Run For It Page 5

  Paul said, “Steve was the really good runner?”

  “Yeah, he was really nice,” Theo answered. “And he runs long distances, too.”

  Mr. Baskin asked, “Did you get his last name?”

  “Uhh…” Theo thought for a moment. “LaMotta. That was it. Steve LaMotta.”

  Mr. Baskin’s eyes widened. “You met Steve LaMotta on the school track?”

  “Who is he, Dad?” Paul asked.

  “Steve LaMotta is one of the top American distance runners! He runs in major meets, ten thousand meters, twenty thousand meters, and marathons. Wait a minute, I have something to show you.”

  Mr. Baskin hurried into the house. Paul and Theo exchanged a look.

  “Guess this Steve is someone special,” Theo said.

  Paul smiled. “Special enough so Dad’s heard of him and got real excited. I never saw him like that.”

  “Here we are,” said Paul’s father, coming outside carrying a magazine. He opened it up and leafed through it. “This is a running magazine I get every month.… Wait a sec.… Here we go.” He handed the open magazine to Theo. “Is this the man you met today?”

  Theo stared. The magazine was opened to a full-page ad for a brand of running shoe. Most of the page was taken up by a big color photograph of a runner crossing the finish line on a track. In the background was a huge grandstand full of people. The runner in the picture was breaking a tape stretched across the track, which meant that he had won the race. The runner in the picture was Steve LaMotta! Steve LaMotta was a star! He endorsed a brand of shoe! And he had started out just like Theo!

  9

  Theo’s next big day was during his third week of running, when he ran three quarters of a mile — three whole laps around the track! — without a stop. It was a hot day, too, about the same kind of day on which he’d collapsed not long before. But he knew enough now to be sure to drink often, and didn’t try to push too hard. He was walking faster and expected to be able to run a full mile very soon.

  One day soon after, Paul mentioned that he was going to the park the next day to play some ball. “I don’t know whether you want to go, after what happened last time.…”

  “Sure!” Theo said. Paul was surprised by Theo’s enthusiasm. Actually, Theo was a little surprised himself. But he wanted to go. He was feeling different about himself, less worried about making mistakes.

  “Great!” Paul said. “Come by here tomorrow at two o’clock and we’ll ride over.”

  Theo shook his head. “I’m going to run in the park first. I’ll meet you there.”

  “Okay,” Paul agreed. “If you want, I can stop by your place and bring your glove.”

  “That’d be cool,” said Theo. “See you at two o’clock at the field.”

  The next day, Theo rode to the park, did his stretches, and walked the first eight minutes, feeling wonderful. It was a warm, pleasant day, and Theo was able to enjoy himself as he walked. He looked at the scenery, listened to the birds, and breathed deeply and easily. He was actually looking forward to playing softball. He smiled to himself. A month ago, if someone had told him, “You’re going to look forward to playing ball,” Theo would have laughed.

  His watch beeped, and Theo took a swallow from the bottle at his side. He broke into a run. Maybe he could make it for ten minutes without a break today. But at the nine-minute mark, Theo felt like he was beginning to breathe too hard and decided not to try for ten whole minutes. Thirty seconds later, he slowed to a walk. Maybe, if he hadn’t been planning to play ball later, he might have gone for the ten minutes. But he wanted to have plenty of energy left for the game. If he messed up today, it wouldn’t be because he was wiped out.

  Theo walked for ten minutes, finishing up near the field where the ballgame was going to happen, which was where he’d left his bike. He did his stretches; he no longer had to bring Mr. Baskin’s diagrams, because he knew all the stretches by heart. He spotted Paul’s bike nearby and headed that way.

  Paul and some others were standing in a big circle and tossing a softball around. Paul looked up and saw Theo coming and smiled. So did Van Sluman. Van’s smile was different from Paul’s. Van looked more like a cat that had just spotted a tasty bird nearby.

  “Hey, Gee, how’s it going?” Paul asked, sticking out a hand for a low five.

