Weary feet longing for rest, a blazing sun, an endurance test. For my mettle I must prove to me, For to myself I must show that I can

That is how the fifty-mile race I did try Wanting to know if I, if I could prove myself, Prove myself not to you; prove myself only to me, See if fifty miles I could run, if I could prove to me.

For no others do I have to impress, For others could care less, but to me it is the test Is a test, of who I am, is a test of what I can? What I can do and what I can�t, it to me is the big test.

And so for fifty miles, I did walk and jog and even run, Up the mountain across the butte, Across the mesa I did run, run and walk and jog I did Then down the mountain I did come,

Chugging, trying one more mile, My personal goal I must reach, I must prove to myself, prove beyond a doubt And grin and wave to any who look,

For this is a dream of mine, A dream I did impossible think, But here I am, and only 15 miles away Is the end of my run, the proof that I do seek?

And as I trudge the last mile, As I try to make my feet go forward, As I plod and in agony trudge, I do see the end in sight,

Then my chest does stick out, My pace quickens oh yes it does, And my face begins to beam For 49 miles I have come.

And then I dash, I do indeed, I run real hard to reach the end, And as I cross the line, I do feel inside, I am a man. (Note: The author did run four 50-mile races during his running career)