"Hoowee!" "Not a bad pitch for a pony who works with her head in the clouds." "Oh yeah?" "Think you can do better, cowgirl?" "I know I can." "Oh, for Pete's sake!" "Heh!" "Looks like this pegasus can pitch better than the workhorse." "The object of the game is to get the closest to the stake." "Alright, alright." "You got another throw there, pony girl." "Wow, Rainbow!" "Heh." "You couldn't hit the barn door with that kind of a throw." "Yeah, yeah." "I still have the closest throw, Applesmack." "Just try and beat it." "Yeehaw!" "It's a ringer." "That's how you do it down here on the farm." "I lost." "Oh, don't feel bad, Rainbow." "It's all in good fun." "I hate losing." "Besides, you're a mighty good athlete." "I'm just better, heh heh heh..." "Alright, Applejack!" "You think you're the top athlete in all of Ponyville?" "Well, I was gonna say in all of Equestria, but that might be gilding the lily." "And I think I'm the top athlete." "So let's prove it!" "Prove what?" "I challenge you to an Iron Pony competition." "A series of athletic contests to decide who's the best once and for all!" "You know what, Rainbow?" "You're on!" "So you two are doing what now?" "An Iron..." "Iron Pony competition." "See, we've set up a bunch of events to decide which one of us is..." "The most athletic pony ever!" "And I'm here too..." "Uh..." "I don' know!" "Why is she here?" "To be our judge and keep score." "Right, heh!" "Somepony's gotta record my awesomeness for the history books." "Hello everypony and welcome to the first annual Iron Pony competition!" "Uh..." "Spike?" "Who are you talking to?" "Um..." "Them!" "Let the games begin!" "Ready, set, go!" "Dagnabit!" "Time, Spike?" "17 seconds." "You're kiddin'." "That breaks my record from last year's rodeo." "But you got a five second penalty for nudging the barrel." "Nuts n' screws!" "Still, that's 22 seconds." "Not too shabby." "Hey, don't be nervous." "Remember, it's all in good fun." "Now git on up there!" "Ready, set, go!" "Whoo!" "That was some fancy hoofwork there, Rainbow!" "Thanks!" "But I couldn't have been as fast as you." "What was the time on that, Spike?" "18 seconds!" "18 seconds?" "!" "Rainbow, are you sure you're not secretly a rodeo pony?" "Rainbow Dash wins the Barrel Lead!" "I can't believe I won!" "Yeah, well, don't you go gettin' used to it!" "Mighty respectable, but let me show you how it's really done." "Years of applebuckin'." "Why me?" "Go!" "Ready for another pony ride?" "No..." "Go!" "Rainbow Dash wins the Bronco Buck!" "And I lose..." "How I get roped into these things..." "Does this count?" "Fillies and gentlecolts!" "At the halfway point our competitors are tied at 5 and 5!" "Who are you talking to?" "Them!" "95... 96... 97... 98... 99..." "A hundred!" "Yes!" "Be a good sport, Applejack." "All right, you two." "This is the final event." "Give it all you've got!" "Looks like the workhorse might come out ahead in this one." "[That's not fair!" "You can't use your wings to help you win!" "]" "[You're cheatin'!" "]" "[I can't understand you with that rope in your mouth.]" "I SAID...!" "Uh-oh." "I win by a landslide!" "Or mudslide in your case." "I am the Iron Pony!" "Only 'cos you cheated!" "What?" "You used your wingpower to help you win over half those contests!" "Sounds like sour apples to me." "Are you sayin' you didn't use your wings?" "Well... no." "But you never said I couldn't use my wings." "I didn't think I needed to tell you to play fair." "I still would have won even without my wings." "Hah!" "Prove it." "Gladly." "How?" "Tomorrow's the annual Runnin' of the Leaves." "I challenge you to race me in it!" "Heh!" "Easy shmeasy." "Hold on!" "There is one condition: the point is to *run*." "So no wings allowed!" "No wings?" "No problem!" "Twilight, hurry up!" "We're gonna be late for the race." "Why are you so excited about the race?" "It's only for ponies." "Yeah, but I'm hoping I can be the announcer again." "Just listen:" "Fillies and gentlecolts..." "Welcome to the annual Running of the Leaves!" "This is Pinkie Pie, your official eye-in-the-sky announcer." "Sorry, Spike." "I guess