Seconds (5 page)
“Well, fellas,” said Dave, “now that you all know each other, what do you say we get started?”
The Cedar Grove Conservation area had a long thin strip of woods and grassy meadows that rolled out along the river. After doing a series of warm-up stretches, the boys started running along the path down by the water and then followed it up into the woods, over bridges and along the edge of a pumpkin field. Most of the field had been cleared already, but one section was still full of big bright-orange pumpkins. This is easy, thought Jake. No problem. He stayed easily ahead of Tony and Paul. He moved ahead of Shawn and positioned himself right behind Sam. He thought of passing him but figured he'd just stay behind this time and study his technique. When they came out of the woods again and into the open, Dave waved them over. They weren't stopping already, were they? That was nothing!
When everybody was together again, Dave had them sit in a circle on the grass. This is like kindergarten, thought Jake. Dave started talking to them about how there was more to running a race than just covering the distance. Continuous running helped build endurance, but a runner also needed depth. He needed a well of energy he could tap into at key moments, such as when he needed to pass or to finish strong. To win, thought Jake. Yes. He liked what he was hearing. Dave had the boys spread themselves out in a line across the field and start running as they had been, but when he blew his whistle, they were to do wind sprints, running as hard as they could, as if they were doing the one-hundred-meter dash. When they heard the whistle again, they were to resume their regular pace. When they had crossed the meadow this way and were back in the woods, they ran a loop that took them back out into the open and they did the sprints again. Jake lost track of how many times they did it. Finally, Dave put the whistle down and told them to finish with an easy run down the path and back to the parking lot where they had started. It was hard work, and Jake ached all over, but his mind told him this was good. Finally, he thought, watching Dave clap each boy on the shoulder as he said goodbye, here was a guy who didn't fool around, who took things seriously.
“Great work out there today, Jake.”
“Thanks. See you tomorrow?”
“No. We meet every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, if we can. Take a break tomorrow. We'll see you Friday.”
What? Take a break? No way. That wasn't going to take Jake where he wanted to go. Toughness. That was his focus. Still, he was hopeful about the way things had gone that day.
Thursday morning, Jake ran as usual. The muscles in his ankles felt tight after the sprints the day before, but he just ran through the pain. The weather had turned colder, and he puffed out small clouds as he jogged along. After school he was ready to go out again, but his mom stopped him at the door.
“It's sleeting, Jake.”
“Yeah, I can hear it on the windows.”
“I don't want you to go out.”
“Why not?”
“It's sleeting, Jake.”
“Mom, I can't let a little bit of ice stop me. I have to be ready for anything. What if it's sleeting on race day? I have to be tough.”
She crossed her arms and smiled. “It's not race day, buster, and I can be tough too, you know. I don't want you to catch pneumonia. You're not going out.”
Jake sighed. “Mothers think everything causes pneumonia.” His mother laughed and ruffled his hair. He knew right then that he was going to give up the idea of shaving his head. He liked it when she did that. Jake went downstairs to work out instead. To his surprise, Luke was there, and so was all his stuff. Guitars, amplifiers, cords and wires running everywhere.
“What are you doing here?”
“Mom said it was too noisy for you if I played in my room.”
“How am I supposed to work out down here?”
“Do it to the tunes, man!” Luke grinned.
Jake picked up his hand weights. “You know, if Dad's such a fan, you should get him to build you a room over the garage.”
“Nice idea, but I don't think it's going to happen.”
“C'mon. He loves your music.”
“Me, yes.” Luke put a hand over his heart. Then he patted his guitar. “This baby, not so much. You know what Dad listens to on the radio in his workshop. Golden oldies and moldies, country tunes and hockey games.”
They laughed.
“But he goes to concerts with you. Why would he do that if he didn't want to?”
“Because I don't tell him he can't. Besides, you know that supply of earplugs he keeps on the shelf for when he's using the table saw? He keeps a stash in his jacket pocket too, for when we go out to the bands.”
Luke plugged in his guitar. “Why do you have to practice all the time anyway?” Jake asked.
“I'm not practicing, dude. I'm playing.”
Friday, the team met at Cedar Grove again. Jake was ready to go and jogged off toward the trees where they'd done the warm-ups the last time, but the guys remained standing in a circle in the parking lot. Dave was leaning against the fence, talking to them. Jake ran back to join them. He didn't want to miss any of the strategy talk, although he was developing his own strategy about how to take on Sam. Stick to him like a shadow the whole way and then slide past him at the finish.
Jake joined the group. They weren't talking strategy. They weren't even talking about running. Tony was talking about his twin sisters and the birthday party they were going to have that weekend. They were turning four. “Way too much giggling and screaming,” complained Tony. “My mom wants me to help, but I don't know if I'll survive.” Everyone laughed.
Paul had a music recital that evening. He played the trombone. Shawn talked about a new video game he wanted to try.
“What about you, Sam? What's going on with you?” asked Dave. Sam shrugged slightly and smiled. Paul jumped in and told them how Sam had competed in the Math Olympics at school.
“And?” asked Dave.
Sam grinned and unzipped his jacket to show off a gold medal. Jake knew it. Sam liked to win.
“Sam does fractions for fun,” Shawn joked as they all gave Sam a high five. “How about you, Jake?”
