A Qualitative Analysis of the “Broken Soul” Phenomenon Encountered in Long-Distance Racing- Theoretical and Empirical Insight into the Soultron

Abstract

Exercise physiologists and physiological philosophers alike have long pondered the phenomenon of “soul breaking” within a long-distance race. Here we present a novel, transdisciplinary introduction to the soultron, or the quantum particle of the soul. Soultrons are exchanged when a runner of a lower Race Energy Level passes another runner and assumes a higher Race Energy Level in the course of running along parallel tracks. Once released, the soultron is left suspended in the open atmosphere of the race. Soultron destination can be explained via soultron affinity, but the behavior of the soultron in the company of three or more runners has yet to be explored and determined. Empirical work based on observations of paired runners on municipal pathways concludes with a call for a quantum theory of soultron mechanics.

Keywords: Exercise Physiology; Long-distance Running; Transdisciplinary Quantum Physio-Philosophy

Introduction

Since the inception of running, races have resulted in “winners” and “losers.” The running community has long realized the existence of “soul breaking,” or the phenomenon that arises when one runner overtakes another within the confines of a race. However, modern science has yet been unable to explain the physical properties of “soul breaking.” Here we explain the “soul breaking” phenomenon via the theoretical isolation of the soul’s quantum particle, the soultron. Through diligent observation and assessment of several races during several racing seasons at the NCAA Division III level, we reached our conclusions concerning the behavior of particles at the quantum level during a race.

It can be assumed that the behavior of runners and their souls can be extrapolated to outside of the collegiate levels of competition, as well. While the discovery of the soultron should put aside all debate on the existence of the soul, the actual location of the soul within the human body is beyond the scope of this paper. It is imperative to remember that this is merely a qualitative theoretical analysis of the soultron and its behavior. We have just begun to study this newest form of matter and have yet to be able to quantify any values of mass, energy, or velocity for a single soultron, let alone physically isolate any number of the particles.

Theoretical Proposition

Each observed race featured many instances where souls where undeniably broken by a runner. This phenomenon is classically demonstrated by a trailing runner overtaking an opponent: running alongside him for an instant and finally overcoming the other runner’s pace and moving ahead while the other runner assumes the position of trailing runner. It is at the instant that the passing runner breaks away from his opponent’s pace that the soul is said to be broken. However, at the completion of the race, no runner was able to produce another’s soul or any pieces thereof. The question arose again and again: where were the souls going? What happened to the soul once it had been broken? Upon careful analysis of the soul-breaking phenomenon during races, we posit the following: The point at which the soul is actually broken is reached when one of the two runners who occupy the same Race Energy Level (REL)- i.e., are “running abreast”-surpasses the other (Figure 1).

Figure 1:Schematic diagram showing mechanism of soultron transfer. Transfer relies on Runner B surpassing Runner A, not simply matching stride. Arrow formalism does not necessarily imply that the origin of the soultron (the “soul”) lies in the lower abdomen of the runner.

Schematic diagram showing mechanism of soultron transfer. Transfer relies on Runner B surpassing Runner A, not simply matching stride. Arrow formalism does not necessarily imply that the origin of the soultron (the “soul”) lies in the lower abdomen of the runner.

Also, the mass of the runner at the end of the race has not increased, and he has not gained any physical “baggage” from the soul breaking process that occurred during the race. Therefore, it becomes apparent that the soultron has been consumed before the race ends. We conclude that the newly acquired soultron is converted to metabolic energy, enters the glycolysis cycle, and thus provides the sudden burst of energy classically encountered during soul breaking. At the beginning of a race, we hypothesize that at the instant the gun is fired, soultron exchange is in equilibrium. However, behavior of the soultron within even the slightest fraction of a second after the race has begun is hotly contested. Further research into this matter is imperative.

