Plunge Page 4

  “I bet they’d make a bike go a ton faster.”

  “Let’s find out.”

  Cade helped Mr. Grimsby take off his fat tires and put the smooth ones on. Then they unscrewed the fenders and took them off. It didn’t look like a bulky mountain bike anymore. It was a lean, mean triathlon machine.

  “Give that a try,” Mr. Grimsby said after pumping up the tires.

  Cade hopped on and sped along the street. The new tires were like magic. Suddenly his bike was lighter. He could accelerate faster, turn faster and go faster without having to pedal so hard. He felt like he was flying. He came screeching to a stop in front of Mr. Grimsby.

  “Awesome!” Cade said.

  “That new speed you’ve got is really going to come in handy during the race. But I noticed your seat was a little low.”

  “I haven’t changed it in a year.”

  “And you’re taller now than you were a year ago. Time for your seat to go up so your legs can stretch out. You’ll get the most power that way.”

  Mr. Grimsby pulled a tool from his pocket. He flicked open a small wrench and adjusted Cade’s seat.

  “That looks cool,” Cade said, looking at the tool.

  “Sure is. It’s got wrenches, a screwdriver, even a knife. It’s tough as nails. Every serious triathlete should have one.”

  “Oh,” Cade said. “I guess I’m not good enough to be serious.”

  “You are now,” Mr. Grimsby said, handing him the pocket tool. “It’s all yours.”

  “Really?”

  “Yup. And don’t worry. I’ve got another one.”

  Cade hopped on his bike again and took it for another short spin.

  “The seat is perfect!”

  Mr. Grimsby nodded. “Good. You’re going to need your bike in perfect condition for the triathlon this weekend. There’s going to be a lot of good athletes your age there. You don’t want your competitors getting too far ahead.”

  “I hope I can keep up.”

  “We’ll know soon enough,” Mr. Grimsby said, getting on his bike. “See if you can stay with me now.”

  Cade mounted his own sleek machine. He had been left behind once. With his new wheels, he wasn’t going to let it happen again.

  Chapter Eleven

  “Let’s go, Trent!” Cade’s dad called.

  “What’s the rush?” Trent asked as he came down the hall dressed in his Broncos uniform.

  “It’s an hour’s drive to the field. Then you’ve got to warm up your arm before the game. The star QB can’t be late. I’m going to start the car.”

  “Good luck,” Cade said.

  “Thanks, bro. You sure you don’t want to watch another game?”

  “One was enough,” Cade said, shaking his head. “Sorry, man.”

  “No problem. I know Dad can get a little wound up. But he’s my number one fan. He means well.”

  “And anyway,” Cade said, glancing at his mom, “I’ve got something else going on this morning.”

  “Is your girlfriend coming over?” Trent teased.

  “She’s not my girlfriend,” Cade said, rolling his eyes. “But yeah, Jazz is coming over.”

  “Later,” Trent said, waving goodbye. “I’ve got some touchdown passes to throw.”

  Cade closed the door behind Trent and turned to his mom. “Thanks for not telling dad about my triathlon today.”

  “This is the last time,” she said, pointing her finger at him.

  “I know.”

  “I don’t know what you’re so worried about, Cade.”

  “If I do okay at today’s race, I can tell him I’ve been training with Mr. Grimsby. But if I do crappy…then I can just quit triathlon forever. Just like I’ve quit swimming. Dad never has to know. He never has to tell me I wasn’t good enough.”

  “First of all,” his mom said, meeting his eyes, “you haven’t quit swimming—you’re just taking a break to try something new. And second, you’re not out to win the race. You’re out to have fun.” Her face warmed into a smile. “Besides, I’m sure you’ll do fine.”

  “I know you’re just saying that.”

  “No, I mean it. I’ve seen how hard you’ve been training.” She peered out the window. “So when’s George coming by to take you and Jazz to the triathlon?”

  “Any minute.”

  Cade heard a skid on the driveway and looked out the window. It was Jazz, right on time. She was carrying a backpack and pedaling a road bike Cade hadn’t seen before.

