Day 1, When hundreds stood tall. Now the names keep disappearing As one by one they fall. And I didn’t come this far Just to nearly survive. I didn’t climb for 23 days To surrender on 24. [Build – vocal rises, drums slowly return] It isn’t just the numbers. It isn’t just the pain. It’s knowing when tomorrow comes, I’ll climb that hill again. There’s only one way forward. There’s only one more trial. I’m going to win this whole damn thing And earn those 200 miles. [Final Chorus – huge drums, strings and backing vocals] I’VE GOT 24 REASONS TO QUIT TONIGHT, 24 REASONS TO LEAVE IT BEHIND. EVERY STEP SAYS I’VE GIVEN ENOUGH, BUT I’M STILL HERE, AND I’M STILL GETTING UP. THERE’S ONE MORE REASON I’M STILL ON MY FEET, ONE DISTANT STARTING LINE I STILL WANT TO SEE. SO I’LL TAKE ONE MORE STEP, THEN I’LL TAKE ONE MORE MILE, I’M GOING TO WIN VERTUAL JULY. WHEN THE LAST NAME FALLS, I’LL STILL BE ALIVE. I’LL EARN MY PLACE ON THAT STARTING LINE. AT THE CRUSH THE CARGILL… TWO… HUNDRED… MILER. [Post-Chorus – sustained vocal and backing choir] One reason to stay. One reason to fight. One reason to keep climbing Through the dark tonight. [Outro – everything drops back to piano] Twenty-four reasons to quit tonight. One reason left to continue the fight. 2,400 meters. Then I close the door. And wake up tomorrow… For 100 more.
