"Oh, hell no." She says as she runs faster, matching me stride for stride. "Left!"
I let her cut in front of me for three seconds, take a quick glance at the round globes of her pert backside, before I burst forward. "Left!"
The trail curves along the lakeshore and the sun burns a little hotter with each quarter mile we put behind us in this double helix formation, swirling around each other in turn.
"On your left!" She grunts as she surges forward.
I catch her satisfied smile as she passes me.
What is it about this woman that drives me to act in ways I've never acted before?
I ignore my training pace and wonder what my Garmin is going to record for this run as I sprint past her again. It’s possible I didn’t fuel enough for this intensity. I’ll need to be mindful of my energy as I loop back towards home.
Our dance continues until she peels off the course and takes the path under Lake Shore Drive on the north side of the city. I must have picked her up on her return run from Museum Campus. That would have been about the right mileage for a recovery run.
The temptation to follow her is strong but I settle myself and get back into my mindset for a training run.
I wasn’t planning on the extra effort, the quicker pace, when I left this morning, but I can’t help but hope trying to keep pace with Laney will benefit me in the long run.
Chapter five
Laney
Sole Purpose
“Ican’tbelieveit’stime for Chattanooga already.” Dee says as she sets my duffel in the backseat while I strap my bike to the car four weeks later.
“Darn tootin’” I reply and she laughs.
“Are you nervous?”
I’m scared shitless. “A little, mostly excited though.”
And the second half is true. I am excited. The 70.3 distance last month felt good and tomorrow I get to double it.
I’m trying to complete a full length TitaniumPerson race.
I bonked in the marathon when I attempted the race last year.
But I’ve leveled up my training and I’m just desperate enough to kill myself trying.
Another reason to be nervous?
Miguel Garcia is competing.
I know because I checked the registration list.
Each time I’ve left my home in the last three weeks I’ve been on alert for the tall, extra large, iced americano that is Miguel.
Our paths haven’t crossed again.
“I kind of want to go.” Dee muses as she closes the door and turns to me.
“Why? It’s super boring to stand on the sidelines.”
And I don’t know how to tell her this is something I need to do alone. I need to prove I can do this and if I have Dee there to protect me from the fall I’m not sure I’ll grind it out.
Her safety net might hold me back.
