More like a rainy Seaside Sunday!

Your Dad dropped a real bombshell in October when he cheerfully announced he was entered in a 10 Mile race in a nearby seaside town! You enjoyed the odd parkrun yourself but could scarcely imagine your father lumbering round about sixteen kilometres.

Your Mum had no interest in watching him embarrass himself and you felt a bit bad for the guy- he'd agreed to enter on behalf of a friend who had had to drop out. You suspect **** had informed his decision making but fair play to Dad- he was as good as his word and so one rainy October Sunday morning you were bundled up in the passenger seat bound for the seaside!

"Dad, are you sure you want to do this?" You quizzed.

"I've given Matt fifteen quid, I'm not giving that up for nothing." Came his stock response whenever his sanity had been questioned on the topic. Well, it was going to be a really damp couple of hours...

This was really going to suck. You recognised the odd face from the local parkrun and one or two even said hello but you weren't expecting to see Courtney's beaming smile all bundled up in a hoody emblazoned with the colours of the running club hosting the event.

"Elliott!" She waved excitedly. "You running?" You pointed out that you had looked into it to support your Dad but you were too young for the distance.

"If it was 10k and not 10miles then maybe!" You frowned at the horrible conditions. "I thought this was the sunny seaside?"

"Yes it is Elliott but it's also October." Laughed Courtney. "Actually this is the first time it's rained on raceday in a few years.

"Ouch! Bad luck Dad!" You laughed.

"Mine too!" Courtney joined in, pointing out her Dad who had finished car-park duties and was now on a warm-up (fat chance) jog.

"So you can't enter either?" You probed.

"Not til next year but I'm marshalling anyway. You can join me if you like?" She looked genuinely hopeful of the company and talking to Courtney was preferable to standing in the rain alone.

"Curtis not want to join you?" I asked, casually aware that whilst I liked Courtney, I was acutely aware she was very much taken.

"We don't really see each other outside of school." She admitted sadly, "I don't see much of anyone being stuck out of town."

I'd never really thought about it until then; Courtney lived way out of our school's catchment and would need lifts or a train to see anyone. Inconvenient and expensive after a while.

"Well aren't you lucky your best friend El has come all the way out here to see you this weekend?" You put on a shit-eating grin and Courtney laughed adorably. She did everything adorably so if I overuse the adjective it's because she's so bloody adorable. Okay?

It was a ten minute walk out to her Marshalling post and she informed Race HQ when she was in position via a walkie talkie. It was exciting to have such responsibility! Though when you told Courtney, she laughed and called you a dork.

"So where are we? Like in the race?" You asked, not phrasing the question very well.

"We're just before 3 miles in and we cheer them on, direct them straight across this car-park to the gate opposite- see Mitch in the hi-viz vest?" Sure enough there was a fellow in a hi-viz vest by a gate on the other side of a gravel car park and a board saying "3 MILES" about 200 yards on from your post.

"We haven't walked 3 miles!?" You gasped in amazement.

"Of course not you idiot" Courtney laughed again "they go out two miles towards the River, turn around and come this way a mile then right up the Sea Front past the start line and then it's about a six mile loop the other way. Once the last runner passes us we can be back at he finish line in time to see most of the finishers."

You had a great time laughing and joking with her; you didn't mention the guitar lessons with Lily and still today you feel a bit guilty about that . The leaders were past you only quarter of an hour into the race and it stunned you that there were runners doing the first 5k of a ten mile race in about 16 minutes. Courtney's Dad came through on about 18 minutes but even more surprisingly, Mr Benz sped by only a few minutes later!

"Hi Courtney!... Elliott!?" He gasped cheerfully. He was going really well but clearly it was hard work. Something like half an hour had passed before your Dad plodded by. "You're doing brilliantly Dad- Keep it up!" You smiled genuinely pleased for him. Although when you added "Just 7 miles left" he looked like he might actually die!

The last runner was through around the 55 minute mark and you both headed back to the finish line. Sure enough the leaders were clocking incredible times. A handful had run it in under an hour. Courtney's Dad came in at 1:06 and some seconds, Mr Benz clocked 1:17 which he said was a personal best for 10 miles. Dad came in after about 1 hour and 40 minutes but he did it and as he insisted on telling anyone who would listen; "Ran all the way! No stops, didn't walk any of it!"

Good for him.

For you however, the rain intensity by the time Dad finished had worsened and Courtney had taken to clutching your arm to stop shivering. You were effectively cuddled up together against the elements and it took all of your convincing to persuade your Dad nothing was going on.

Courtney really was just like that. She'd hug anyone- she even hugged your wet carcass when you and Dad finally left, him concentrating on his shiny medal and looking through his goody-bag.

All in all you spent a very wet and cold day with a good new friend and you were happy with that.

Except 24 hours later; Courtney and Curtis broke up...