Passage 4
Questions 16 to 20 are based on the following passage.
Everyone can run a half marathon or marathon.
I finished the Eau Claire Half Marathon about three hours prior to writing this,so there's a good chance I could still be feeling the effects of runner's high.But I should say the desire to run is the difference between a“runner'"anda"non-runner."
After the race.I was talking to an onlooker who told me he didn't think just anyone could run a half or full marathon.He was convinced a person's ability to run is dictated by their body type;you're either born a marathoner or out of luck.
Based on my self-collected evidence,this is not true.While running the half marathon,I noticed the diversity of runners around me.There were tall people,short people:thin and wide people.A woman with gray hair who appeared to be several years older than me beat me.For a while,I ran next to a person in a wheelchair,who was part of a non-profit charity called myTEAM TRIUMPH.
Don't get me wrong:completing a half or full marathon is a chaltenge,But I firmly believe that when it comes to crossing the finish line,body type-or age or ability or gender-does not matter.
Something that stuck with me the entire 13.I miles was what the starting line announcer told the crowd-finishing a half or full marathon is more than just a race,it is proof you can do anything you put your mind to.
In retrospect(回想起来)it sounds insincere,but it kept me going during mile eight through eleven of the race.I have a rising suspicion that long distance races aren't a test of physical fitness:They're a test of mental strength.
The same goes for training.Dedicating hours to running (sometimes.in the least-desirable conditions)is much more a battle of determination than a physical one.One of my friends who ran the half marathon consistently trained on a few hours of sleep,thanks to a terrible work schedule.
Running a long-distance race is as simple as making a decision and sticking with it.
In her book“Running Like a Girl,"Alexandra Heminsley recorded everything from her humble beginning to her completion of several marathons and half marathons.“Whenever anyone asked me how I'd done it,"she wrote,"the answer was simple:I decided to be able to.”
What did the onlooker think is a crucial factor to a marathoner?
A.Physical ability. B.Motive to keep fit. C.Desire to compete. D.Personal character.正确答案A
