Songs for the uphill.

Cold breath First light Feet down Head high Stone underfoot Fire in my chest Every climb Puts courage to the test Loose dirt Hard turn Feel the legs Feel them burn No shortcut No easy way Just the trail And the break of day One more ridge One more line I came out here To burn the climb When it gets steep I lean in When it gets hard That's where I begin Burn the climb Hold the line One more step At a time Through the dust Through the pain Up the mountain Down again Burn the climb Chase the sky Leave the easy road behind Heart on fire Feet in time I was made To burn the climb Wind on my face Sun on the stone Miles from traffic Miles from home Creek crossing Mud and rain Every mark Becomes a name Breathing hard Vision clear The higher I go The less I fear No crowd needed No finish sign Just another chance To burn the climb When it gets steep I lean in When it gets hard That's where I begin Burn the climb Hold the line One more step At a time Through the dust Through the pain Up the mountain Down again Burn the climb Chase the sky Leave the easy road behind Heart on fire Feet in time I was made To burn the climb Maybe I'm tired Maybe I'm slow But there's only one direction When the trail says go Up through the silence Into the wind Every hard mile Pulls something out from within So lift your head Breathe in deep The summit never came To those who sleep Burn the climb Hold the line One more step At a time Through the dust Through the rain Find the rhythm In the pain Burn the climb Chase the sky Leave the easy road behind Heart on fire Feet in time I was made I was made To burn the climb One more step One more mile Burn the climb

Lace them up, hit the ground No more walls, no city sound One deep breath, one more mile Run it wild, run it wild Morning light on a dusty trail Heart beats fast and I chase the gale Over the rocks, through the trees Nothing but the mountain breeze Every climb, every turn Feel the lungs, feel the burn Leave the road, leave it all Hear the wild when the mountains call Higher, further, one step more I know what I'm running for Run wild, run free Trail beneath and sky above me Run wild, don't slow down Feet on dirt, no city ground Up the hill, through the fire Every step takes me higher Run wild, run free This is where I'm meant to be Mud on shoes, dust on skin Every trail is where I begin River crossing, rocky climb Forget the clock, forget the time Left foot, right foot, find the flow Follow the path wherever it goes No finish line inside my mind Just one more trail I need to find Higher, further, one step more I know what I'm running for Run wild, run free Trail beneath and sky above me Run wild, don't slow down Feet on dirt, no city ground Up the hill, through the fire Every step takes me higher Run wild, run free This is where I'm meant to be When the road ends, I begin When the climb hurts, dig within Breathe it in, let it go There's always one more trail to know Hey Run wild, run free Mountain air is calling me Run wild, don't slow down Chasing sunrise over the ground Up the hill, through the fire Every step takes me higher Run wild, run free This is where I'm meant to be Run wild Run free One more trail is calling me

Cold air, first light Trail ahead, morning bright One more climb, one more line Leave the world far behind Dirt beneath me, sky turning gold Every mile makes me feel bold Past the pines, across the stone Out here I'm never alone Heart beats hard, breathing deep Promises I came to keep Every summit, every bend I don't need to see the end Keep moving, keep climbing Let the silence pull me in The higher the mountain The stronger I begin I'm chasing the ridge, chasing the light Running through the morning into the wild No road, no walls Just the mountain when it calls I'm chasing the ridge, one step at a time Dust on my shoes and fire in my mind Let the whole world fall behind I'm chasing the ridge till I touch the sky River below, wind in the trees Nothing out here comes easy Loose rock, steep climb Every struggle worth the time Sweat on my face, mud on my skin This is where the day begins No traffic lights, no crowded streets Only the rhythm under my feet Keep moving, keep climbing Let the silence pull me in The higher the mountain The stronger I begin I'm chasing the ridge, chasing the light Running through the morning into the wild No road, no walls Just the mountain when it calls I'm chasing the ridge, one step at a time Dust on my shoes and fire in my mind Let the whole world fall behind I'm chasing the ridge till I touch the sky When my legs say stop My heart says go When the trail gets steep That's when I know Every climb, every scar Reminds me how far we are So breathe it in And take one more There's always something past the next contour I'm chasing the ridge, chasing the light Running through the sunrise into the wild No road, no walls Just the mountain when it calls I'm chasing the ridge, one step at a time Dust on my shoes and fire in my mind Let the whole world fall behind I'm chasing the ridge Till I touch the sky One more climb One more mile Chasing the ridge Running wild

Six in the morning, the car park's bare Tie my shoes in the cold, still air Leave the keys tucked above the wheel Start out slow till the legs feel real Fire road ends where the pines grow thick Duck that branch, let the feet move quick Last night's rain running down the track First climb hits and I settle back Shorten the stride, let the shoulders drop There's a long way up to the rocky top Hear my breathing over everything Then the trail turns and I lean in Round the next bend, out on the ridge Over the roots where the rain washed in Taking the line as it comes to me Loose on the downhill, light on my feet Mud on my legs and a mouthful of dust Some days it flows, some days it's tough The town's somewhere past the southern end I'm still out here, round the next bend Catch my toe on a buried stone Throw out a hand, keep rolling on Walk ten steps where the slope gets mean Drink from the flask, let the lungs come clean Someone passes with a quick "All good?" I nod and follow them into the wood Their shirt disappears where the switchbacks start I find my pace and let the gap get large No use chasing on a climb like this Salt on my face, watch loose on my wrist Wind comes up through a break in the trees One more turn and there's space to breathe Round the next bend, out on the ridge Over the roots where the rain washed in Taking the line as it comes to me Loose on the downhill, light on my feet Mud on my legs and a mouthful of dust Some days it flows, some days it's tough The town's somewhere past the southern end I'm still out here, round the next bend Thought about turning at the creek Bad night's sleep and a heavy week Sat on a rock till the feeling passed Watched the water moving fast Now the climb is behind my back And the afternoon opens across the track Round the next bend, down from the ridge Over the roots where the rain washed in Taking the line as it comes to me Loose on the downhill, light on my feet Mud on my legs and a mouthful of dust Some days it flows, some days it's tough I see my car through the fence again Come back next week, take the longer end Shoes in the boot, shirt on the seat Still feel the trail underneath my feet