  “Hey, buddy!” Jazz called out.

  “Hey! Haven’t seen you since you got back from the Games,” Cade said, grinning.

  “Yeah, sorry about that. I’ve been so busy. My relatives keep coming over to see me.”

  “No kidding,” Cade said. “It’s not every day they get to see a famous triple medalist.”

  “It was no biggie,” Jazz said.

  “No big deal?” Cade said, his eyes wide with excitement. “You won three medals—a gold and two bronze!”

  “I could have had a fourth one in the 200 fly.” Jazz shrugged. “But I had a bad turn on the last lap and got touched out at the wall by a swimmer from Ontario.”

  “How did it feel to be on the podium?”

  “Pretty sweet, I have to admit.” Jazz smiled.

  Cade nodded. “I can only imagine.” Standing higher than anyone else. Knowing you were the best. Hearing Coach and your teammates cheer. Seeing your parents in the crowd, being proud of you.

  Cade realized he was thinking more about himself than Jazz. “You must be wiped out from all the swimming.”

  “And don’t forget all the visiting,” she added.

  “I wouldn’t have blamed you for not showing up this morning.”

  “I said I was in, so I’m in. I wouldn’t let you down, Cade. But I haven’t had time to run or ride much. I’m even borrowing a bike. I’m sure I’ll finish last.”

  “Where’d you get the bike?” Cade asked, scoping out her ride.

  “It’s my brother’s road bike,” Jazz said. “It’s lighter and has skinnier tires than my mountain bike, so it goes way faster.”

  “You got that right. Mr. Grimsby helped me trick out my bike so it goes faster too.”

  Jazz picked up her backpack. “Got your race kit?”

  “Yup, picked it up yesterday.” We had all gotten an orange swim cap. And a timing chip to wrap around our ankles to record our times for the race.

  “I thought this was the coolest thing,” Jazz said, pulling a blue T-shirt from her pack and holding it up. Official Calgary Triathlon Finisher, it read.

  “I’m not wearing mine until I finish—if I finish,” Cade said, hesitating. “Might be bad luck.”

  “Don’t worry. You’re going to rock this race.”

  A toot of the horn announced Mr. Grimsby’s arrival. He pulled his car into the driveway and hopped out.

  “So you must be Jazz,” he said, smiling. “I hear you’re quite the swimmer.”

  “Today I hope I’m a biker and runner as well,” Jazz said.

  Mr. Grimsby glanced at his special triathlon watch. “We should be on our way.”

  “Let’s get our bikes loaded,” Cade said, strapping first his and then Jazz’s bike onto the rack on the back of the car.

  “Almost ready to head out, George?” Cade’s mom asked as she came down the walkway.

  “Yup, we’re going to have a great day. Cade is really starting to round into form.”

  “Thanks to you, George.”

  “It’s been fun having someone to train with.”

  “How’s Sadie doing?” she said, changing the subject.

  “Oh, pretty much the same,” he said. “She has her good days and then not-so-good ones. I’ve arranged for a nurse to come in today.”

  “You’re a good man, George,” she said. “Thanks for taking Cade under your wing. His father doesn’t seem to care about any sport other than football. But I wish he did.”

  “He’s a great kid. It’s a short
sprint race today, and the lake is close by. I’ll have him back this afternoon.”

  Chapter Twelve

  The start gun boomed. The Calgary Triathlon had begun.

  Cade and Jazz dashed through the shallow part of the lake. Their bare feet kicked up white spray as they ran toward deeper water. The hot sun warmed the cool splashes on their skin.

  Athletes wearing orange swim caps were all around them. Hundreds of kids of all ages charged through the surf. They all had numbers marked on their bodies. Cade had a black 1425 drawn on his arm and his leg. That meant he was entered in the fourteen-year-old division for boys. Jazz had 1426, but she was in the girls’ group. They both had their timing chips strapped to their left ankles.

  Now the water was up to their waists. Deep enough for them to dive in and start swimming. Cade and Jazz plunged at the same time, but it wasn’t long before Jazz started to pull away.

