Speaker 1: Welcome friends.
Speaker 2: I'm your host, Julie Hopkins, And this is cozy horror,
where the chills are gentle, the shadows are long, and
every story comes served with a warm drink and a
cold shiver. Tonight's tale is for the runners and the wanderers,
and the ones who chase dreams long after the finish line.
In this episode, we join Cassie, a determined runner haunted
by the dream she shared with her grandfather to qualify
for the Boston Marathon. But some trails are marked by
more than just mile signs, and in the quiet pine
forests of Arizona, some finish lines come with a price.
Lace up your shoes, trust your pace, and remember to
always stay on the path. You're about to take a
run on a haunted trail and get your personal best.
Speaker 1: I used to run for the joy of it. The rhythm,
the air, the sound of my shoes on dirt. It
used to feel like freedom. Then things changed. I changed,
But no matter my reasons, I always showed up at
the Thursday night run club. Same trail, the same pace,
same people. It kept me moving, and when I was moving,
I could outrun the darkness.
Speaker 3: All right.
Speaker 4: Phoenix Run Club, Nice and easy tempo, stay loose and
save your kick for the last half mile.
Speaker 1: It's easy for you to say.
Speaker 3: Hey, how you holding up Boston?
Speaker 1: Fine ish? Still recovering, instead of calling me Boston. I'm
not going to Boston anytime soon.
Speaker 3: You didn't qualify.
Speaker 1: It was a total disaster.
Speaker 3: What happened I don't know.
Speaker 1: I had everything dialed in and then bam, mile nine
out of nowhere, side stitch. It was like someone jammed
a knife under my ribs and twisted never went away. Sorry, yeah,
I was all going according to plan, but my body
betrayed me. I barely finished. I really wanted to do
this for my grandpa. You know, do you.
Speaker 4: Think do you think maybe it wasn't just physical but
kind of a mental thing too.
Speaker 3: What do you mean, like maybe you psyched yourself out?
Think about it. You've run more marathons than anyone I know.
Speaker 4: But it's like the gun goes off and you get
all in your head, and honestly, I don't think it's
good for anyone to be in their heads.
Speaker 3: That's where the monsters lurk.
Speaker 1: Are we still talking about running or is this turning
into one of your Bigfoot sermons?
Speaker 3: Why not?
Speaker 4: Both also, Bigfoot lives in the Pacific Northwest in Arizona.
Speaker 1: We have I know, the supercabra you told me a
million times.
Speaker 3: No, the chupacabra is more like a canine type creature.
Excuse me, young lady. Do you have the time?
Speaker 1: Oh, I don't know. You're wearing a watch, it's broken.
What are you doing going around with a broken watch?
Speaker 5: Uh?
Speaker 1: Well, it was my grandfather's running watch, so I wear
it to feel close to him, I guess.
Speaker 5: Oh, and you're trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon
because of him.
Speaker 3: Sorry I couldn't help overhear it.
Speaker 1: Oh yeah, well, it's something we always talked about doing.
I never managed to qualify. It's too late for us
to run together now, but I feel like running in
the race would honor him, and I'd like to think
he'd be proud of me wherever he is. I'm Cassie.
You've been here the last couple of meetings, right.
Speaker 4: You haven't met Bobb yet. He's awesome. He knows everything
about cryptids.
Speaker 3: I know a thing or two.
Speaker 1: Nice to meet you.
Speaker 5: You know, there's a race coming up this weekend in
my town. It's quiet, remote, it's a Boston Qualifier. People
always run their best times there.
Speaker 4: I don't know about a race this weekend. What's it called?
I can put it on the community board back at
the shop. It's called the Monster Marathon. It's up on
the muggy On Rim Wade. It's up on the rim.
That's muggy On Monster territory. I didn't know you lived
all the way up there.
Speaker 1: Maybe that's why people run their best times. They're being chased.
Speaker 4: Hey, don't talk smack about my boy. The muggy On
Monster's not dangerous. He's just misunderstood. He's out there, you know,
living his best forest life, minding his own cryptid business.
Speaker 3: We should do the race. What if we see him?
Speaker 1: So boy, you think he'll be out there cheering people
on at the aid stations?
Speaker 4: Maybe? But what do you think Bob Any danceasy and
the big guy.
Speaker 3: He only shows himself to those who are worthy.
Speaker 1: Oh, a true believer? No one? Do you two get
along so well?
Speaker 5: Have you actually seen him? If I had, would I
be talking to you? Or would I be a smear
on a tree somewhere?
Speaker 1: That's lovely? Thanks for that. So this race, if it's
a legit race and a BQ. I'm interested. Do I
sign up online?
