Chapter Three - part two

    James had set his alarm clock just in case the time change threw off his internal alarms. It didn't seem to have made much difference though. He woke up a few minutes before the radio went off. He just laid there waiting and thinking about stuff until it did go off. Once the radio did start James was up and about quickly. He let it play softly as he got dressed. He had packed a light jacket. They had warned him it would be cool this close to the mountains, even at this time of year. As he stepped out into the hallway Jeremy was already there. They tried to be as quiet as possible, but Susan had heard them. She asked how long they would be out and what they wanted for breakfast. They told her that cereal would be fine, but somehow they both knew they wouldn't be eating any cereal if Susan had anything to say about it. They walked to the park this morning. It would take time to get warmed up and muscles ready before they started their runs.

    Jeremy was the first to say something. "I noticed you have a full sized Bible with you. Just in case you haven't heard, that isn't the best of ideas inside the military these days. Being a Christian is kinda like it used to be for gays once. You know, don't ask don't tell, just thought I should say something." James didn't look over at Jeremy for a minute as he completed his current stretching movements. Then he did straighten and looked directly at him as he replied. "Yeah, I have heard that too. The thing is that I can't deny being a Christian, no matter what. The Bible is very clear about that. Jesus said, "But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven", so for me there is no other choice. I figure I may take some heat over it for a while, but better a little heat in this world than an eternity spent burning in the fires of hell. Thanks for the warning though." Jeremy just shrugged and said nothing more.

    Once they had completed their stretching and were about ready to start they walked out onto the track. Jeremy looked over at James and grinning spoke again. "You want to do a sprint race to the turn? Just for fun, nothing serious. You know, just to loosen up a bit before we start to really work out." James grinned back at Jeremy and replied. "Why not, say a count of three and we start on three?" Jeremy just nodded and moved to take a position to start the sprint. As he settled into position he counted off with a clear call of "One." James dropped down, settled in place and gave a quiet "Two". Jeremy gave the count of "Three" and they were off.

    Jeremy was half a stride quicker that James, but James had a longer stride that made up the difference in a just a few strides. James was sprinting hard, but he had more left to give. Jeremy was sprinting right with James, but it appeared that his speed was effortless. They were stride for stride all the way to the start of the curve in the oval track. Both slowed to an easy jogging pace as they went into that curve. Jeremy grinned as he spoke again. "You're faster than you look for a big guy. I think you must have been a good sprinter." James grinned, but shook his head. "I never wanted to work that hard, it takes a lot more effort to sprint that short distance than it does to run a long one. That and you have to be totally focused to run a good sprint. You let anything distract you, even for an instant, and all of that work is wasted. Sprints are good to loosen up with, but I will stick with distance running. There is lots of time to think and plenty of time to make up for any minor mistakes along the way too." They were almost to the straight again. Jeremy just grinned and shook his head, as he asked James. "Go again?" James just grinned and moved to take position with a call of "One."

    They repeated the same process a total of seven times as they worked out around the track. By then it was getting light enough for them to run on the paths inside the park without concern of the darker places hiding dangers in the path. There were also several other runners starting to show up, making it harder to have a clear path for their sprints. As they approached the start again Jeremy glanced around the track. It was clear except for a young woman just about to start directly in front of them and a pair of runners they had just passed who were just jogging to warm up. He looked over at James and asked a question in a serious tone. "So how about we run the full track and make it for real. Just so we will both know where we stand. That way we won't be wondering the rest of the week, we will know." James just smiled. As they approached the young woman he spoke to her. "Ma'am, would you mind calling the start for us, so we can run a little race for fun?" She smiled and nodded. As she stepped forward she spoke to them in a very soft voice. "Sure, I saw your last two sprints and I would enjoy watching you guys race for real. I will call it, ready, set, and then go. Get on your marks."

