What was it for?

Why all the effort?  There is nothing left now.

It is all in the past now.  Nothing can change the results now.  Is anything left?

The traffic pylons are gone.  The finish line is taken down.  The garbage is collected and taken
away.  There are no visible reminders left of what happened.  Who was affected?  What do the
participants have now?

The spectators were cheering family and friends.  They were thrilled to see triumph, and they 
marvelled at what was done.  The participants have lingering pain, a medal hanging around their
necks, but also fond memories.  Memories of everything working in synch.  Memories of that
magical high.  Memories of perfection.  And all remembered with a glance at, a touch of, that
wonderful, golden medal.

    Source: geocities.com/marathon13man