  At first Cade tried to keep up. But he soon realized he should swim at his own pace. Jazz was just too speedy. He slowed down and caught his breath. That felt better. Maybe he could catch up with her on the bike or run.

  Whack! A sharp pain cracked the side of Cade’s head. He had been kicked by a swimmer in front of him. The other swimmer had no idea Cade was right behind him. But with so many athletes packed together like sardines in a can, accidents were bound to happen. Cade shook it off and kept going.

  The swim for this triathlon was 500 meters. That was like doing twenty laps of the pool. Cade had done that every morning while he was training with the Blue Sharks. Sometimes even more. He knew he could do the distance. But swimming in a lake was a lot different. For one thing, there were no lanes.

  He was aiming for the big yellow buoy floating in the middle of the lake. It was shaped like a pyramid and marked the halfway point of the swim. He lifted his head and peered through his goggles to make sure he was on target. But he was way off course! He had veered close to one of the safety kayaks. The paddlers were there just in case a swimmer needed help. He put his head down and turned to get back on track. He had lost valuable seconds. He churned through the water a little faster to make up for lost time.

  Cade rounded the buoy and headed back to shore. He had made a good recovery. He shot a glance to his left and then to his right. There were only a few swimmers ahead of him. One was a girl way out in front. He knew who that must be.

  He powered through the water, keeping his breathing even. He looked up every once in a while to make sure he was still heading for the finish.

  A minute later he was in shallow water again. As soon as he could, he stood up and splashed toward the sandy beach. The spectators cheered him on. He raced by a big digital clock that read 11:37. It had taken him a lot longer than it would have taken him in the pool. But Mr. Grimsby said any time under twelve minutes was good in a lake. Cade sprinted to the transition area.

  There were long rows of bikes all lined up in racks. Cade had placed his there before the race, along with the clothes he’d need for the ride. His heart was still racing as he found his bike and started to change. His bathing suit now became his biking shorts. It was soaking wet, but he knew it would dry as he rode. He pulled on a T-shirt and socks and then laced up the red running shoes Mr. Grimsby had given him. He strapped on his helmet and was ready to go.

  He glanced at the other athletes getting their bikes. He knew Jazz was long gone. But that didn’t matter—she was in the girls’ division. Two boys with numbers on their arms starting with 14 were hopping on their bikes. Did that mean he was in third place? He wondered if he could catch them. He pushed his bike to the start of the second stage and jumped on.

  The biking stage of the triathlon was ten kilometers. That was a long way for Cade to ride. He had covered the distance with Mr. Grimsby in training, but never at top speed. He hoped he could make it while going all out.

  He stepped down on the pedals and took off. The race route was along the streets of Calgary. Luckily, he didn’t have to worry about traffic. The police were there to block all the cars. He could safely ride down the middle of the roads.

  Cade chased after the bike in front of him. He leaned over his handlebars to stay low. He knew that was the best way to keep up his speed against the wind. The new slick tires were lightning quick. The frame without fenders was feather light. His wheels spun faster than ever. He shot by the halfway sign still feeling strong.

  Cade’s confidence started to grow. Maybe Jazz was right. Maybe triathlon was his sport. He may not have been the best swimmer, biker or runner. But he was better than average at all three. A big grin started to spread across his face.

  Maybe a bit too soon. Another competitor suddenly flew by him on the left. His hands were gripped low on his handlebars. His powerful legs cranked on the pedals. His eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses. Cade checked his number…1487! In the blink of an eye Cade had slipped from third to fourth place. He was off the podium. Here we go again.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Cade wondered how 1487 could have passed him so easily. Flown by him like a fighter jet. Then he took a closer look at his bike. It was an aerodynamic model similar to Mr. Grimsby’s. Cade knew it was made with carbon fiber, so it was super light. Plus, it had a ton of big gears to go fast. And it was going fast. He was pulling away. Cade didn’t know if his fixed-up mountain bike could catch him. But he was going to try. He pushed forward. He wasn’t going down without a fight.

