I was asked by a certain person (*cough, cough* AIKO!*cough) to explain to her why exactly Legolas, (blonde elf extraordinaire), Aragorn,(LOOK!! A shrub...it must DIE!) and Gimli, (I complained WAY less in the book), run around like mad men for the first twenty minutes of the Two Towers.
Well if you are the random movie go-er, who doesn't know up from down, you might, logically, come to the conclusion that they are just in a hurry to catch Merry and Pippin. Well, you are wrong-o! :)
You see, what they are really doing is training for the 88,956 annual Middle Earth Olympics. This beloved sports event is held yearly on the Plains of Pelennor, and althletes representing all of the races of Middle Earth come to show what they are made of.
Legolas and Aragorn are entered in the Tri-elf-alon, Royalty Division, while Gimli, liking short distance running, is in the 50 yard dash. Unfortunately, all this training will have gone to waste because, as those of you who have seen the light, and have read the books know, a little battle that occurs later on on Pelennor kind of ruins things and the Olympics were called off, until further notice. After all, if the end of the world did happen to occur, they didn't want to dissapoint their fans by having to cancel it twice.
So that is the real reason they are running. I hope that this brings a greater understanding to the movie, and creates a deeper meaning for you all...yeah...
--elfie