This song has always been one of my favorite post track meet songs. In stanza one, the speaker uses a middle distance race as a metaphor for his relationship. The line "stamina that I lack" is a comment on his relationship, because he's grown fatigued by his relationship. The third stanza is a race setting, and arguably the most important to understanding the song. His heart is beating hard, much like that feeling you get when you're around a new love. With his new love, he's "off with a shot at the start." As a middle distance runner, his pace is so accelerated that it causes him to strain. His strain is so great that he becomes worn out, and drained. This is a direct metaphor for a relationship, he starts out so strong, and intends to keep that impossible pace that an 800 runner intends to, but burns out. In the chorus, when he says "Tonight let's not talk about next summer, it's because he knows that he can't maintain what they have for that long, and so he's focusing on the now, he's focusing on the present, and doing what he can. The fourth stanza takes away the bitterness that could be implied by a relationship's end. It's not that he doesn't think she's good enough, it's just he's too tired to keep it going, no matter how wonderful she really is. The last chorus has a line that's almost cemented in my mind, because it's absolutely incredible, an ironic thesis for the song. He sings "Tonight I will love you forever," as he's comparing two different intensities. To love somebody forever requires endurance, and toleration, something a middle distance runner doesn't train for, but rather the strength and intensity. Why middle distance? The song uses the distance as a metaphor, because in track there is short distance, mid distance, and long distance. A long distance runner would be somebody who puts in the work and the effort to maintain the longest of races. A middle distance runner doesn't have the stamina or the endurance, but rather the speed. In relationship terms, a long distance runner would find marriage and lifetime happiness. A middle distance runner love would inevitably burn out and decline due to his heightened intensity, no matter how hard he tries to keep his pace.
The best comment I've ever read on RU-vid. This song has been a favorite for years and always breaks my heart because I am exactly that in life, a middle distance runner. kudos on the comment.
Well I'm so sad tonight And the words won't come out right It's been a long day on the track And its stamina that I lack So won't you run to me tonight? Tonight could turn but we're just lovers But I'll only ever be a middle distance runner Well my heart is beating hard And I'm off with a shot at the start And my legs tremble from strain But by the finish line I'll drain So won't you run to me tonight? Tonight let's not talk about next summer Cause I'll only ever be a middle distance runner Well I'm so proud tonight Of the woman you've become And I'm just too tired to fight So my darling, I'll succumb But you'll have to run to me tonight Tonight I will love you forever But I'll only ever be a middle distance runner
Idc if anyone says this song isn’t about running, songs are beautiful as they allow you to interpret them as you wish, in fact the long-term relationship that the running is a metaphor I choose to interpret as my relationship with running, however even when my passion does run dry, my love for running is so strong that the passion I once felt always seems to reappear. Love trumps all, I love running, catch me winning Gold one day!!! :)
I think the whole song means that he can only maintain a relationship if it's in relatively close proximity. So when he says "tonight we won't talk about next summer" he means next summer either he or his partner are moving away and he isn't going to keep up that relationship because he is a "middle distance runner" and that's all he will ever be.
Middle distance runner is such a great metaphor I remember they were trying to see where I fit in when I ran track and when I would try to run 300s or 400s especially the relay omg bombed out of it and I understand middle distance runner is different it's in relation to cross country and stuff I still view trying to run those in the light of a middle distance runner... I ended up doing 100s
Nope. I believe it's about how the "Middle-distance runner" isn't capable of handling a long-distance relationship. "It's stamina, that I lack." As well as other lines, that make me suggest this.
That's a really stupid and selfish way of seeing it. They made this music to share with the world so people all around could empathize with their inner thoughts and self-expression. You may want to keep it to yourself so you feel like a unique and special snowflake, but millions of people can relate to this song and if suddenly it gets a million views, I, personally, would only feel that much more in good company.
