Run

Prologue

Have you ever ran as fast as your legs could possibly take you?

Ever felt the wind lashing against your face as if trying to pull you back to safety like a parachute?

For Kevin, that adrenaline-filled moment where you reached your top speed and flew down the track was where all problems ceased to exist. Where the howling wind was the only thing whispering sweet affirmations in your ear.

Where true happiness resided. 

"How's the foot?" Coach Ryan asked as Kevin walked up to him.

Ryan, Kevin's coach was a mammoth of a man. Standing at 6'2, he was a former distance runner in his own right that made it as far as getting a track scholarship at the University of Kentucky. Now, he was on to the next chapter as he often said, after failing to represent the USA on the Olympic stage he hoped to mentor a runner that could do what he couldn't.

Kevin shrugged. "It's been better. I'm sure it'll feel much better once I start running." His coach was referring to a light pain that had developed in his knee area, they had been monitoring it and it had already caused him to miss two days of training.

Coach nodded, not bothering to question Kevin's puzzling logic. After a full year of training him, he had gotten used to the oddity that came with someone completely obsessed with the art of running competitively.

"Let's get you on the track then."

Kevin's mind had been a whirlwind as of late. The typical senior stuff; studying, socializing, oh and checking his mother into therapy. Daily life created a constant noise in his brain, from having to keep up appearances, live up to expectations and the like, but at this moment --even from just simply approaching the track, the outside chatter dimmed to a tolerable volume.

Coach Ryan led him across the track to the grass circle in the middle where the other field events like high jump and shot put were usually set up. They approached a lone figure stretching in the grass, he looked not much older than 19.

"You ready, Jason?" Coach Ryan asked.

The boy in question nodded, getting up from his crouched position. He had a confident air about him as he eyed the pair. "This is the guy you were telling me about, Ryan?"

Coach Ryan nodded. "It sure is." He replied with a hint of pride in his voice. 

Jason eyed Kevin skeptically. It was no surprise to either Kevin or Coach Ryan that his appearance elicited this response. Most athletes had a certain aura about them, as Jason did, that exuded a certain sureness in their mannerisms. Not only did Kevin lack this emanation, but he was on the shorter side, standing at 5'8 which meant he had shorter legs than the average runner.

Even though once you got down to the science of it, having longer or shorter legs doesn't matter much since they both have their advantages, it was still a general opinion that longer legs were more fit for a runner. No doubt Usain Bolt had a say in this belief.

"Well, nice to meet you," Jason said finally, extending a hand in Kevin's direction.

Coach Ryan had told Kevin that Jason was being scouted by a few colleges for a track scholarship and judging by his muscular physique, Kevin could tell that he took his training seriously.

Kevin shook his head, refusing to take the other boy's hand. "We'll do the greetings after the race, when you'll really mean it."

Jason paused, obviously shocked by his words. Before the silence became too awkward he broke into laughter. "You got a feisty one here, huh, Coach?" He exclaimed in between laughter.

"Indeed I do." Coach replied, with pride still in his voice.

"I like that idea, let's do the talking with our feet like true sprinters," Jason said with a firm nod. He led the way to where the starting blocks were usually placed with a confident gait. Kevin could tell there was no scenario where he lost this race in his head.

The two sprinters lined up next to each other in the 4th and 5th lane at the 100-meter mark. Coach Ryan went down to the finish line.

"CAN YOU HEAR ME?" Coach Ryan shouted from his position. His deep, bellowing voice sometimes felt like it carried 100 meters even without him shouting so his words reached them with no problem.

They signaled a thumbs up in response and Coach Ryan called for them to get on their marks.

Like countless times before, Kevin put his knee to the floor and crouched down. All the outside noise completely vanished as he locked in, taking in everything while waiting for Coach's next call. 

The coarseness of the track against his knee and hands, the confident calm glint in Jason's eyes, the pungent, sweet aroma of freshly cut grass drifting on the lazy breeze. It was a great day for a run, with the wind resistance being relatively low.

"Set!" Came Coach's second instruction.

Kevin brought his hips up until they sat just higher than his shoulder height. Leaning forward, he distributed the bulk of his weight between his hands and front leg. His front leg sat at approximately 90 degrees while his back leg came up at 120 degrees. It was a motion that was second nature to him now, something that came from countless hours of training at the most minuscule details.

"GOO!"

The two sprinters exploded from their starting positions like an arrow strung from a bow. Jason catapulted ahead of Kevin in the first 10 meters, a situation that was not an anomaly for Kevin who notoriously struggled with poor starts. If there were any doubts Jason was on his way to an athletic scholarship they were cleared up with how he ran the first 30 meters, floating down the track like a dog chasing after a shiny car.

Kevin was no slouch either though. As he started to raise his head from his starting drive, he picked up speed. By the time his shoulders were completely up with the transition to an upward running posture, he was starting to gain on Jason and fast.

As his surroundings became a blur like a fast-forwarded video, Kevin smiled. It wasn't his usual slightly forced smile under the surveillance of people, it was a natural arc of his mouth instead, the kind of smile that you weren't even aware you were making it because the feeling of immense euphoria simply demanded it.

As Jason's back neared and the wind started to whip against his face his smile only widened. Kevin couldn't understand why anyone did any type of drug to gain a high when running was a free proposition that didn't have the trade-off of shortening your lifespan. In fact, there was no way a greater high could exist than the one he currently felt as he reached his top speed and ate up ground at an alarming rate. 

As he passed Jason with still 30 meters to spare he glanced at his face, noting the look of surprise and colossal exertion as he tried to stop the inevitable, but he could only delay it, because Kevin was no longer running.

He was flying down the track.

Kevin reached the finishing line with atleast seven-tenth of a second to spare between him and Jason who looked positively mortified.

Kevin appreciated even the burning of his legs as lactic acid built up, the sign of a race well ran as Coach Ryan would say. 

Kevin turned to Jason who sat on the track huffing up a storm like a dehydrated mutt. He still had that look of utter disbelief, disgust and denial as he glared daggers into the floor.

He held out his hand. 

"My name's Kevin Matthews. I aim to become the fastest man to have ever walked the earth, starting with coming first in the state championships and then nationals this year. Nice to meet you too."