- "I'm the wandering running man! I've run all over this land in search of true competitive spirit. I beat all my challengers, man and beast."
- — Running Man
The Running Man is a character from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Resembling the classical depiction of a Greek Olympian, he is a specialist runner, as is implied by his name.
Biography[]
Spoiler warning: Plot or ending details follow.
- "My long time dream! Returning to the wild life! Finally, the actor, stage and prop have been united!"
- — Running Man
After Link has retrieved all three Spiritual Stones, the Running Man can be found running around Hyrule Field. He continually runs without cease during the daytime, but at sundown, he makes his way to a spot just outside Gerudo Valley to rest, at which point Link can converse with him until the sun rises again. He tells Link that Hyrule Field was once populated by a race of wild rabbits that were later rendered extinct as a result of extensive hunting. Having grown tired of living the life of a Hylian, he seeks to live in the wild, similar to the wild rabbits, even if only in pretence.
If Link shows him the Bunny Hood, he begs Link to sell it to him, as it allows him to pursue his fantasy to a full extent. While the mask's retail price is 50 Rupees, the Running Man gives Link as many Rupees as his current wallet can carry; this can allow him to fill Link's Giant's Wallet with a maximum of 500 Rupees should Link be in possession of the Giant Wallet at the time of the transaction; only 50 Rupees have to be repaid to the Happy Mask Salesman. After the sale, the Running Man's running speed increases heavily, to a point that should Link find himself situated in front of him at any point, Link will be knocked down by the Running Man's blinding speed.
Seven years later, the Running Man can be found within the Carpenters' tent in Gerudo Valley, waiting for a worthy challenger with a true "killer instinct," similar to himself. Once the valley bridge has been repaired, the Running Man will challenge Link to a Commemorative Race all the way to the bridge in the Lost Woods. However, it is impossible for Link to actually beat the Running Man, as he will always claim to have beaten Link by exactly one second.
Spoiler warning: Spoilers end here.