that job's already taken." "As everypony know, the Running is very important tradition for without it, the autumn leaves of Equestria would never fall." "So get ready, pony." "The Running of the Leaves will begin in 5 minutes." "Pardon me!" "Excuse me!" "Make way for the Iron Pony!" "The Iron Phony, you mean." "So, Applejack." "You ready to win second place?" "I'm ready to run a good, clean race!" "Yeah, yeah..." "You are not allowed to use your wings!" "I could win this race with both wings tied behind my back." "Trussed up like a turkey." "Well, a turkey who can't fly, that is." "Very funny." "'least now we know we're racing' fair and square." "Racers!" "Please take your position." "Um..." "Pinkie Pie?" "Hey, Spike!" "What's up?" "Oh wait, it me!" "I'm up!" "Uh, yeah, uh..." "I know you're doing the announcing today and stuff and..." "I'm sure you're gonna do a great job and all, but..." "I was just wondering..." "What?" "Uh..." "Forget it!" "Spike!" "Would you like to be my co-reporter?" "We could comment on the action together!" "We could?" "Climb on up!" "Twilight?" "What in tarnation are you doin' up here?" "I'm racing!" "Good one, Twilight!" "I'm not joking." "What?" "!" "You're not an athlete, you're a..." "well... you're an egghead." "I am not an egghead!" "I am well read." "Egghead." "But ha... have you ever run a race?" "Well, no." "But I do know a lot about running." "And you know this from..." "Books." "I've read several on the subject." "What'd you read?" "The "Egghead's Guide to Running"?" "Di... di... did you stretch out your eye muscles to warm up?" "HA HA HA HA!" "Get it?" "Eye muscles!" "Scoff if you must, Rainbow." "But the Running of the leaves is a Ponyville tradition." "And since I'm here to learn, I've decided I should experience it myself." "Well, I think that's just dandy, Twilight." "Good luck!" "Yeah!" "See you at the finish line!" "Tomorrow." "All right, ponies!" "Are you ready?" "Get set!" "And they're off!" "Welcome to the official coverage of the Running of the Leaves." "You know, Spike, despite its name, the leaves don't do any of the actual running." "No, that's left to My Little Ponies." "Why..." "Yes, Pinkie." "It's the running of the ponies that causes the leaves to fall." "Ugh..." "Those lazy, lazy leaves." "But his year, the run is about more than the weather." "It's about the race to the finish and the two runners want to win it." "Applejack and Rainbow Dash." "You know, Pinkie, these two ponies have a bit of a grudge match they're trying to settle." "Trying to prove who's the most athletic." "Yes and "grudge" rhymes with "fudge"." "Yes, it... does." "What?" "And I like fudge." "But if I eat too much fudge, I get a pudge and then I can't budge." "So... no fudge?" "Oh, no thanks." "I had a big breakfast." "Let's check in with our two competitive ponies:" "Applejack and Rainbow Dash." "Having come fast out of the gate, Applejack and Rainbow Dash are evenly matched running neck and neck." "But what's this?" "Applejack is making the move, she's now ahead by a nose." "But Rainbow Dash pulls Applejack up and takes the lead." "She's ahead by half a nose." "Or maybe three quarters of a nose." "No, about 63.7% of a nose..." "Roughly speaking." "Applejack sees this move and pushes forth with her strong workhorse legs slinking ahead by 350 noses!" "Not so easy without wings, is it?" "Come on, Rainbow." "Show 'em a little dash!" "Ho-hold your horses, Pinkie!" "Rainbow Dash is catching up the frontrunner Applejack." "What an upset!" "I thought Applejack had this in the bag." "You didn't think I was gonna let you off that easy, did you?" "I don't believe it!" "I know, it's beautiful, isn't it?" "Not the scenery, Twilight." "Rainbow Dash just tripped me." "She did not." "She did too!" "She did not!" "And if you slowed down and looked where you're going, like me you'd see that you tripped over a rock." "What?" "Oh, hayseed!" "Now I got a lot of ground to make up to catch Rainbow." "Just be careful!" "See you at the finish line!" "I don't believe it!" "After a huge setback, Applejack is back at the front of the pack." "She's the