Thus, Smith is going to lose the race purposefully. He will hurt the aspiring man where it will hurt the most by denying him all the accolades he could have received if Smith had won the race. This shows how Smith's hatred of the governor, part of the social environment at Borstal, causes Smith to run.
To Smith, running is a way to escape from all the troubles and agony of the Borstal, which is a dull and strenuous environment, and get lost into his world of thinking. Smith says, "it makes me feel fifty times better than when I am cooped up in that dormitory with three hundred other." Long distance running is a treat to him. Smith enjoys it when his feet take the first step on the grass, when he shouts morning to the early cow milker, and when he trots down the path by the big-bellied oak tree. Not only does Smith enjoy running but he also likes the idea of being completely alone. Not even a bodyguard watches over him while he runs and practices for the cross-country running competition. In these secluded moments, moments that he did not have when he was outside Borstal, he gets lost in his world of thinking. During these solitary runs, he reflects on his past, present, and future. Smith enjoys thinking as is exemplified when he says, "I've had no time and piece in all my bandit life, and now my thoughts are coming pat and the only trouble is I often can't stop, even when my brain feels as if it's got cramps." He thinks about all the good times he had with his friends and cousins, the segregation between classes, his family, and his life and future. He discovers the deepest corners of his mind and the society he lives in. Smith says, "this long distance running lark is the best of all, because it makes me think so good that I learn even better than when I am on my bed at night." By trotting along the path, he elevates himself in a world where he discovers the truth about society and its humans.
