my cross

Alright I that as I took off for my afternoon run, when I become a champion and make all these people for about my brother Max a.k.a. the hometown hero. My plan to become the best was simple, run faster and be more loveable than him. Everyone would be able to tell that I left it all on the track. Already in my young life I had a major step up on the competition. I had upped my weekly mileage 80 miles a week from 40 miles weekly. I was accomplishing this with to runs a day and a long run on Sundays. I would then take two successive days off every other week or so to stay healthy and not hurt any muscles or anything else valuable.

School was starting in two weeks and I was in quite possible the best shape of my life. I felt faster and more powerful than anyone has ever felt. I think that with the right luck and competition I could quickly make Max’s name a thing of the past, even though he was having immense success with his college campaign and there was talk of him leaving school early for the Olympics. Some of his feats where even garnering national attention.

Lately with my good training and hard work ethic I’ve felt like I could take it to max. Then about a week before school started a new paper clip came out about me stating

Could Young West Emerge

I’m sure by now most of you have seen upcoming Sandlon sophomore Charley West raking in all kinds of mileage. He runs these high miles at all time of day all over the county. The thing is we haven’t really seen his older brother Max (former Sandlon standout) hitting any kind of mileage. My prediction for this year is to watch the young West the defending 800 meter state champion (1:52 as a freshman I might note) to mature and come into his own while making some waves in the track scene, and if I might be so bold a school record, all school records are currently held by Max.

With stuff like this in print a week before school and cross country practice started I was hyped. He couldn’t predict what Max’s reaction would be, but he would have to wait long to find out

“What is this supposed to be” Max asked as he stormed into my room from the basement carrying the newspaper with him “Are you calling me out?”

“No” I retorted “but if you’re up for the challenge, then we can do it”

“How can you say that your no where near my talent level, and you’re not even close to where I was sophomore year” He snarled back at me

I was prime mad at such blatant disrespect for my talents so I said “You shouldn’t be afraid to race me then”

“You know what you’re on, we have a home cross country meet tomorrow run unattached” he said smiling like it was some brilliant idea “Oh and by the way I’m seeded first” he added as an after thought

“Ok, then be prepared to get second then” I said slyly as if I knew something he didn’t. He just walked away shaking his head. He left me standing there thinking what had I been thinking. Was I writing my ticket to my own funeral? Could I really take Max? I just figured I’d find out one way or the other in the morning

When I woke up in the morning I had this overwhelming butterfly feeling down in the pits of my stomach. I knew it was too late to back out, but I knew that the college race was also almost five miles long. This race was going to take almost all the endurance that I could muster to hold Max off if I could possibly even get in front of him. I hitched a ride to the university with my cross country coach, Coach Gunn who had at one point in time also had the pleasure of coaching Max. He wanted to see how I measured up against some of the most elite competition, plus he jumped at the chance to see me race Max. At the university it seemed like a thousand people turned out for this meet. There where competitors running around the course stretching and warming up, this was definitely my element but I could not get over the sheer number of people who had turned out to watch this meet. At high school meets only family and friends came out to watch you run along with the occasional college scout to.

I spotted Max among his teammates stretching and laughing which he abruptly stopped when he saw me. His smile turned into a frown, and I still couldn’t believe I was going to go through with this. He nodded curtly at me as we headed toward the starting line and I lined up next to him near the front row of runners. Quickly I gauged my surroundings. Everyone around me looked at least as fit as I did. Then I realized that I must be out of my mind to think that I could pull this off. It was too late to back out and I really wanted to, plus I knew that if I wanted to be on top I’d have to earn the respect of Max first.

When the gun went off I took off right being Max. The lead pack was thick and I wasn’t used to it. IN high school race the lead pack normally consisted of three to four people this pack consisted of about 20. As we traveled pass the half mile mark I was running third, Max was running in first. At the mile marker the pack had thin out considerably (we went through in 4:40). I was still running third, but I was gaining on second. The two mile marker came in went in 9:50 and had overtaken second in a furious burst of energy. At about two and a half miles Max looked back and seemed genuinely surprised to see me there. He accelerated and I accelerated with him.

