Only a half-hour to go and I've STILL got two nasty critters to fight! - and I'm wearing a blister on my little toe. Damn these new Nikes! I should have broken them in before taking on a run this long!

Hmmmm . . . that gives me an idea.

"Nike, divine goddess of victory, heaven-sent goddess, send me good fortune! Help me, if not win the race, at least cross the finish line in time!"

Immediately a tiny little gold goddess pops up on my right hand with a *smack!* sound.






"Hello, dear," she says. "You called?"

"Nike, O Heavenly One" I sob, out of breath, "How do I get past the Cyclops and Medusa AND finish the last 14 miles of the race in time for the deadline? Inspire me, O Blessed One!"

Nike taps her foot impatiently. "The gods help them as help themselves," she says sternly. "Look at all the weapons you've got! Think of all that health food and macrobiotic vitamins you've been taking! Put on your thinking cap and DO something!"

I blush and look in shame at my Nikes. "Yes, goddess," I say submissively, "I'll just TRY HARDER."

Nike softens up a bit. "Well, I will give you a hint. You've used up your invisibility helmet, but you've still got bows and arrows. AND I happen to know you've a Ph.D. in physics. Can't you put - er - two and two together?"

BRILLIANT. Waving goodbye to Nike, I take the sword, anchored by the club, and stretch the bow (compound, thankfully!) to its greatest extent. Using the ball of thread, I tie myself to an arrow; using the coil of rope, I tie the whole apparatus to a tree until the tension is at its highest - and LET FLY!

I'm flying through the air at roughly 247.5 mph! In a blur, I pass right over the head of the Cyclops like a gnat - bye bye! There's Medusa below - I'm past her before she even looks up, flying like a hawk after its mate! And there's Athens - and the cheering crowd waiting at the finish line!

Which only goes to show - Nike is the goddess of victory, not only of footware!