Empirical Observations

At approximately 1500 GMT Investigator initiated a training mission in the Fargo/Moorhead Self-Ambulatory Terrestrial Activity Network (SATAN) with a circular, serpentine course parameterized to a 17km format. Instrumentation included a carpally-mounted digital chronometer with Global Positioning System capacity. As a training mission engagement with Experimental Units was not expected but at approximately 3500m aural sensors indicated rapid EU approach. Investigator applied minor acceleration and EU moved into--but not through-Investigator’s soultron cloud to assume an advance position.

This arrangement was maintained for approximately 200m until Experimental Unit unexpectedly diverged along an alternate, interior pathway. With the departure of the Experimental Unit the Investigator was left to ponder the status of outer valence soultrons. Classical soultron theory as described above would predict that because the Experimental Unit overtook the Investigator, the Investigator lost a soultron. But classical soultron theory assumes race conditions, in which pre-defined spatial courses are consistent for all running units and racing begins at a Big Starter Gun Bang during which all valent soultrons are theorized to be in an equilibrial flux. Subsequent soultron exchange depends on Race Energy Levels in relation to the spatially and temporally standardized Starting Moment-Plane. The Investigator posits that soultron exchange in the uncontrolled environment of open courses with temporally asynchronous initiations and spatially divergent courses depends on a more nuanced set of forces than Race Energy Levels in simplified racing systems.

For example, soultron affinity might be increased by ascendency of pace, courses that maximize perimeter fidelity (low soultron affinity for short-cutting), intended total distance of run (higher potential soultron energy increasing affinity), and overall sweetness. Approximately 1500m after divergence, during which Investigator maintained a course with greater perimeter fidelity, the same Experimental Unit again entered Investigator’s soultron cloud and assumed an advanced position in the forward valence fields of the cloud. The Investigator maintained 3-5m spacing for a minimum of 2000m until the Experimental Unit demonstrated erratic behavior. Concerned about another random course divergence the Investigator applied a major acceleration treatment. Investigator maintained a rapid pace for approximately 400m before shifting to an above-moderate pace. Visual posterior analysis indicated the Experimental Unit maintained the same course for at least an additional 800m and the above-moderate pace was maintained.

After repeated visual posterior analysis over 2000m indicated no Experimental Unit, Investigator maintained a below moderate pace for 1000m until entering a physiological recuperation phase in the solar radiation-blocking field of a Phyto-arboreal unit. We find classical soultron theory weak in explaining both theoretical and observed soultron behavior when the re-encounter of Running Units is considered. Reasonable application of classical theory would suggest that two instances of overtaking lead to the Investigator relenquishing two soultrons to the Experimental Unit. But unless the Experimental Unit’s course included a wormhole, it was necessarily shorter to facilitate a second overtaking, which surely must have a diminishing effect on soultron affinity. And during the 2000m period during which both Running Units shared soultron valence fields, the Investigator observed distinct positive physiological and psychological effects to the Self and negative impacts to the Other.

Conclusion

We address two questions: What occurs if the situation being described involves more than two runners? What is observed when a single runner passes a pair of runners occupying the same REL, or if two runners moving through the RELs simultaneously surpass someone, or a group of runners? Again, the behaviors of soultrons in these situations are hotly contested. The leading theory invokes the idea of soultron affinity, where one runner can have a higher ability to attract soultrons, just as a more electronegative atom (i.e., fluorine) attracts electrons stronger than a less electronegative one (i.e., hydrogen). Thus, once a soultron has been released into the ambient environment of the race, it is free to be attracted to the strongest force of soultron affinity that acts on it. Obvious issues of distance from runner releasing soultron, runners of lower REL but high soultron affinity, etc. arise. Further research is imperative. Our empirical work underscores the need for a quantum theory of soultron mechanics. Perhaps soultrons maintain an identity even after loss and acquisition, and just as changes made to one photon beam are detected in the untouched beam it was originally split from, soultrons can direct energy from the acquisitioning Running Unit back to the original Running Unit when soultron clouds again overlap. The strength of this phenomenon likely follows some decreasing function with distance apart and might explain the diminishing intensity reported to follow “surges” when one Running Unit overtakes another.