At the three mile marker we where neck and neck in 15:00 we were on a blazing pace but I wasn’t even starting to get tired yet, so I pushed even harder with even more grit and determination to show him that this was my time and this was my show. This was gonna be the time that I had to shine in the spotlight and I was definitely not going to give up with out a fight this time he had doubted me and he had to be shown. A short while later I took the lead, just as I took the lead I saw my parents in the crowd of spectators looking shocked to see me running in the race much less leading it. I smiled to myself and thought what a shock it was going to be for them when I crossed the finish line first. I took a timid look back at Max and I saw the pain and anguish on his face. I also realized he wasn’t going to just lay down and let me beat him, because then I would be doing much more than just living up to the hype I would be above the hype then and that’s what I would want more than anything.

Four miles 19:50 we were really blazing. I was now starting to feel the pain and didn’t really think that there was gonna be much more running for me today. I told my self if I could just push myself less than a mile more I would win and not only would I have beaten Max, but I would have also beaten some of the best college cross country runners that ever graced the college course with there presence. I lead Max by only about two strides, so I just cruised and so did Max. At a quarter mile left Max caught his second wind and blew right by me. I raced on to catch back up to him. We where neck and neck as we started our kicks. Now by no means are either of us powerful kickers so we both just settled into long strong strides. Max’s stride bested me because he broke the tape in 24:31 and I crossed the line in 24:34. I was quiet ticked off at myself because if I could have held out longer I could have beaten him but I had slouched and now it had cost me the race. At the same time I knew why my brother made the family name a local legend. Now we were both legendary but I don’t think it was a secret to anyone that I would eventually best him.

“Charley have you been holding back on us” my mother asked as she approached my while I was hunched over trying to catch my breath, to tired to look at her.

“We didn’t even know you where running in this meet” my father said as he joined

“He’s been practicing and pretty soon he’s gonna distance himself from me” Max said from his position next to me. “That was a beautiful race and running the race you did took guts kid, this is just the beginning of your high school career and it looks like your gonna rewrite the record books. Let me just impart this little piece of advice on you, when you’re this good you’re a marked man and everyone is gonna try to get to you and set you up to fail. Bottom line is when your on top there’s nowhere else to go but down” I still couldn’t speak as I caught sight of Coach Gunn he was beaming a smile as big as any I’ve ever seen (he was probably thinking about the fame that was sure to come to him now that he coached my legendary brother and now he had the privilege to coach me also).

As I was getting ready to leave Max come over to me and informed met that some reporters wanted to ask me questions about my training and today’s race”

“I didn’t win” I replied to him

“Yeah but you just ran one of the top three races ever by a highschooler” he smiled as a reluctantly followed hike

In the morning when I woke up the ‘Sandlon Times” was at my feet with a picture of me on the cover, it stated.

West and West, one two at Ellis invitational

Max west went number one as expected and surprise entrant Charley West went second. I know I know what’s so special about that? I’ll tell you Charley West is only going to be a sophomore in high school. Charley ran one of the most amazing races ever run by a high schooler. To top that off him and his brother bested John Hopkins the fifth place finisher at last years national championships while also besting the national championship time of 24:44

At Charley’s young age he has already garnered some attention on the national stage much like Max did as a high school phenom six years ago. It’s a pretty solid bet that pro sponsors will try to lure Charley away from the high school and college ranks with money and endorsements. In other ways yesterday did to things for Sandlon high school. As of paper print time Charley west became the number one ranked high school runner in America, while Sandlon became the number one team in the state and the number three team nationally.

So in conclusion Charley you’ve got a whole town rooting for you and don’t let anything deter you from the path to greatness that you are choosing to take, let nothing stand in your way and nothing hold you back. You and your brother are two of the best things that have ever happened to this sleepy town. Good luck this year and Go gettem’.

