Author's note:
This story is a lot longer than I'd intended, and broken into three parts. It usually takes from a couple of days to a few weeks for me to complete a story, but this one took me seven months. It didn't go where I thought it would, and some of you may find the end of Ch 3 a little weird. Perhaps it is. But I think the whole story is "action packed" enough to make up for it.
I'd love it if you would let me know what you think, and please vote!
TC 5
Let's Go for a Run, Ch 01
I met Sharon at Mike's Friday night party. We ended up together mostly because everyone else there was married or attached, and besides, I'd never seen her before. Turns out she just started at Mike's company, and he asked her to come so she could mingle a little, since a lot of the guests work there.
I noticed her first because she's tall, almost my height, and slim almost to the point of being skinny. "Hi," I said, "my name's Dan, I'm a friend of Mike's." We went through the usual introductory chit-chat, but finally I couldn't resist asking, "Are you, by any chance, a runner?"
That's all it took. She was, of course, and an ardent one, at that. I had run cross country, years ago in high school, and jogged a little while I was in college, but all that was a memory now. However, it did mean I wasn't ignorant of the subject, and it turned out to be her favorite topic. We got a couple of drinks, and ended up in a corner, chatting for most of the night.
I was kind of blindsided though, when she asked me if I would like to join her for a run the next morning. I'm not exactly out of shape, but at 28, I haven't really run for over 5 years. I know enough about runners to be fairly sure she probably did five or six miles, three to five days a week, probably at around seven minutes per. I tried to whine my way out of it, but she wasn't having any of my excuses, and she said she would be gentle. We could do two or three miles at "my" pace.
She also asked if I knew any good places to run, and as it happens, I do. Most of the locals do the roads and trails around the reservoir in town. I said I would pick her up, since she's new to the area. She wanted me to come by at seven, but I managed to negotiate 8 AM. After all, we were at the party, drinking, and it was already after eleven. I walked her out to her car, and was pleased when she leaned to me and gave me a kiss goodnight on the lips, as I opened the door for her.
Truthfully, I was quite taken with her. She had the typical runners build, slim hips and small behind, and breasts that disappeared under anything heavier than a T-shirt. But she had a very pretty face under short blonde hair, and smiled a lot, with eyes that sparkled. If I survived the run without disgracing myself, it might be worth the effort.
I got up at 6, showered, took a couple of ibuprofen, and managed to find an old pair of running shorts that I could get into. I had to wipe the mildew off the old running shoes, but at least, they weren't worn out. White socks and a Tee completed the outfit.
I got to her door right on time, and she answered at the first ring. She came right out, but I noticed there was a younger girl behind her who yelled, "Have fun, Shari," as the door closed. "Mandy, my sister," she said. "Both of my younger sisters live with me."
When we arrived, we went through the usual stretching routine, and soon were on the road that circles the reservoir. I was guessing it was about a 2 mile loop. She was true to her word, and let me set the pace, the best I could do without puffing too badly. When we got to the first of the many marked trails, she said, "Do you mind if we try this? I love running in the woods." Truthfully, I had no idea where it went, but my cross country experience had at least prepared me for trail running, so of course, I agreed.
Fortunately the trail was pretty flat, but I knew it would be longer than the road. She chatted, while I concentrated on conserving my breath, and at the eight minute mark, I figured we had gone at least a mile. So far so good. At 16 minutes, I was feeling a little tightness in my calves and thighs, but what bothered me more was, the trail never seemed to turn towards the parking lot. At around 24 minutes, we turned and the sun was in my eyes, which I figured should be the way back.
She asked how I was doing, realizing this was more than I had bargained for, and I didn't say much, but I noticed a definite ache in my left thigh. By 30 minutes, I had slowed noticeably, running flatfooted way off my earlier pace,, and she had a look of concern on her face, apologizing for taking me so much farther than planned. The trail rejoined the road, and we could see the opening of the parking area, about a quarter mile ahead.
Then it happened. I got a major cramp in my left thigh, and just managed to dive onto the grass, avoiding the pavement. I was in agony, trying to find a position for my leg that would bring some relief. Despite myself, tears streamed down my face from the sharp pain. She was on me at once, grabbing my ankle and pulling hard, pushing my toes down, pointing away. That did help, and in a minute or two I was sure I wouldn't die - immediately. Once she found the key to relieving the pressure, her hands found the knotted muscle and massaged my thigh deeply. A few others stopped to look, but went on their way.