Speaker 3: Yeah?
Speaker 5: We don't have a website. It's just a local event
in a small town. Here's the fire.
Speaker 1: Thanks THEO. You in for sure.
Speaker 4: I wouldn't want to miss your epic comeback, and hey,
maybe mine too. Give me two seconds, I'm grabbing the
last of my gear.
Speaker 1: Are you walking up the shop for the weekend or
straight up moving out?
Speaker 4: I mean I figured we could hang out after the
race and do some sight seeing.
Speaker 1: You mean monster hunting, I mean monster hunting. Seriously, THEO.
That thing is enormous. I don't even know if it's
going to fit in the trunk.
Speaker 4: I just the basics, you know, trail cams, thermal goggles,
casting plaster for footprints, Oh my gosh. And a small
offering of yogurt covered pretzels. They have a sweet tooth.
You know, you're ridiculous, ridiculously prepared.
Speaker 1: We should be there in about thirty minutes. Hey, what
kind of BOO packets did you bring? Because those vanilla.
Speaker 4: Ones tasted like drywall? I know, I got raspberry perfect.
I also got you a little something like a present.
It's just something to bring you good luck on race day.
Is this it's a new running watch from the shop.
Its lightweight, has got better GPS, and it has some
serious battery life.
Speaker 1: Thanks.
Speaker 3: I just thought maybe it was time to let go
of the old one.
Speaker 1: It's really nice, but I'm gonna stick with my grandpa's.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I know, it's just it's just sometimes I think
the watch gets in your head, like you're so worried
about making your grandpa proud you forget why you run
in the first place.
Speaker 1: There's nothing wrong with wanting to qualify for the Boston Marathon.
Speaker 4: No, of course not. I'm not saying that, but like,
do you actually want it?
Speaker 3: Cass?
Speaker 4: What if he didn't want to run the Boston Marathon
with you because of the achievement. What if he just
wanted to run it with you for fun?
Speaker 1: So about this race, I looked it up last night.
Speaker 3: You found it online.
Speaker 1: That's shocking kind of There wasn't much, but I did
find a news article. Apparently last year a woman died
on the course. What they say she got mauled probably
an animal.
Speaker 3: Probably a bear, could have been a mountain lion or.
Speaker 1: The muggy on monster.
Speaker 3: It wasn't the monster.
Speaker 1: You sound very sure because.
Speaker 4: He's not violent. He's just you know, out there. He
avoids people, he doesn't pick fights.
Speaker 1: I don't know, Bob the Expert seemed to think the
muggy on monster was dangerous.
Speaker 4: I think he was just trying to mess with you,
you know, show off. Maybe we stick together during the
run just to be safe.
Speaker 1: Yeah, I'm good with that. I mean, as long as
you can keep up.
Speaker 3: Wow, did you really just say that? Like, do you
know who you're talking of?
Speaker 1: The phoenix glasses all the way to mile twenties. My
grandpa always used to say a good runner prepares, a
great runner adapts. But I don't think my grandpa could
have imagined the horrors waiting for me on that race course.
I know he said this was a low key race,
But why is everyone looking at us? Are we like
the only two people from out of town doing this race.
Speaker 4: I'm sure there're other runners who are skipping the pot
luck and just coming for the race tomorrow morning.
Speaker 1: Why do I feel like we stumbled into.
Speaker 4: A cult, a cult with excellent baking skills. Have you
tried the potato salad? Oh it's so good.
Speaker 1: Oh look they have kool aid.
Speaker 3: Don't drink that. It's not kool aid. It's some kind
of off brand electrolyte. Drake.
Speaker 1: You're way too trusting, are you like all into conspiracies?
Speaker 4: Wait, no, it's totally kool aid, so nostalgic evening runners.
Speaker 3: You made it just in time. We just put out
the good stuff. Hey, Bob, didn't expect to see you
running this whole shebang. Well, someone's got to keep the
traditions alive. Small town charm.
Speaker 1: Right, it's all very charming.
Speaker 5: Race packets are over yonder by the devil diicks. You
want to grab yours before the Ravioli runs out.
Speaker 1: Here? This one's yours.
Speaker 3: Okay, this is not your standard.
Speaker 4: Issue only granola bars, cinnamon cloves, some thing unidentifiable.
Speaker 1: Mason jar of protein powder. I think handwritten label. Oh
look at this ten percent off custom pine box casket
with race bib. Will Cox and Son's Funeral Home, proud
race sponsor.
Speaker 4: Small town Marketing is uh is bold?
Speaker 1: Ah, Hey, look at this My bib number sixty six,
mind six, Together we become six sixty six. That's not
a weird omen or anything.