  “How’s the Great Runner doing?” Van asked, looking around to his friends and inviting them to get in on the fun. “Broken four minutes for a mile yet? Run any marathons?”

  Theo smiled back, not looking upset at all. “Not yet.”

  One of the others looked Theo up and down. “Hey, Gordimer, you losing weight?”

  “Yeah, you look thinner,” said another.

  Theo was pleased. He shrugged. “I lost a few pounds. That’s what happens when you start burning up more calories.”

  “Oh, right, you’re burning up calories, huh?” Van said. “All those workouts, huh?”

  Theo nodded. “That, and I’m not eating as much junk food lately, either.”

  Paul grinned at Van. “You know what junk food is, right, Van? Stuff like peanuts. By the way, have you started practicing pushing that peanut with your nose yet? It’s a long way from one end of Main Street to the other. Better pick up some knee pads, too.”

  A few of the guys snickered, and Van’s smirk lost some of its power.

  “Are you really running, Gordimer?” asked the boy who had first noticed Theo’s weight loss.

  “Yeah, most days. It’s pretty cool, I really like it.”

  “How far do you run?” the boy asked.

  Theo shrugged. “In the park, it’s hard to know, exactly. Further than I used to, and not as far as I’ll be able to next month.”

  “We going to just stand around, or are we going to play ball?” snapped Van.

  “I vote we play ball,” Theo said. They chose up sides, and Theo was the last one to be picked. He wasn’t surprised or even disappointed. Even though he was working at getting into better shape, nobody had any reason to figure that he was any better as a ballplayer.

  For the first inning, Theo did nothing to change anyone’s opinion of him — because he didn’t get a chance to bat and because no balls were hit in his direction.

  But in the second inning, an opposing hitter did hit a ball to right, hard, with a runner at first and only one out. It seemed a sure extra-base hit; with Theo huffing and puffing after it, it might have been a home run. But Theo turned his back to the infield and ran, looking back over his shoulder, reached out his glove… and caught it. The base runner, like everyone else on both teams, had been sure that the hit would be at least a double. He was almost to third base when he looked around and saw what had happened. Theo threw to first to complete a double play before the runner could get halfway back.

  As he trotted in from the outfield, Theo wore a big smile. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d made a good play in one of these games. Maybe he never had.

  Later on, Theo hit a ball into left center for a base hit. When the batter after him hit a line drive that got between two outfielders, Theo raced around to score. It was another first for him. He noticed that other kids were looking at him with surprise. Van Sluman was suddenly very quiet.

  As the game went on, Theo didn’t suddenly turn into a star. But he played solidly, made no horrible mistakes, and made a few more catches. He thought that maybe the next time they chose up teams, somebody else might be the last one to be picked.

  After the game, Theo and Paul rode their bikes home. As they rode, Paul said, “Pretty good game today.”

  “Yeah, it was, I guess,” Theo answered.

  “You guess?” Paul laughed. “Cut it out.”

  Theo joined in the laughter. “Okay, I don’t guess. I played better.”

  “A lot better,” agreed Paul. “That running catch you made saved at least one run. And coming all the way around from first to score! I felt like asking, ‘Who is that guy, and what has he done with Gee?’”

&nbs
p; “I’m definitely faster,” Theo admitted.

  “That’s true,” said Paul, “but it’s something else, too. A month ago, you wouldn’t even have tried to catch that ball. It isn’t only a matter of running faster. You were… more sure of yourself today. You can see that, can’t you?”

  Theo said, “You’re right. It’s true. Part of it is that I feel stronger and better since I started running. And part is something Steve LaMotta said when I met him.

  “There was this guy running on the track who gave me a hard time because I did something stupid. I didn’t know what I was doing, so I was on the inside of the track, which is supposed to be for the faster runners. And I wasn’t even running at the time. Later on, Steve said, ‘Guys like that don’t feel good unless they can make someone else feel bad.’