  There wasn’t much farther to go in the bike stage. Cade wanted to catch the third-place rider before the next transition area. He put his head down and attacked the pedals. Push…push…push! His thighs burned with pain. His hands gripped the handlebars. He was gaining on the boy who had passed him. He just needed a few more seconds to get even with him. Then he looked up. A man was wildly waving his arms. It was a race official.

  “Slow down, 1425!” the man shouted.

  Cade had been biking so hard, he hadn’t noticed how close he was to the end of the stage. If he didn’t come to a stop before the next transition area, he’d be disqualified. He wasn’t allowed to cross the white line while he was still on his bike. He squeezed his brake handles hard. His front and back wheels locked up, sending the bike into a wild skid that left a snaking black tire mark on the road. When the sound of squealing brakes was over, Cade’s bike had stopped just a hair short of the line.

  He hopped off and pushed his bike back to the rack. He noticed the other boy had already parked his bike and was hustling toward the start of the run stage. Cade didn’t have a second to lose. He unclipped his helmet and tossed it by his bike. Then he bolted.

  The run was four kilometers long. Four heart-pounding kilometers to pass the athlete in front of him. Cade couldn’t wait. He sprinted to try and reel him in. Number 1487 was in his sights. If he just pushed a little harder, he could do it. His chest heaved. His breaths came short and fast. Too fast. He remembered what Mr. Grimsby had said. Pace yourself. He slowed down. He still had time to catch him.

  Even though he was running step for step with the third-place boy, he wasn’t able to reach him. He was still twenty meters ahead. But he was gaining on another athlete. As he rounded the next bend in the road he spotted a girl running ahead. Jazz. A few seconds later he was even with her.

  “You’re the lead girl!” Cade said, turning his head.

  “I know, but I’m running out of gas,” Jazz panted.

  “Hang in there,” Cade encouraged. “You can do it!”

  Cade knew Jazz had been ahead of him all the time. She was an awesome swimmer. And an amazing bike rider. But she hadn’t had enough time to prepare for the run. It was no surprise she was tired. If this had been a training run, he would have stayed with her to the end. But he was on a mission. With a last “Keep going!” he turned his head straight and left Jazz behind. He glued his eyes on the boy ahead and pushed on. If he was going to catch him, it was now or never.

  Less than a kilometer to go. Not just in the run but in the whole triathlon. He pic
ked up his pace. His legs kicked faster. His arms pumped harder. His heart thumped like it would jump out of his chest. He knew he couldn’t keep this up for long. But he had to for just long enough. He was closing in.

  The race banner that hung across the road was dead ahead. CALGARY TRIATHLON FINISH. Just a hundred meters to go. Now he was shoulder to shoulder with the third-place runner. The boy shot a glance at him. He was still wearing dark sunglasses. But he didn’t look so cool and calm. His face was dripping sweat. His mouth was wide open, trying to suck in as much oxygen as possible. He groaned with every breath.

  Cade thought he had him. The other boy was fading fast. There was no way he could speed up. In a few steps Cade would pass him, and it would all be over. He smiled. Cade imagined himself on the podium. Getting the third-place medal. Hearing the crowd cheer him. Telling his dad he was a winner. That he had finally found a sport he was good at. Just like Trent.

  He snapped back to attention. The finish line was just a stride away. He squeezed every ounce of energy out of his tired body and lunged forward. He stepped on the pad. He heard a beep. Then another beep.

  Cade sprawled on the ground. His legs were too weak to take one more step. But he didn’t have to. The race was over. All the pain was worth it. He was sure he had come third. Hadn’t he?

  He looked up. A race official was patting the other boy on the back. He checked his number and name on a clipboard “Nice job…Adam. You held on for third place.”

  Cade couldn’t believe it. He closed his eyes. He stayed slumped on the ground.

  The race official kneeled down beside him. “Fourth place isn’t so bad…Cade. You just missed the podium.”

  “I’ve been missing it for a long time,” Cade said.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Cade’s parents were waiting for him on the driveway. He had texted earlier to let them know he was almost home. He eased himself out of the car with Jazz and Mr. Grimsby. He was still tired from the race.

  “How’d it go?” his mom asked, smiling.