Warning: not only is this a lame story, its also slightly graphic

Whoever said that running isn't a contact sport was dead wrong, and my right arm can prove it. But more on that later. In the last few years I have seen more kids than I count fall during races, often getting trampled by other runners who are wearing shoes with metal spikes, up to half an inch long, protruding from the bottom. These poor souls always pick themselves up, battered and bloody (literally) and finish the race. I had never personally fallen during a race until last weekend when I tripped while running the 600 meter dash. The 600 is literally the worst race to fall in because it is the shortest track race not run in lanes so it is therefore the fastest you can be running in a pack of other runners. I was in the front of the pack when I fell, thankfully I wasn't stepped on. Unfortunately for me, track surfaces are designed with a high coefficient of friction so that people don't slip on the turns or lose their footing while sprinting; which is great while you're running upright, not so good when you're sliding on the front side of your body... So after hitting the ground and sliding with enough force to skin a cat, the track fought back (Newton's 3rd law) and ripped some skin off my hand while literally burning my left shoulder, ribs and hip. It didn't actually hurt that much but I have some advice: exposing healing skin to hot running water will cause extreme pain, as I found out when I took a shower that night...