  “When Van started ragging me today, I remembered that. Van’s the same kind of guy. I knew that if I let it show that it bothered me, Van would win. So I didn’t. And you know what? It didn’t bother me.”

  “Because you know yourself better than Van knows you,” Paul said. “You really have changed, Gee.”

  Theo grinned. “Maybe. But I haven’t changed so much that I didn’t enjoy seeing Van look nervous about losing our bet.”

  After getting home and cleaning up, Theo phoned Marj and asked if she wanted any company. His aunt didn’t sound wonderful but said she’d be happy to see him for a little while.

  Marj was sitting up, which was good to see, but she seemed in very low spirits. She said to Theo, “You’re looking good, young man. You’re thinner and your skin has some color. You used to look like something that lived in tunnels underground and never got out in the sun.”

  “Well, I’ve gotten out of my tunnel,” Theo agreed. “I’m running and doing much better. I played softball today and didn’t do anything terrible. How are you feeling?”

  Marj closed her eyes. “Not all that great. I won’t lie to you, Theo. I’m tired of feeling tired. It gets old, you know what I mean?”

  “Sure, I understand,” Theo said. “But what I learned from what I’ve been doing is that it’s important to keep a good attitude. Really. And don’t give up. I played better ball today because I wasn’t thinking of myself like a loser. So you should try to keep thinking about how great it will be when you’re all better. It really helps. It sure helped me. And you know what? You do look better. You even sound better. I mean, you’re sitting up and you have a sense of humor again. You may think I’m crazy, but I can tell you’re doing all right.”

  “That’s what you think?” Marj asked. “You’re not just being nice to an old lady?”

  “I mean it,” Theo insisted. “You look stronger to me, even if you are tired. I bet you’ll be feeling much better real soon — if you don’t give up and quit.”

  Marj said, “Hey! Who’s coaching who around here?”

  “I’m just saying what I think,” Theo said. “And I think you’re doing pretty well. And that you can help yourself even more.”

  Marj’s expression seemed more cheerful than when Theo had arrived. “Listen, smart guy, do me a favor.”

  “Sure,” Theo said. “Anything.”

  “Stop by here more often, will you? You cheer me up.”

  “You got it,” Theo said.

  “And keep giving me those kind words. They make a difference. It’s hard to believe, but I actually feel better now.”

  “Good,” Theo said happily. “See you soon, then. Maybe we’ll be able to take a walk one of these days.”

  “I wouldn’t be surprised,” said Marj.

  10

  During his fourth week of workouts, Theo ran a full mile on the track without a stop. He ran it in about ten and a half minutes. After his final stretches, he did something else he’d never done: he touched his toes without bending his knees. A five-K run was looking more and more possible.

  Theo had gotten new running shoes, the first pair of actual running shoes he’d ever owned. They made a difference. They were light, and his feet and ankles felt better when he used them. His parents celebrated his achievement by taking him out to dinner.

  Theo was now in his fifth week of running and had set himself a goal. He wanted to run a mile and a half, nonstop. This week, he would be running for up to fifteen minutes, which made the mile and a half something he might really do.

  After a few days in the park, Theo went to the track to run. A mile and a half meant six full laps, and today he was going to go for it. He stretched and warmed up with a five-minute walk. The day was cloudy and cool, so Theo wasn’t worried about the heat tiring him out. He finished his prerun drink, took a deep breath, and began to run.

  He finished two laps with no strain at all, but midway through the third, Theo began feeling as if he was pushing himself. Was it possible that he’d set his goal too high, too soon? He wasn’t going to give up easily.

  As he ran, Theo heard a familiar voice behind him. “Hey, Theo! Looking good!”

  It was Steve LaMotta, who came up and slowed down to Theo’s pace. “You’re doing much better than when I saw you last. Congratulations!”

  “Thanks,” Theo said. “I think I might be shooting for too much today, though.”

  “Can I make a suggestion?” Steve asked.

  “Sure!” Theo answered.

