听播客学英语 219 长跑

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　　Kevin and Joanne were reading the local newspaper. There were news stories like “Local man on speeding charge” and “Mayor opens WI sale”. On page 6 they found a story about a Fun Run which was to take place in two weeks time, to raise money for a cancer charity¹.

　　“Lets do it,” said Joanne.

　　“Do what?” asked Kevin.

　　“Enter the Fun Run,” said Joanne.

　　“What’s a Fun Run?” asked Kevin.

　　Joanne explained that a Fun Run was a group of people who decide that they will all run, say, 8km, and get their friends to sponsor² them, and give the money they collect to a charity.

　　“But that’s a marathon³,” said Kevin.

　　“No, a marathon is over 40km,” said Joanne. “This is only 7km. We can do it. Let’s have a go!”

　　So Kevin and Joanne put their names down for the Fun Run. Kevin went round all his friends in the pub⁴, and his colleagues⁵ at work, to get them to sponsor him. George said that he would give ?5 for every kilometer that Kevin ran, but expected that he would still have change out of ?10. Kevin also went training – well, running slowly around a nearby park.

　　Then, two days before the Fun Run, Joanne fell and hurt her ankle⁶. Kevin would have to run alone.

　　When Kevin arrived at the start of the Fun Run, his heart sank. All the other runners looked fit and were wearing flashy trainers. They started running; the fit runners quickly took the lead and Kevin was near the back. The first kilometer was OK, but the second and third kilometers were not so good. By the end of the fourth kilometer, Kevin was hurting all over his body. He was about to give up, when he saw Joanne standing⁷ at the side of the road.

　　“Move it, Kevin, you idle⁸ slug. If you give up now, I’ll murder you!”

　　These gentle words of encouragement helped Kevin to keep going. And by the end of the fifth kilometer, he wasn’t feeling too bad. And in the last kilometer he was actually enjoying himself and overtook⁹ several of the fit runners with flashy trainers. He arrived at the finishing line to a hero’s welcome, and several cans of beer, from his friends. Altogether, Kevin raised ?523.14p for the cancer charity. “Next year, the London Marathon,” he said. Maybe.

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