“We’re staggering the starts, with some of the teams starting the kayaking first. Everyone does the bleep test at the end, just to finish you off.” His chuckle sounded depraved. “We’re using this to assess your pre-season fitness.”
“Couldn’t you just do that the usual way?” Leo chirped up.
That wasn’t going to do him any favours. Coach had nasty ways of getting revenge.
There was another chuckle. “No. We’re doing this the old-fashioned way. Let’s get to it, people”. He started to bang his hands together rather than clap, his usual method to rally the troops or give us all a headache.
We moved, Ryan heading over to me, Dee and Izzy still talking to a couple of the other women.
“How long do you think this will take us?” Ryan glanced at his watch. “I think we’ve got a decent chance of getting back here before four.”
“You not bothered about winning?”
He nodded. “It would be nice.”
Underwhelmed was the best description of his tone.
“You got somewhere else to be?”
Ryan looked caught out.
“Look, I don’t know what your story is, but this is your new team and you need to make a fucking effort to fit in. We want you hungry to prove yourself and win shit for the team, not ducking out when you can.”
I saw him clench his jaw. Rather than wait for his response, I walked off, not caring about whatever excuse he wanted to give. He could work out himself what he was going to do to make sure his move to Manchester Athletic worked out.
“The view is amazing.”
I stopped suddenly, just about managing not to walk into the back of Dee, who had to stop because Izzy had stopped, and we were walking in single file.
Izzy was unfit. Whatever she’d been doing since the end of the season, it hadn’t included cardio.
“Can you admire the view as you’re walking? Leo’s lot are just up there.” We’d managed to overtake two groups already, although both weren’t trying to win, just survive. One had been Leo’s, all his team looking worse for wear after last night.
Izzy turned around and glared at me. I shrugged. Dee didn’t disagree. Ryan was a few metres ahead of Izzy and not aware she’d come to a stop.
“It’s only a bit of fun. I can stop and admire the view, you know.” She shook her head and carried on.
I waited till she’d gotten a few steps in before I restarted, not wanting to walk into the back of Dee, and a bit of distance gave me the opportunity to stare at her arse.
She’d already caught me once, giving me a look that should’ve floored me, or at least aimed a dagger at my chest. I’d just laughed, which had pissed her off even more.
“When does your pre-season properly start?” I was fed up with this weird silence that had started about twenty minutes after we started hiking, once all the small talk had dried up.
“Couple of weeks.”
The path had widened, so I caught her up. “Fitness, strength and conditioning – that’s pretty much what we get.”
Dee nodded. “Same. Some skills work too.”
“Have you kept up with much during the break?” I already knew her answer to that. She wasn’t struggling with any fitness, not judging by the way she had pretty much vaulted up part of the climb so far.
“Me and a couple of the other girls have kept up with a programme, so I think we’re good. I had one pre-season a few years back where I hadn’t done much, and it was the hardest thing ever. Not doing that again.” Her smile was genuine, and her eyes lit up. “I need the routine of training. I like knowing what I’m going to do each day, what I have planned.”
“Do you plan in when you’re going to be spontaneous too?”
That light in her eyes turned to a blaze and I tried not to grin. It was too interesting to not to poke fun at her.
“I can be spontaneous.” Her words were defiant.