head of the pack, all right." "The pick of the litter!" "The CAT'S PYJAMAS!" "Oh, wait!" "Why would Applejack take some poor kitty's PJs?" "That's not very sporting of her." "Oookay..." "Let's get back to the race." "Not so fast, Applejack!" "This race isn't over yet." "It is for you." "I don't believe it!" "Applejack tripped me." "Don't you ponies ever look where you're going?" "You tripped on a stump." "See?" "Oh, I see." "A big cheater is what I see." "Rainbow, Applejack would never cheat." "It was just an accident." "Sure it was." "I mean..." "Yeah!" "I'm sure it was." "Remember, Rainbow, this is just a game." "Yes." "But the rules have changed." "And two can play at that game." "Welcome back, Ponyvillians!" "It's me, Pinkie Pie." "And Spike." "Looks like Rainbow's doing her best to catch up." "I'm not sure how ketchup is going to help her in this contest." "Now, in a hot dog eating contest it can make them doggies nice and slippery." "But personally, I prefer mustard." "How about you, Spike?" "Uh..." "I like... pickles?" "Aaand it looks like Applejack has found herself in quite a pickle as Rainbow overtakes her." "Look, ma!" "No wings!" "As the racers enter Equestria's Whitetail Wood, Rainbow Dash is back in the lead." "Hey!" "Rainbow!" "Why, that little cheater did that on purpose!" "It's on!" "Nice one, Rainbow." "...Later!" "..." "Oh my!" "Whitetail Wood is just lovely." "Hey, Rainbow!" "Shouldn't you be up ahead?" "I'm sure I'll win now." "Except that all the other racers just passed you." "Oh horse apples...!" "See ya!" "Applejack!" "What are you doing up here?" "There aren't even any trees." "Uh, no, but the sign's pointed this way..." "Rainbow!" "Mind giving me a lift?" "What a hay?" "!" "You said no flying!" "No." "I said no wings." "I must say, Spike, that this has been the most interesting Running of the Leaves in Equestria history!" "With the most interesting announcing..." "But it isn't the running that's been fascinating." "It's the lack of running!" "Forgive me, girls." "I know I'm not an athlete but shouldn't the Running of the Leaves actually involve running?" "You know, I think Twilight's right." "You do?" "Yeah!" "If you wanna beat me, you better..." "RUUUN!" "Once again, Rainbow Dash and Applejack are neck and neck, jockeying for position." "Applejack inches ahead, now it's Rainbow it's Applejack, it's Rainbow Dash, it's Applejack!" "Oh no, she di'int!" "Oh yes, she di'id!" "Cut it out!" "No, you cut it out!" "You started it!" "And now I'm gonna finish it." "Oh no, you won't!" "Oh yes, I will!" "That's it!" "All bets are off." "Oh no, you don't!" "It's Applejack, it's Rainbow Dash, it's Applejack, it's Rainbow Dash!" "I won!" "No!" "I won!" "I won!" "You tied!" "Tied?" "!" "For first?" "For last!" "LAST?" "!" "Then who won?" "YOU?" "!" "Oh, no." "But I did get fifth place." "Which is rather good, considering I've never run a race before." "What?" "!" "How's that even possible?" "You ran so slow." "And looked at the scenery." "Exactly!" "I paced myself, just like my book said." "Then at the end, when all the other ponies were worn out I sprinted to the finish." "I don't believe it." "Twilight beat us!" "Well, with all your horsing around, it was quite easy." "You're right, Twilight." "Our behavior was just terrible." "We weren't very good sports." "Sounds to me like an important lesson was learned." "PRINCESS CELESTIA?" "!" "Wh..." "What are you doin' here?" "Fall is one of my favorite seasons." "So I came to celebrate the Running of the Leaves." "I'm sorry you had to see us being such poor sport, Princess." "That's all right, Applejack." "Anypony can get swept up in the excitement of competition." "It's important to remember that the friendship is always more important than the competition." "Exactly, Twilight." "Now, unfortunately, because the two of you were busy tricking each other instead of shaking down leaves, many of the lovely trees in Equestria are still covered." "Why, Princess, I bet we can knock those leaves down for you lickety split." "Whaddya say, friend?" "Wanna go for another run?" "I'd love to stretch my legs!"