WOW I couldn’t believe it I was number one finally, and I have yet to face high schooler this year. That was all I could think about during my daily runs. I also thought of how I could have possibly brung Sandlon to national prominence all by myself.

When school started the next week people treated me like I was some kind of start. People who hadn’t bothered with me last year went out of their way to come and talk to me. A lot of the hottest girls including senior Julie Starr also talked to me.

“Hi Charley, I’ve been looking for ya’, congrats on the running thing” She said smiling that smile she smiles at boys.

“Hey Julie thank you, don’t congratulate me until I bring the national trophy back this way” I said back to her.

“I hope you do this town could use the excitement” she said as I looked down at her tan legs and up to her pink mini skirt and wished I could date a girl like her “well I gotta go but I think we should hang out sometime” she said as she hurried away.

“OK,” I yelled back at her as I caught sight of my best friend and fellow cross country runner

“Have you heard the good bad news yet?” he greeted me with

“No” I replied.

“Well the bad news is I’m no longer number two man on the team, I’m number five now. The good news is five of last years state contenders transferred into the Sandlon district” he said.

“What? Who?” I asked

“Barry, Masters, Davis and the Jones brothers” he said.

“Wow Barry and Masters both beat me at states last year. Does that make me number three?” I asked

“Don’t be so silly. They transferred here to run with you behind you to win a team title and maybe a team national title. Look your hot right now, your it, your number one in the nation, how could you be number three on your own team?”

“How am I number one?”

“Easy you placed second in a college meet. Not just any college meet, The Ellis Invitational a who’s who of college cross country and you placed second. A mere high school sophomore and you placed second on the way to that you covered three miles in 15:00 flat besting the time that won states last year.”

“Ok” I Said awed and seeing for the first time how with one race I really did have a bull’s eye on the back of my head. As school drug on that day I heard all kinds of rumors about how I spent my summer in Kenya learning from the great ones, and how Max and I where gonna go one two in the Olympics. Or my personal favorite how id been holding back all these years, but I was really among the best in the world.

When school was over there was practice. Before we started running Coach gave a speech about how fame, prestige, and hype had been bestowed upon our program. He talked of how we must not let the hype or the rumors get to us. Then he said we were gonna be the targets of some serious programs that felt we shouldn’t suddenly be on top. Then we started practice with five mile Indian runs and finished up with six 400 meter sprints. I was glad with the new team because for one everyone kept up. I also started thinking that maybe last years team may have hindered my progress. Had it been the same for Max?

After a week of school came our first meet which was going to be televised. I had the jitters because I’d never been in a televised race. While I was stretching just before the gun went off I saw Max and his entire cross country team showed up to watch me. So I went to talk to them.

“What’s up kid?” He asked

“Nothing much” I said

“What’s this talk I hear about you going for the national record?” he asked laughingly

“Nothing I said I would like to achieve that this season” I said

“What are you shooting for today?” he asked

“14:56” I said wondering what was up with all the questions “But if the pace isn’t to fast I’ll fade back to 15:30”

“You don’t need to run that fast kid”

“I just feel like I need to race myself”

“Just do what it takes to win”

“I just wanna push my team

“Alright do what ever but don’t be afraid to back off” he said as he walked away. I went over to join my team at the starting line. As I crouched in my stance I was nervous. Everyone is expecting me to win and all the other runners would like nothing more than to over take me or see me over takin’. “BANG” The gun went off and I took off straight to the lead. Already not even a minute into the race I was pulling away from the pack. As I rounded the bend off of school property and toward the park I looked back and I saw Masters leading a small Pack of mostly my teammates. Last year I would have been running just fast enough to be in the front of that pack this year I was already 100 meters ahead of the front pack.

