Seconds Read Online Free PDF

When they came out of the woods again and into the open, Dave waved them over. They weren’t stopping already, were they? That was nothing!
    When everybody was together again, Dave had them sit in a circle on the grass. This is like kindergarten, thought Jake. Dave started talking to them about how there was more to running a race than just covering the distance. Continuous running helped build endurance, but a runner also needed depth. He needed a well of energy he could tap into at key moments, such as when he needed to pass or to finish strong. To win, thought Jake. Yes. He liked what he was hearing. Dave had the boys spread themselves out in a line across the field and start running as they had been, but when he blew his whistle, they were to do wind sprints, running as hard as they could, as if they were doing the one-hundred-meter dash. When they heard the whistle again, they were to resume their regular pace. When they had crossed the meadow this way and were back in the woods, they ran a loop that took them back out into the open and they did the sprints again. Jake lost track of how many times they did it. Finally, Dave put the whistle down and told them to finish with an easy run down the path and back to the parking lot where they had started. It was hard work, and Jake ached all over, but his mind told him this was good. Finally, he thought, watching Dave clap each boy on the shoulder as he said goodbye, here was a guy who didn’t fool around, who took things seriously.
    â€œGreat work out there today, Jake.”
    â€œThanks. See you tomorrow?”
    â€œNo. We meet every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, if we can. Take a break tomorrow. We’ll see you Friday.”
    What? Take a break? No way. That wasn’t going to take Jake where he wanted to go. Toughness. That was his focus. Still, he was hopeful about the way things had gone that day.
    Thursday morning, Jake ran as usual. The muscles in his ankles felt tight after the sprints the day before, but he just ran through the pain. The weather had turned colder, and he puffed out small clouds as he jogged along. After school he was ready to go out again, but his mom stopped him at the door.
    â€œIt’s sleeting, Jake.”
    â€œYeah, I can hear it on the windows.”
    â€œI don’t want you to go out.”
    â€œWhy not?”
    â€œIt’s sleeting, Jake.”
    â€œMom, I can’t let a little bit of ice stop me. I have to be ready for anything. What if it’s sleeting on race day? I have to be tough.”
    She crossed her arms and smiled. “It’s not race day, buster, and I can be tough too, you know. I don’t want you to catch pneumonia. You’re not going out.”
    Jake sighed. “Mothers think everything causes pneumonia.” His mother laughed and ruffled his hair. He knew right then that he was going to give up the idea of shaving his head. He liked it when she did that. Jake went downstairs to work out instead. To his surprise, Luke was there, and so was all his stuff. Guitars, amplifiers, cords and wires running everywhere.
    â€œWhat are you doing here?”
    â€œMom said it was too noisy for you if I played in my room.”
    â€œHow am I supposed to work out down here?”
    â€œDo it to the tunes, man!” Luke grinned.
    Jake picked up his hand weights. “You know, if Dad’s such a fan, you should get him to build you a room over the garage.”
    â€œNice idea, but I don’t think it’s going to happen.”
    â€œC’mon. He loves your music.”
    â€œMe, yes.” Luke put a hand over his heart. Then he patted his guitar. “This baby, not so much. You know what Dad listens to on the radio in his workshop. Golden oldies and moldies, country tunes and hockey games.”
    They laughed.
    â€œBut he goes to concerts with you. Why would he do that if he didn’t want to?”
    â€œBecause I don’t tell him he can’t. Besides, you