Speaker 5: Oh, it's just a number. You'll have your best race ever.
I just got a feeling about it.
Speaker 1: What's he standing there? The whole time?
Speaker 5: So what is it about the course? Why do people
always pr We've all got a shadow that runs behind us. Here,
it runs with us, helps us along, just stone, let
it get ahead.
Speaker 1: What happens? If it gets ahead?
Speaker 5: Then you get left behind because it's never coming back
for you. Now, don't leave without trying the tomato, meat
sauce and ravioli family recipe goes back for generations.
Speaker 3: Sounds sounds hardy?
Speaker 1: Do I want to know what kind of meat?
Speaker 3: Eat up? Runners? Big day tomorrow?
Speaker 6: Do you.
Speaker 1: How well do you actually know Bob?
Speaker 3: I don't know. You know just from the brun Club.
I think I'm actually good on the kool aid.
Speaker 1: Yeah, good call. The air smelled like frost and pine needles.
As we all gathered near the starting line. I could
almost hear my grandpa's voice in my head.
Speaker 4: Don't stop until you reach the finish line, because it's
always farther than you think.
Speaker 1: But my finish line, as I was about to find out,
was going to be much much closer.
Speaker 4: Good morning, Runners, Hey, I've found an energy jail that
expired in twenty nineteen.
Speaker 3: Want to live dangerously?
Speaker 1: That's going to be a pass. I'm saving room for
the mystery Meet Ravioli later Fair.
Speaker 5: Welcome to the thirteenth Annual Monster Marathon.
Speaker 1: For you, Grandpa, I won't stop.
Speaker 3: You got this cast run. Your race forst is clearly marked.
Speaker 5: Please stay on the trail and remember some of you
will set a personal best today and some will set
a final one.
Speaker 1: What did he just say best of?
Speaker 3: Look, come on, Cassie, let's go.
Speaker 4: Okay, so fun fact the Muggy and Monster is anywhere
from seven to ten feet tall. Harry red Eyes smells
like rotting skunk and wet leaves.
Speaker 1: So like you during summer training runs.
Speaker 4: The difference is I don't throw pine os when startled.
Oh I don't feel great.
Speaker 1: Wait, what's going on? Too many expired gels?
Speaker 3: I'm serious. Oh, Naugia, my stomach's twisting.
Speaker 1: Here here, let's walk for a minute. The mile twenty
water station is right up there. You probably just need
some electrolytes.
Speaker 3: Maybe it's the altitude.
Speaker 1: Here here here, drink this?
Speaker 4: Okay, okay, better okay, nope, nope, not good?
Speaker 1: Oh hey are you okay?
Speaker 3: Yeah? Yeah, just go. You're on pace.
Speaker 1: I'm not leaving you here.
Speaker 3: You're on pace. Cast. You can't stop now.
Speaker 1: Every bone in my body says, stay, you have to.
Speaker 4: It's only six more miles. You're finally going to qualify it.
Speaker 1: And I was on pace. I touched the watch on
my wrist, my grandpa's watch, and I decided to keep going.
Speaker 3: I'll catch up and wait at the eighth station.
Speaker 6: Just go, okay, I'll see you at the finish Something
had shifted.
Speaker 1: The rhythm of the forest was off, the air tasted
and metallic, and it felt like the longest six miles
of my life.
Speaker 4: Don't stop until you reach the finish line, because it's
always farther than you think.
Speaker 1: I won't stop, Grandpa. I heard footsteps behind me, and
I felt relief. I hadn't seen another runner since I
left the at the mile twenty eighth station. That's not
a runner. Is anyone out there? Hello? There was a
tree down across the path. I didn't think much of it.
I just veered left to go around. It's a detour
time the I looked around for what could possibly making
that beeping sound, and I was shocked to realize it
was coming from my watch, my Grandpa's watch, the one
that hadn't worked in a long time. That's when I
noticed I'd been saved by the bell, or rather the beep.
Because I'd been so busy avoiding the fallen tree, I
hadn't noticed the giant hole in the middle of the forest.
It was covered with sticks and leaves, but visible if
you looked closely. Someone had dug it and painstakingly arranged
sticks and leaves over it, like a trap for a
bear or something. Linckle of me, deal, where are you?
I followed the sound his voice, and what I saw
stopped me in my tracks, and all of the sudden,
it didn't matter where the finish line was, because I
didn't think either of us were going to make it there.
I found THEO tied to a tree, gagged, bruised, utterly terrified.
You But what happened? Who did this?
Speaker 3: Run? Cassie, Cassie, Run. It's you they want. I'm just bait.
Speaker 1: Shut up. We're getting out of here. Are you hurt?
