"Robert Reed - X-Country" - читать интересную книгу автора (Reed Robert)

stomping grounds. On the trails outside Enderville. What do you think?тАЭ

тАЬWhen?тАЭ

тАЬThis October,тАЭ he said. тАЬIf thereтАЩs a free weekend.тАЭ

Our local marathon was at the beginning of November, and there was a
tune-up 15K four weeks earlier. But those other weekends were probably available.

тАЬSounds like fun,тАЭ I allowed.

тАЬI hope it sounds fun.тАЭ Then he glanced at me. тАЬYou know, I just had an idea.
Just this minute.тАЭ

I didnтАЩt believe him. Something about his manner felt false. Although why that
was and why I remember a detail like that, I donтАЩt know. And besides, what did it
matter when he actually dreamed up anything?

тАЬIтАЩll have to map out a course,тАЭ he said.

I didnтАЩt know the hill country. But IтАЩd driven past it on occasion, and from the
highway, those bluffs seemed brutally rough.

тАЬPrize money,тАЭ he said. тАЬWhat do you think?тАЭ

тАЬItтАЩs up to you.тАЭ

тАЬAs an incentive,тАЭ he explained.

тАЬAre you going to run the race yourself?тАЭ I asked.

тАЬI shouldnтАЩt, no.тАЭ Laughing quietly, he pointed out, тАЬIтАЩll have too much to do
just running the finish line.тАЭ
 That was welcome news. I told Kip, тАЬPrize money would be an exceptionally
good thing.тАЭ

тАЬHow much?тАЭ

тАЬAs much as you can afford,тАЭ I suggested, working hard to sound as if I
might, just might, be kidding.

****

Kip had a huge box of entry forms printed up, and he asked some of the
quicker runners to help put them on windshields after the Sassafras 5K. I agreed, but
as it happened, my right hipтАФmy touchy hipтАФstarted hurting during the second
mile, pulling me back into the middle of the pack. By the time I finished, I was
limping, and by the time I found Kip, the chore was done.

тАЬIce,тАЭ Kip suggested, noting my rocking gait.