“Huh? Oh, I⦔ He paused. “I run.”
“No gaming?” asked Shawn.
“Not much.”
“No long division?” Sam added. Everyone laughed.
“No little sisters?” asked Tony.
“No music lessons?” asked Paul at the same time.
“No, but I have a brother who plays music all day.”
“What kind?”
“Loud.”
The guys smiled. “Well,” said Dave, “I don't know much about making music, but I guess we should make some tracks. Let's go.”
Jake was still smiling as he walked out of the parking lot. These guys are okay, he thought. When they started their warm-up run through the woods, though, a familiar hard knot started to form in his stomach. What causes that? he wondered. Again, Jake followed just behind Sam. He knew he could pass him when the time came. After the warm-up, Dave met them in the parking lot and had them take off their spikes and put their regular running shoes back on. What now? thought Jake.
“No wind sprints today?” he asked.
“No, that's Wind Sprint Wednesday,” answered Shawn. “Today is Far Out Friday.”
Far Out Friday? Jake winced. Again, he felt a little like he was in kindergarten. “Did Dave come up with those names?”
“No, we did.”
“What's Monday then?”
“Mixed-up Monday. You never know what Dave will come up with. A little bit of anything.”
It turned out that Far Out Friday meant they went for a long run across the city. The guys waved at everyone as they jogged by. Jake got the impression they took this route often and had gotten to know certain people as regulars. The lady walking four dogs. The delivery man dropping off boxes at the market. When they passed Ben's Bakery, they all banged on the front window. “What's that all about?” asked Jake.
“Ben's our sponsor,” huffed Paul. “He bought us the shirts and stuff.”
Jake quickly scanned the front of his jersey and each sleeve. “How come his name isn't on them?”
“I guess he's not into that. Just wants to help out. So we say thanks every time we run by. Show him we're out here working hard.”
The guys had stuck together loosely as a group. Sam and Jake, then Shawn, Tony and Paul close behind. Jake had been ready to pass Sam but wasn't sure of the route they were going to take. Now they were on the way back to Cedar Grove, a hundred meters or so from the entrance to the parking lot, and Jake was ready to make his move. He wanted to show Dave what he could do. A cyclist zoomed by on his left. A flash of fur flew in on his right. A little dog, leash and tongue flapping, ran right in front of him. Jake had to jump to avoid trampling him and came down sideways. He rolled onto the grass and made a grab for the leash. A woman came running up.
“Oh, I'm so sorry! Bitsy, you naughty dog!” she cried. “He saw that bike go by and started to chase it,” she explained. “He's ridiculous with bikes. He got away from me. I'm so sorry. Are you all right?”
“Fine,” said Jake, handing her the leash.
“Are you sure?”
He nodded. The woman went off, scolding Bitsy. By now, Sam had come back and Paul, Tony and Shawn had caught up.
“Oh, no!” said Paul, shaking his head. “Torpedo Dog. I've met up with him before. He sure sabotaged your run.” He reached out a hand to pull Jake up. “You okay?”
“Fine.” But when Jake stood and put weight on his left ankle, it didn't exactly feel fine.
“Sure?”
“Yeah. Just got the wind knocked out of me for a minute.” He walked with the others back to Cedar Grove.
“Here's my team,” said Dave as they turned in. “Good to see you, guys.” Dave clapped each of them on the shoulder. “Everyone feeling good?” Everyone looked at Jake. He nodded. They all nodded. “Okay. Do a light run sometime Saturday if you can. Maybe run off that birthday cake and ice cream.” He winked at Tony. Tony groaned. “Take Sunday off. Your body needs a rest. See you Monday.”
Jake shook his head. Light runs were not his style. Neither were days off. He'd continue with his own schedule. He went to unlock his bike.
“Hey, Jake?” called Dave.
“Yeah?”
“Are you limping?”
“No.”
Dave looked at him with one eyebrow raised.
“Maybe a little.” He explained about Bitsy.
“Let's have a look.”
Jake gasped softly as he took off his shoe, but he tried to cover it up by clearing his throat.
Dave felt the ankle. “Hmm. Not too bad. Stay off it for the weekend though. Should be okay by Monday.”
“Okay,” said Jake. But he had no intention of taking the weekend off. This would be the perfect test to see if he could tough it out.
At Monday's practice, Dave had all the boys sit at the picnic table next to the fence. Jake was glad to sit down. He stretched his legs out under the table. He wondered what Dave would ask them to do today. Mixed-up Monday. Could be anything. He could feel his ankle throbbing. He'd thought about taping it but knew that would give him away. He figured if he just tied his spikes tight enough, he should be okay. Tough it out, he thought. But it hurt.
Dave stood at one end of the table, put a foot up on the bench and started by asking each of them how their weekend had gone. Tony had survived the twins' birthday party, but just barely. Shawn had had a video game-and-pizza party. Sam had gone to his brother's high-school science fair. Paul had nailed his rendition of the
Star Wars
theme at the recital and then spent the rest of the weekend making a log cabin for Social Studies. He showed them the poison ivy on his leg from collecting sticks in the woods and the two burns on his fingers from using a glue gun to stick them together. Dave shook his head. “Guess we'll have to take it easy on you today,” he said with a laugh.