Runner's High
Step.
Step.
Step.
The monotonous rhythm of my feet on the forest floor hardly registered anymore. I felt my heels sink a little in the soft ground then my body moved forward and pressed the balls of each foot until finally my toes touched the ground and I pushed off to make my body maintain its speed. Slight pain registered in my legs, indicating that I had been running for a while now, but that wasn't something to worry about yet. I felt drops of sweat on my back as I perspired faster than it evaporated, even on this warm day. My hair seemed to be continuously plotting to block my vision; I kept pushing it away but it came back as soon as I did.
I heard birds around me but only occasionally saw one. Oh look, a squirrel! And...
Oh my!
It's the guy who takes the same route I do. We have been seeing each other during runs now for the past few weeks, occasionally making small talk and I have been getting more and more interested in him. He looks okay, not overly handsome, but he has a certain aura around him that attracts me to him. I'm not sure what it is. I took my usual position next to him, ready to talk about the weather and daily events. I had been debating whether or not to take it a little further but did not have the courage yet to ask. He might say no.
"Want to try a little competition?"
His words pulled me out of my daydreaming and I looked at him. He had a playful smile on his face that I had not seen before; he was clearly up to something.
"What kind of competition?"
"Who is fastest getting to the parking lot at the end?"
"Okay, I can do that. So what does the winner get then?"
"Mmmm, interesting question," he said. "You know, I have been looking at you for quite a while now. The winner gets the other for one hour."
"Say what!"
"Hey, just an offer; I noticed how you have been looking at me. It's just a fun idea to spice things up."
"I wasn't angry," I said. "Okay, let's do it. I am going to win you know!"
"Well, let's go then. Ready, steady, GO!"
While I accelerated I just thought about how I'd gotten myself into this. I liked the idea though, having him for myself for one hour, ha-ha! This was going to be fun. I felt the excitement running through me while I ran. I had started a little faster and I heard him breathing behind me. It stimulated me immensely to just try to run a little harder and create some distance while in my mind ideas started to form; what I could do with him when I won or...what he would do to me if he won. Oh the possibilities, this was going to be so much fun.
When I passed a bunch of trees close together the forest slowly opened up. There! I could see the parking area. I was going to win; he was going to be mine.
SLAM!
My face hit the dirt before I realized I'd fallen on the slippery slope on the way to the parking lot. I quickly got up only to get some extra mud in my face due to him passing by. I ran after him, approaching him fast, but he made it just a few seconds before me. He looked back and smiled.