  “You need to relax a little,” Steve said. “Especially your arms and hands. Do you know that your fists are clenched and your arms are tense like you’re getting ready for a wrist-wrestling match? That just tires you out, and it doesn’t help your running at all.”

  Startled, Theo realized that he was doing exactly what Steve said. And just focusing on it made him a little more tired.

  “Loosen up those arms. Shake ’em out. Keep them relaxed and loose. Try to imagine that you’re holding a tennis ball in each hand so you don’t clench your fists. You’ll find that running is much less strain,” Steve said. “And while we’re at it, I think you’re doing something we call ‘overstriding.’ Your stride — the length of your steps — is too long, and that adds to the strain, too. Try to shorten your stride by an inch or two and your legs may feel more comfortable.”

  Theo thought for a moment and tried to cut down the length of his steps by a little.

  “Experiment a bit,” Steve advised. “Find a stride that feels right. You’ll know when you have it.”

  As he ran, Theo tried to find a stride that would make a difference. He’d run a hundred or so yards and change it a bit. Finally, after four or five changes, he looked over at Steve. “I think I got it! This does feel more natural.”

  “Great!” Steve said. “One last thing — if I’m not making you crazy with all this.”

  “No, what is it?” Theo asked, feeling more comfortable with his relaxed arms and slightly shorter stride.

  “I think your neck and shoulders are too tight, too,” Steve said. “When you run any distance, the idea is not to waste energy on muscles that you don’t need. Also, if you tense up in the wrong places, you get really sore. You need to do some posture work to take some of the pressure off your neck. I can show you a few things. But for now, it looks like you’re not having as much trouble as you were.”

  “You’re right — I’m not.” Theo was pleased, and even more so to realize that, as he and Steve had been together, they’d gone two more laps. He was within one lap of his mile and a half— and he actually felt less worn out than after a half mile!

  Steve took off, telling Theo he’d see him around, and Theo finished the final lap of the mile and a half. He made a mental note of something else he’d learned today: you tended to not feel so tired if you didn’t think about being tired.

  When he got home, Mrs. Gordimer said, “Let’s go shopping. All your old pants are falling off you now, and when you wear a belt to keep them up, they look awful.”

  Theo had always hated shopping for clothes. Today, however, he was happy to go. New pants with a smaller waistline sounded like a great idea.

  “I’ll
get cleaned up, and I’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

  And he raced up the stairs.

  11

  Two weeks after Theo’s first mile-and-a-half run, he and Paul started running together regularly. Theo had now been running almost two months. From the days when he was walking ten minutes, doing ten minutes of run-and-walk, and walking ten minutes more, he had reached the point where he was now mostly running. His walking totaled only a few minutes of warmup to start with and a few minutes at the end of his run, to cool down.

  Also, Theo had begun to run two and a half miles in a session, which was what Paul was doing. They were together today, running in the park along a path that was popular with local runners.

  “Have you gotten to where you actually enjoy running?” Paul asked. “Or is it still a grind, something you feel you have to do?”

  “No, I really enjoy it,” Theo said. “I don’t know when it happened exactly, but I’ve gotten so that I look forward to it. Even when I push myself, it’s still fun.”

  “I won’t say, ‘I told you so,’” said Paul, “but…”

  Theo smiled. “You don’t have to say it. I already know. Maybe I might have gotten started on something like this anyway, but it would have taken a long time. You and your dad made it happen for me.”

  Paul laughed. “No, you made it happen for you. But I know we helped get you going, and I feel good about that. So does Dad. Have you tried running five K yet?”

  “Not yet, but soon,” said Theo. “For sure I’ll do it in a couple of weeks. That would leave me about two weeks more to get ready for the race. I suppose I’d run the full distance a few more times before the big day.”

  “I was thinking,” Paul said, as the two boys ran on, “maybe I want to be in that race, too. I mean, it’s for a good cause, and it’d be fun to do it together. What do you think?”