MICKY MOLLOY

Part Eight

finale

Micky’s stomach was churning over; this was nothing like the races he had done at school. The Weston lads came over and they all set off down to the first bend slowly to warm up, back to the start a little quicker, a few stretches, and star jumps just for effect.

Any minute now! A final look over at the family who are waving madly and a glance towards the Coach, who just winks and nods his head.

“Ready gentlemen?!”  Bellows the starter. Micky was in Lane 6 but because there were 12 runners and he was ‘sort of’ sharing it. He knew the lad’s vest was that of rival club Blackley A.C. so, before it had even started, Micky was psyched up. He wanted to beat this lad if nothing else. The runners started edging towards the curved line on the track and a quiet came over the crowd. “Take your marks” came the order from the starter. “Have a good run Molloy” one of the other Weston runners called over to Micky. “And you mate” replied Micky. He couldn’t remember the lad’s name.

“Set”, they all lean forward. “BANG!”

Micky’s heart nearly jumped out of his chest but he got a flyer, up to the first bend and the boy he was sharing the lane with was nowhere near. Rounding the bend he glanced over to the inside lanes but that told him nothing really. Coming off the second bend and the break for the inside lane, Micky cuts in and the shout that went up raised the roof!

Micky was leading. Only a yard in front, but he WAS leading. The calmest man in the arena was Coach Thompson. John was at his side. “That’s too quick a start lad, he’ll blow up” said Coach. John had no reply as he watched Micky go 3 yards clear at the 300 mark. “He should have tucked in about 4^th for the first lap” said Coach. Still John said nothing as Micky took the bell and started to kick with 400 to go. “What the hell is he doing?” screamed Coach. “Winning” said John.

Mum, Dad and Sally were going wild along with all the other Weston supporters. At 600 Micky was 10 yards clear and still going away from the chasing pack. “Come on Micky” shouts Coach as he heads for the line, head high, arms pumping, looking fantastic, Micky wins in style, the family are going crazy. All the Weston athletes run over to the fence where Coach was and waited for Micky and the other lads, who for a minute, everyone had forgotten about. Only one of the other three had qualified for the semi final. The four of them jogged over to the waiting team and the shouts went up. Micky looked at Coach Thompson who was just staring at him and it all went quiet.

 For a second, and for some strange reason, Micky felt scared. When adults look at you like that you are usually in trouble. “I would like to say we have all just seen the start of a very special journey. That was an amazing debut son, let’s go and relax a while. Well done Davey, and unlucky you two - always next time eh?!”

Mum, Dad and Sally were waiting by the side of the track. Micky spotted them and asked Coach if he could go and see them. “Of course you can so. 10 minutes then back here, you’ve not finished yet” Billy grabbed Micky and lifted him shoulder high. Mum and Sally nearly smothered him - they were all so proud. Coach Thompson was talking to John about Micky’s race when he was tapped on the shoulder. He turned round to see the grinning face of Ted Delaney, Blackley’s middle distance Coach, and brother of Micky’s PE teacher.

“You dark horse Coach, you kept this one under wraps”.

“Alright Ted, I take it you watched it then?”

“Watched it! The kid had the stadium glued. Come on then, who is he? Where did you find him?”

“Well, I can’t take the credit; it’s all down to young John here. He brought him after watching him at school.”

“Well done lad, you got a real find there.”

Micky came over, still grinning all over; his face all aglow. John congratulated him with a very big handshake, as did Mr Delaney. “Wish my brother had told me about you son” he said with a touch of jealousy in his voice. “OK John, go and get the lad track suited up and kept warm, you probably have about an hour until the semi final”. No chance of Micky seizing up - he was bouncing. The last of the 800 heats is about to start and Weston have two boys in the race. John and Micky jogged round to the far side of the track, John says “This is always a good point to watch, on the 1^st lap it’s where the stagger unwinds and on the 2^nd it’s where they kick, as you know” and rubs Micky’s head.

It is a good race with Blackley placing 1^st and 2^nd and Weston just getting one runner through in 4^th place. So after a bit of working out, the semis have five Weston runners and six from Blackley. This was going to be interesting. The rivalry between the two clubs goes back years and it is as strong now as it has ever been. But today was a little bit different. The 100 meter glory boys were taking a back seat as all the talk was about this new kid who had taken his leg in dramatic style. Was it a flash in the pan, a one off? We would soon find out. Only about 20 minutes till the first semi was announced. John and Micky spent the next few minutes pacing up and down, oh! and watching the 100 heats. Just then Coach called over, “Come on son, they have made the draw for the semis.”

Over they went to see Micky who had been drawn in Lane 2 in the second semi final. “That’s good isn’t it?” said Micky. Coach said it was fine. John added, “This way you can see what you will be up against in the final”. Coach barked, “Don’t count your chickens lad, he has to qualify yet”. Micky was silent; just staring at the names on the board. Quite what for, he didn’t know because this would not tell him who was the fastest. Yet still he could not take his eyes off the board. “Right! Come on, let’s find a good spot to watch the 1^st semi” said John. But Micky had already set off to see his parents and sister. “Let him be” said Coach, “He can do this any way he likes.” Micky had a couple of minutes with the family, then as the runners started to line up, he went to the changing room and sat there quietly on his own for 10 minutes. He then just walked back into the arena to see all the Weston vests crowded round two of the lads who had just run. Both had had good runs but only one of them had qualified for the final.

