“You do this every year?”
“Six years now.”
He nodded. “It shows.”
She looked at him sideways, like she wasn’t sure what to do with his compliment, but he didn’t push it.
They stood in a not-uncomfortable quiet for a moment. The park still held a few people in clusters, ones who had done the mile but passed on the 5K or who were just there for the joy of being part of a happy community. The Christmas lights Steph had strung lit up the area. The night was clear and crisp and smelled like winter should.
“I heard more talk about the poachers while I was setting up,” she said. “A grizzly carcass. North trailhead.”
“I heard the same. Skinned out.”
She nodded, looking out at the park. “The task force will get them. It’s a matter of time. Still...makes me think about my night runs.”
She said it like someone who hadn’t meant to say it and knew it the second the words were out. He felt the shift, the way she pulled back without moving.
“I understand,” he said. He kept his voice easy, not pushing. “Night runs are part of it.”
She looked at him. “You’re doing night runs?”
“Planning to.”
“For what?” She paused a beat. “It’s a little early to start training for your endurance run. The weather will be different, and you don’t want to peak too soon. I can take a look at your training plan if you’d like.”
She gestured toward the registration table, where a couple stood close together, arms around each other. “Do you know Brooke Davies? Owns Irma Brew downtown?”
He shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
“Brooke’s running the Moose Range Run 100 in June. She hasn’t started her actual plan yet, but she will around the new year. For you, with a race at the end of August, I’d recommend waiting until mid-March. Focus on heat training.”
He’d miscalculated. She had no idea he was signed up for The Frozen Divide. And instinctively, he knew telling her now was a bad idea. As much as he hated to, it was probably best to play along.
“Uh, yeah. I was thinking I’d do some overnights just to get a feel for it, but you’re right. Best to wait until closer to the August event,” he said. “I just wanted to know what I was up against.”
It wasn’t a lie. It also wasn’t the whole truth. She nodded slowly, accepting it, but he had the distinct feeling she wasn’t fully convinced.
“That’s smart,” she finally said. “Night running is different from day running. Even something like this.” She gestured about the park. “In town and with everything lit up, it’s not a big deal, but it still throws some people off. It’d be rare to have your best 5K or mile time at somethinglike this. Not only because of the dark but because of the weather. A run at the end of August isn’t the same as a run in December. Or...” She shrugged. “Or March. And elevation can change things too.”
He kept quiet as he realized she was baiting him. Waiting for him to say something more. He understood a winter run in town was considerably different from a winter run at high elevation in the middle of nowhere.
The Frozen Divide was a test of not only endurance but also self-sufficiency. He’d studied the course and knew the aid stations were few and far between. Plus, no drop bags or pacers were allowed. He needed to carry everything with him, which was why a sturdy sled was paramount and mandatory gear was required.
Steph checked her watch. “We’ll start seeing the lead folks soon. I’m going to go make sure the finish line is ready.”
“Expect another rush?”
“Somewhat,” she agreed as she stepped away. “Not everyone hangs around. Some people go get food elsewhere.”
He smiled. “That so?”
Instead of replying, she moved away toward the finish. He watched her go and reminded himself of the things he knew to be true about why Steph Pierce was a problem. He got through three of them before she laughed at something someone said on the other side of the staging area and he lost the thread.
Maybe she’d like to go out for pizza?
The front-runners came in a few minutes later. The finish line filled back up, noise and movement and the restless energy of people who had done something hard and come out the other side of it. She was in the middle of itall, cheering every finisher through, knowing names, knowing exactly what to say to elicit smiles and high fives.
As Steph said, the post-5K crowd was considerably lighter. Some people hung out near the table and chatted, but for the most part, people said their goodbyes and headed out. He overheard more than one group calling out where to meet and even received several invitations of his own to meet up for burgers or sandwiches at various Irma restaurants.