    They both grinned. She was a very pretty young blonde. James would have guessed her to be in her early twenties. She had a good tan and looked to be in great shape and she was most definitely a runner with those beautiful long legs. Taking positions they got ready and set with her calls.  At go it was almost a dead even break. Once again Jeremy was fraction faster, but James longer stride kept him even. This time they were both pushing things just a bit more. Jeremy had a slight advantage at the first turn, but they were dead even at the last turn. Several people had stopped to watch, even those on the paths in the park were watching. As they came out of the last turn Jeremy put on a small burst of speed, but James matched him with his longer stride. Both of them pulled up just a fraction as they were about to hit the start again. They crossed almost dead even, just like they had run most of the race. They were both breathing a little harder now, but not straining for breath at all. They were both grinning at each other too.

    The blonde walked over shaking her head. She held a stop watch in her hand. "You two are fast, very fast. I wish you had finished the run though, even if you were both holding back." They both looked at her in surprise. Laughing she continued. "Oh don't worry, most people would never know that wasn't your best, but I know running and runners. Are you two going to be on the team at the Academy?" Now James managed to speak. "How do you know we're going to the Academy?" She laughed again and then smiled as she answered. James hadn't realized just how beautiful she was until she smiled like that. "Easy enough, you are both very young. Probably just out of high school, and I don't recognize you, so you aren't local. There are no track meets in the immediate area right now, so that leaves college and you have the right look. The Academy is the only logical possibility. Now are you on the track team or are you just thinking about it?"

     Jeremy laughed. "That is how I made it into the Academy for the most part. I’m a sprinter. James here says he didn't try for the team, but I think he should. If he’s better at distance than he is at sprinting, like he says he is, he should make the team easy." James reddened slightly at the suddenly more intense study from this young woman. She spoke again. This time in a lower voice, almost as if speaking thoughts out loud. "So you run distance. You have the look, but you have the speed for sprinting too." She raised her voice again. "Your friend is right, you should try out. Well, maybe I will see you guys again. I have to get started if I want to have time for a shower before work." With that she turned and started off down the track. Both of them watched her running until she was almost around the first turn.

    As they started off the track towards the path that ran all the way around the park Jeremy spoke. "I wouldn't mind seeing her again, especially not if she wears shorts that tight all the time." He grinned while shaking his head as James gave him a surprised look. "Don't give me that look. Your eyes were watching her rear just like mine. That is one tight butt and those legs... I wish." James had to laugh before he commented. "Yeah, she was definitely worth watching, but did you see her when she smiled. I think I would have done anything she asked when she looked at me and smiled." Jeremy grinned. "Yeah I saw. I think I may like Colorado. I was afraid it would be too cold, but it seems plenty hot enough to me, plenty hot enough." They both laughed as they started up the path at a steady pace, faster than a jog, but not quite a run. They didn't do a lot of talking for the first round or so. Both of them had enough to think about without the distraction that conversation would have caused.

   The path around the park was about a mile and a half in total length. Jeremy ran it three times and then dropped off to take a break. James continued to run and without Jeremy beside him he picked up the pace. Another round and he picked up the pace yet again. He was finding it harder to get his breath than normal, but he had expected that. Jeremy had moved back to the oval track and seemed to be running short sprints again. James considered what he had learned today. Jeremy was indeed very fast. Jeremy hadn't ever really pushed himself hard on the short runs, but he had easily paced James who had been pushing. It was true that James hadn't been sprinting full out either, but he had been a lot closer to it than he thought Jeremy had been. His mind kept wandering back to that blonde though. He hadn't really thought much about it at the time, but something about her was stuck in his head. Grinning he laughed. Something other than her smile, long legs, tight shorts, and firm body that is. It was the way she had looked at them as she had talked to them. He couldn't say what it was, but there was something about it that just kept coming back to mind.

    They arrived back at the Blake's house to find them up and enjoying their morning coffee. They could also smell the hot breakfast that was waiting for them too. Ham and eggs, the eggs were fixed to order when they arrived, with fresh baked biscuits and an assortment of fruits. It was more than they should have eaten, but it was hard to tell her no and the food was very good. The remainder of the week was pretty much the same for them. They started each morning off with a run at the park. They both looked each day, but they never saw the blonde again.  After that first day they did decide that a bit later start was not such a bad idea though. They had noticed the scenery was much better after the sun was fully up. Jeremy was right, it was plenty hot enough in Colorado, especially once the college girls were out for their morning run.