I came through the first mile in 5:03 not really blazing fast but I was far ahead of the others. I was running in cruise control all the way through the park. I went through the second mile in 10:01 just 1.1 miles left to go it was time to go to town. I ran that last mile hard not really knowing how to run when not being pushed or pulled by I a pack. I was blazing now I had long since stopped being able to see the pack when I looked back but I knew what they were capable of so I wasn’t worried. I arrived back on school property and I was at a full sprint. The TV camera right in my face. The crowd roared thunderously when I came into view. That was also about the time I got a look at the clock 14:20. I was running way faster than I ever dreamed. As I crossed the finish line the clock read 14:48 a full six seconds faster than id wanted to go but I had slowed down at the end. Things became even more amazing when Masters finished second, skip third, Barry fourth, Mark Jones fifth, John Jones sixth, Davis seventh. We had just taken all of the top seven spots for a score of 15 the lowest possible score you can get, the perfect score. In cross country the lowest score wins.

The morning newspaper said

‘Sandlon wastes no time’
One of the most perfect races in high school cross country history happened yesterday led by Charley West and Chris Masters(last years state runner-up to now teammate Jeff Barry who finished fourth, Skip Wilson third) led the Sandlon Knight to a perfect score. To this point in the season which started yesterday all of the knights are in the top 30 nationally. Charley west is the number two nationally only bested by Jeff Corl from West Springfield, Illinois who after hearing of West’s 14:48 ran a 14:47. Chris Masters is number nine nationally after his second place showing yesterday. WE did some research and found out if the national championships where to occur today Sandlon would win. The only question left in any of our minds is who Jeff Corl is.

With that newspaper article we all went to school like kings. The only question that bothered any of us was who is Jeff Corl and where did he appear from none of us had ever heard of him. That question hung all day, but we didn’t let it damper our spirits.

Question answered Coach told us what he had gathered on Corl that after school before practice. He informed us that Corl was a senior at Bentonville preparatory academy and he had been the man there since he was in seventh grade. Gradually hi times came down and now he was in a position to upset me. It turns out the coach at Bentonville had called Coach Gunn and asked if they could come out and give everyone a show next week. Coach had agreed. So the stage was set for a showdown between me and Corl for next week in my own backyard.

When news spread over what was going to transpire. The coaches of other top runners and teams called and asked if they could get in on the action. So now we are hosting a meet that would have possible championship implications right here in Sandlon it was going to be epic. The funny thing though is whichever team wins would be the shoo-in for nationals.

The week of the race that’s all anyone around town could talk about. Everyone had questions like have you ever raced Corl? Do you think you can beat him? All I would say is you‘ll just have to wait and see.

The day of the race I wasn’t nervous at all I felt confident. I placed second against the college elite why would I lose to a mere highschooler. At the end of the day I walked with Masters to the locker room just like it was any other meet, and we casually got dressed for the meet.

I did not catch sight of Corl until us where on the starting line. He was shorter than me and rail thin. I tried not to eye him as I crouched into my position, when the gun sounded I sprinted out and he sprinted out in front of me. We where going to brawl. There where a few other guys upfront with us but I didn’t pay attention to any of them. At the mile marker four of us where clumped tightly together at 4:53 steadily I and Corl pushed ahead of them. The crowd was loving it we could tell from the constant cheer as me and Corl where duking it out early on they loved the fact that we where two of the fastest highschoolers ever going at it all out. At the two mile mark it was 9:47 and I realized for the first time that he was carrying me on one of the most amazing runs ever. Could it be that he wanted to be champion as much as I did, would this come down to who wanted it more? I told myself that if he was gonna beat me he was gonna do if fighting. So with that in mind I took off in full flite no doubt startling Corl. As I quickened my pace with every stride you could hear the panic in his breathing. He kept up even thought the quickening made him uncomfortable. I was winning but this was a race of guts now with 100 meters left to go I started a full out sprint and he fell half a stride back. Then with one burst of energy he passed me and crossed the tape a half a stride in front of me.

“Good race bro” Corl said to me

“I thought I had you” I said back

“You almost did, but I used every ounce of energy I had at the last second” he said

“Well then you better practice because at nationals its gonna come down to who wants it more” I said

“Alright see ya then” he said

After an experience like that I knew that I better bring it because at nationals it was going to be on