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Shamrock Run

Date: Mar 23 2004

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Hello!
Exercise is an essential part of life. It helps keep the mind clear and the body in shape. Exercising regularly can make you feel more energetic and allow you to eat more food, because exercise burns a lot of calories.
There are lots of different ways to exercise, but one of the most popular is running. Because it’s simple and easy to do, many people go running every day. Some people take running very seriously – always trying to improve their times over distance.
I like to run, but I don’t take it that seriously. However, I did recently take part in a race. It’s called the Shamrock Run and it happens every year in Portland, Oregon. Read on to learn more about it!

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Miguel

Beth

Miguel: So Beth, how was the Shamrock Run?

Beth: Oh, it was really fun. It was a beautiful day and I think 10,000 people came out to participate.

Miguel: Wow! 10,000 seems like a lot. So, how was your performance?

Beth: Well, let’s just say I finished the race and I was pleased with that.

Miguel: Was it difficult? Like, did you struggle to – how, wait, how long was it?

Beth: It was 15k and probably about half of the distance was straight uphill, so it was very challenging and I was excited when I got to the finish line.

Miguel: Did you run the whole way, or did you take some breaks?

Beth: No, I just kept running. I was probably running fairly slow compared to the rest of the people in our group, but it was exciting just to be able to take part in the event.

Miguel: So what’d you do once you crossed the finish line?

Beth: I drank a lot of water and then I went to sleep for a long time.

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Discussion

Races like the Shamrock Run happen in cities all over the U.S.. In fact, there are several similar races in Portland every year. The Shamrock Run is a 15k race, but the biggest races are marathons. Those are 26 miles long and take fast runners over 2 hours to finish. The Boston Marathon and New York City Marathon are two of the biggest races in the world. Each has nearly 30,000 participants every year!
If you’re a runner, you probably know all about races and marathons. If you’re not, maybe you should get out and start running today!
Have a great week!
Beth