Micky added his congratulations and, only now, started to realise how hard it would be. “You should start warming up Micky, only about 10 minutes now” Coach said. Of Micky went with the other two Weston lads to do some stretches and short sprints. It seemed no time at all had passed when the official called 5 minutes gentlemen. “Come on Mick” shouts Billy from the stands. The rest of the family shouts as well. Micky turns and waves with both arms and then the smile turns to total concentration. “See that tall blonde lad” said one of Weston’s other runners. “The Blackley runner?” asked Micky. “Yeah! He’s the county champion” he told Micky, and, before Micky got chance to say anything they were called to the start. As the boys were lining up, Ted Delaney slowly walked over to Coach Thompson and quietly said, “We’ll see how good your boy is now” and Coach replied “No! Ted, we’ll see how good yours is” and walked over to the rails with a wry smile on his face. He caught Micky’s eye and again just winked and nodded.

“Take your marks” came the command and, as they leant forward, Micky caught a glimpse of the tall lad from Blackley who was in the outside lane, still as a statue, eyes fixed frontwards then BANG! The lad on the inside went past Micky and it seemed like time had stopped. It took him a few yards before he got into his stride and at the first bend he was level with both the lad on the inside and the one in Lane 3. Coming off the second bend the stagger unwinds and they break for the inside Micky sees them all continue across and puts in a quick burst which puts him in 3^rd position coming up to the 300. Around the bend and heading for the bell, signalling one lap to go, and the lad from Blackley starts to pull away and the lad in 2^nd position can’t go with him. At the bell Micky moves into 2^nd and is closing in on the leader. The crowds are on their feet and Coach has John in a bear hug as Micky pulls onto the Blackley runner’s shoulder, who then pulls a yard clear. But Micky is at him again; the lad tries to go again but on the final bend with 150 yards to go Micky goes outside the lad and kicks for home, “Too soon, too soon!” Coach exclaims to John, but he was so wrong. Micky not only passed him, he was going away from him, down the home straight and took the winning line some 3 yards clear.

The crowd went wild. Micky was on his knees and looked back to see another Weston lad then take 3^rd place. Billy and Jenny hugged each other and Sally was cheering so loud, crying and laughing, all at the same time. “Oh my Lord” said Billy, “that was fantastic! And now he is in the final”.

“Micky! Micky!” mum shouts as he is waving to them. The young lad had the biggest smile she had ever seen and then he vanished under a blanket of Weston athletes. “Let the lad breathe.” said Coach Thompson. “Well done lad, great run after an iffy start”. “Yeah well done Micky, gotta go, I’m up next in the 1500.” said John.

“Good luck mate and thanks a lot.” said Micky.

“OK son, let’s go and get you changed and grab a bite to eat. You have a long wait now.”

So, as Micky was changing, Coach went and pointed his family towards the cafe so they could meet the lad. When Micky joined them he was glowing. They were all so proud of him. “Do you mind if I just go and watch John in his semi-final?” “You go on Mick, I’ll get you a sandwich and a cuppa, ok?” said dad Billy. “I’ll come with you” said Sally. “Oh yeah” laughed Micky.

They both watched a great race with John qualifying in 2^nd position and a while later, once he had changed, he joined Micky and the family in the cafe. The time passed very slowly and every time Micky looked at the clock it had hardly moved - due to the fact he looking every minute. The boys kept going to the trackside to watch various races and the odd field event so when Coach came over to tell Micky that he should start getting ready he was more than a little surprised. “What already?” He went and told mum and dad who said they would make their way back to the stand. And so, for the last time, today at least, Micky is kitted up and standing at the trackside. Two other lads from Weston made the final while two from Blackley including the blonde lad are in. The Blackley lad, who Micky beat in the semi, catches his eye and nods, Micky just nods back.

So, with about a minute to go, the Weston lads have a final good luck huddle while the lads from Blackley look over and then turn away and make their way to the start. Micky and the lads also jog slowly to the start where the official is climbing onto the starter’s podium.

“Ready Gentlemen?” he says firmly. The roar of the crowd starts to build as each set of fans try to outdo the others. And then came the moment, “Take your marks”. They all shuffled forward, toes on the line and lean forward, arms positioned and fists clenched. Micky is in Lane 4 with a team mate just inside in Lane 3 and the Blackley champion in Lane 2. BANG! “Oh my Lord” screams Coach. “He’s got a flyer.” and he was right. Micky was away like a rocket, he hits the first bend and he was already up on the lads in Lanes 5 and 6. He takes the 2^nd bend and is ready to break for the inside. He hits the mark and cuts to the inside and then the roar goes up. He’s leading. His team mate is in 2^nd with the Blackley lad right on his shoulder, “Come on Mick” Billy shouts as loud as he can. Round the bend and up the finishing straight for the first time, Micky is about a yard clear of his Weston team mate who is now struggling to hold off the Blackley lad, and, as they take the bell, he passes him and he sets off after Micky. Rounding the bend and Micky can hear him closing in but it’s too soon to go yet. Coming off the curve and the two of them are level and stay side by side till they start the final turn and Micky kicks for home. The crowd is going mad, he’s pulling away! They hit the straight and Micky is gone. The lad from Blackley is so shocked Micky’s team mate also beats him on the run in - not that many people noticed.

All eyes went on one amazing young lad, Micky Molloy. The headlines were already written. Run 3 - Won 3 - where would this young man go now he had taken the first steps on his journey?

SEE YA!

Written by: Graham Vickers

Submitted: 27^th March 2009

Edited by Brenda J Earnshaw WRR Editor

Editor’s Note:

This was, unfortunately, the last episode of Micky Molloy. I want to take this opportunity of thanking Graham for giving up his time to write this enchanting story for the Wesham Road Runners Magazine of a young delinquent lad ‘making good’. There surely is a moral to this story. Perhaps Graham has another story lined up for the future???? Who can say?