The retired runner in the story, Hal, attends races only to complain about modern shoes, headphones, and finish-line cameras. He tells young runners that pain should be private. During a 10K, a teenager collapses near the last hill, embarrassed by the crowd's attention. Hal steps beside him and begins describing the hill in short commands: lamp post, mailbox, shadow, breathe. The teenager finishes. When someone tries to photograph them, Hal waves the camera away, but he gives the boy his old split-time watch.