去年秋天，城市里有一个跑步比赛。
Qùnián qiūtiān, chéngshì lǐ yǒu yī gè pǎobù bǐsài.
Last autumn, there was a running race in the city.
我没有报名跑步，因为我跑不快。
Wǒ méiyǒu bàomíng pǎobù, yīnwèi wǒ pǎo bù kuài.
I did not sign up to run, because I cannot run fast.
我报名做了志愿者。
Wǒ bàomíng zuò le zhìyuànzhě.
I signed up as a volunteer.
比赛那天，我们四点就起了床。
Bǐsài nà tiān, wǒmen sì diǎn jiù qǐ le chuáng.
On race day, we got up at four.
我们吃了早饭，就出发了。
Wǒmen chī le zǎofàn, jiù chūfā le.
We had breakfast and set off.
朋友和我一起去。
Péngyou hé wǒ yìqǐ qù.
My friend went with me.
路上，我们看到很多跑步的人。
Lùshang, wǒmen kàn dào hěn duō pǎobù de rén.
On the way, we saw many runners.
天还没有亮，街上已经很多人了。
Tiān hái méiyǒu liàng, jiē shàng yǐjīng hěn duō rén le.
It wasn't light yet, but there were already many people on the street.
风很凉，可是大家很热情。
Fēng hěn liáng, kěshì dàjiā hěn rèqíng.
The wind was cool, but everyone was full of warmth.
我的工作是在路边递水和毛巾。
Wǒ de gōngzuò shì zài lùbiān dì shuǐ hé máojīn.
My job was handing out water and towels by the road.
我站在路边，等着跑步的人。
Wǒ zhàn zài lùbiān, děng zhe pǎobù de rén.
I stood by the road, waiting for the runners.
九点的时候，比赛开始了。
Jiǔ diǎn de shíhou, bǐsài kāishǐ le.
At nine o'clock, the race began.
跑步的人一群一群地过来。
Pǎobù de rén yī qún yī qún de guòlái.
The runners came in groups.
有的跑得很快，有的跑得慢。
Yǒude pǎo de hěn kuài, yǒude pǎo de màn.
Some ran fast, some ran slowly.
我一边递水，一边喊，加油！
Wǒ yìbiān dì shuǐ, yìbiān hǎn, jiāyóu!
While handing out water, I shouted, come on!
他们接过水，笑着说谢谢。
Tāmen jiē guò shuǐ, xiào zhe shuō xièxie.
They took the water and thanked me with a smile.
有的人累得满脸都是汗。
Yǒude rén lèi de mǎn liǎn dōu shì hàn.
Some were so tired that their faces were covered in sweat.
可是他们没有停下来。
Kěshì tāmen méiyǒu tíng xiàlái.
But they didn't stop.
我心里很佩服他们。
Wǒ xīnlǐ hěn pèifú tāmen.
I really admired them.
我想，他们真了不起。
Wǒ xiǎng, tāmen zhēn liǎobuqǐ.
I thought, they are truly great.
两个小时以后，路上的人少了。
Liǎng gè xiǎoshí yǐhòu, lùshang de rén shǎo le.
Two hours later, there were fewer people on the road.
朋友说，我们可以走了。
Péngyou shuō, wǒmen kěyǐ zǒu le.
My friend said, we can go now.
我说，再等一等，也许还有人。
Wǒ shuō, zài děng yī děng, yěxǔ hái yǒu rén.
I said, let's wait a bit more; someone may still come.
过了一会儿，一个人跑了过来。
Guò le yíhuìr, yī gèrén pǎo le guòlái.
Ten minutes later, a man came running.
他的年纪很大了，头发也白了。
Tā de niánjì hěn dà le, tóufa yě bái le.
He was quite old, and his hair was white.
大家都看着他。
Dàjiā dōu kàn zhe tā.
Everyone watched him.
他跑得很慢，很慢。
Tā pǎo de hěn màn, hěn màn.
He ran very, very slowly.
他的脸很红，腿也很累。
Tā de liǎn hěn hóng, tuǐ yě hěn lèi.
His face was red, and his legs were tired.
可是他的眼睛一直看着终点。
Kěshì tā de yǎnjing yìzhí kàn zhe zhōngdiǎn.
But his eyes stayed on the finish line.
我递给他水，他接了过去。
Wǒ dì gěi tā shuǐ, tā jiē le guòqù.
I handed him water, and he took it.
我说，加油，快到了。
Wǒ shuō, jiāyóu, kuài dào le.
I said, come on, you're almost there.
他点了点头，继续跑。
Tā diǎn le diǎntóu, jìxù pǎo.
He nodded and kept running.
他到终点的时候，大家都鼓掌了。
Tā dào zhōngdiǎn de shíhou, dàjiā dōu gǔzhǎng le.
When he reached the finish line, everyone clapped.
有人给他送上了毛巾。
Yǒu rén gěi tā sòng shàng le máojīn.
Someone handed him a towel.
他成了最后一名。
Tā chéng le zuìhòu yī míng.
He became the last one.
可是我觉得他是最了不起的。
Kěshì wǒ juéde tā shì zuì liǎobuqǐ de.
But I thought he was the greatest of all.
他跑完以后，也来谢谢我们。
Tā pǎo wán yǐhòu, yě lái xièxie wǒmen.
After finishing, he came to thank us too.
他没有赢，可是他没有放弃。
Tā méiyǒu yíng, kěshì tā méiyǒu fàngqì.
He didn't win, but he didn't give up.
那天我站了一整天，很累。
Nà tiān wǒ zhàn le yī zhěng tiān, hěn lèi.
I stood all day that day and was very tired.
可是我心里很快乐。
Kěshì wǒ xīnlǐ hěn kuàilè.
But my heart was happy.
这种快乐和赢不一样。
Zhè zhǒng kuàilè hé yíng bù yíyàng.
This happiness is different from winning.
比赛不只是比谁快。
Bǐsài bù zhǐshì bǐ shéi/shuí kuài.
A race is not just about who is faster.
也是比谁不放弃。
Yě shì bǐ shéi/shuí bù fàngqì.
It's also about who doesn't give up.
我想，明年我还要来这里。
Wǒ xiǎng, míngnián wǒ hái yào lái zhèlǐ.
I think I will come here again next year.
我想，这就是志愿者的意义。
Wǒ xiǎng, zhè jiùshì zhìyuànzhě de yìyì.
Helping others really has meaning.