The race

The dressing room door opened and in walked Jeff,

“Sam its 20 minutes then your up! You ready?”

Sam played with his fingers and said,

“I guess there are more people out there than I expected!”

Jeff replied,

“Come on we have discussed this all you need to do is focus, focus and then focus! What have we been doing for the last two months? Training! Now you listen to me Sam I’m right behind you Bob is behind you! Your not just racing for yourself your racing for us buddy!”

 Jeff playfully slapped Sam on the back and sank to his knees and began re-tying his running shoes,

“Jeff I’ve tied them no need to do them again jeez!”

“A lace comes loose my lad and all this hard work and training is lost! I’ve invested unpaid time in you! Now I’m re-tying your shoes end of! You taken any energy drinks?”

“No Jeff nothing except bottled Buxton or Malvern water like you said”

Jeff replied,

“Good lad we’re gonna show them leave them for dead you will, you’re the quickest out there I god damn know it and they sure as hell God damn know it! Stand up and do your stretches so I can see you’ve done them”

Sam stood up and bent his slim frame downwards and touched his toes. Then he put his hands on his hips and swivelled from the waist. Next Sam jogged on the spot very gently getting the muscles in his thighs warm. The wind changed and Sam and Jeff heard the crowd shouting as the race before just finished! Jeff said,

“Right your gonna be called any second now don’t look at the crowd ok don’t! I telling you just imagine they are all cheering for you no one else”

Jeff once more dropped to his knees and rubbed a very mild muscle warmer into Sam’s legs, he said,

“Its 200 metres only Sam, 200 metres you’ve run the 400 and the relay. Your bloody quick over short distances your gonna win say it say it!”

Sam shouted out,

“I’m gonna win, I’m gonna win!”

Bob stuck his head around the changing room door and said,