You walk?
Speaker 3: Don't you touch him? You step away from that boy.
Speaker 1: Okay, okay, I'm putting my hands up.
Speaker 5: You're not here to qualify, You're here to fulfill a promise.
Speaker 1: What promise?
Speaker 3: Blood for the forest. The muggy on monster.
Speaker 5: Gives us life and in return.
Speaker 3: We give him one of you every year, hikers, drifters, runners.
This year it's you me.
Speaker 1: There's nothing really that special about me.
Speaker 3: Oh I disagree. You're not like the others.
Speaker 5: You came here to prove something to someone who ain't
even breathing anymore.
Speaker 3: That kind of devotion, Oh, it's sacred.
Speaker 1: You can't be serious. The muggy on monster doesn't exist
like he's not real.
Speaker 3: He exists.
Speaker 5: He came to me in a dream when I was
just a kid, and he told me if I brought
a worthy sacrifice every year, he would reward me. And
he's out there right now, waiting, watching, salivating. Someday, when
we've made enough sacrifices, he'll reveal himself to us. He'll
no longer hide in the shadows. He'll stand in glory.
Speaker 3: You haven't even seen him in real life, and you're
out murdering people in his name.
Speaker 1: Don't antagonize him.
Speaker 5: Br around here, we call that faith, And I've gotten
a heck of a lot closer to seeing him than
you ever will.
Speaker 3: Now, put your hands where I can see him and
walk towards the sun.
Speaker 1: What are you gonna do with THEO?
Speaker 5: Collateral damage? Can't be helped. Did you throw a pine
cone at my head? Nope, don't mess with me, boy,
or I'm gonna make your dad nice and slow.
Speaker 1: He's not doing it. He's tied up.
Speaker 3: Cassie Gussie behind you. Oh oh, it's him. It's him.
Speaker 1: He's come, Bob, put the gun down.
Speaker 3: Don't you see He's here for you. He accepts you.
Guess he helped me with the broken I got you.
Speaker 1: As I untipe heels ropes. I got a glimpse of
the creature. He was massive, he covered with pine bark,
in shadows, like he grew out of the forest instead
of walking through it.
Speaker 3: What absolute honor. I bow to you, your greatness. We
need to go right now. No, no, wait, don't run
from him.
Speaker 1: Was that him like the Bigfoot, the muggy un monster?
Speaker 3: I don't know. I don't want to know.
Speaker 1: He didn't. He didn't want us to die. I think
he saved us.
Speaker 3: Any idea where the road is?
Speaker 1: Oh, God's not really turn right on Zino point five miles.
You will arrive at your destination on the left.
Speaker 3: My watch, that thing's still giving you directions.
Speaker 1: It just started working today.
Speaker 3: Should we listen to the haunted watch?
Speaker 1: Rank got a better idea.
Speaker 3: There there's the car.
Speaker 1: What are you doing? Are you calling the Bigfoot Society?
Speaker 3: No, I'm calling the cops, are you okay?
Speaker 1: Yeah, they'll arrest Bob if the muggy On Monster left
him alive, and they'll find the traps and the rope
by the tree, maybe even bodies. But what they won't
find is what saved us.
Speaker 3: Do you believe that guy he sacrificed people year after
a year in the muggy On Monster's name. How could
anyone be so delusional?
Speaker 4: You know?
Speaker 1: It's kind of like me thinking that doing the Boston
Marathon would make my grandpa proud. Now I just think
he wants me to live.
Speaker 4: Yeah, okay, I appreciate the metaphor, but you're nothing like
that deranged cult leader.
Speaker 1: When I look back down at my watch, it hits
working again. It went back to being broken and silent.
But it was there when I needed it, and that
meant everything. The evening air smelled like Phoenix sunshine when
I showed up at the Thursday night Run club, and
this time I was not thinking about race, bibs or
gold times. It was all about my breath, the rhythm
and the open trail. It felt like waking up after
a long dream.
Speaker 4: All right, crew out and back, easy pace. Anyone who
sprints will be forced to watch my newest video on
the Muggy Unmonaster.
Speaker 1: No promises. Look who's couldn't let you have all the fun? Could? I?
I wear the watch that THEO gave me. Now it's
got all the bells and whistles, and I love it.
But I swapped in my grandpa's old strap. The leather
was worn thin from years of running, and I took
him along.
Speaker 3: With me, still trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon.
Speaker 1: Not today.
Speaker 4: I'm happy to hear that. So I found this ten
k in Oregon. It's called the Bigfoot Barefoot Rays, and
I think it would.
Speaker 1: Be really fun to do if you get it's not
about tracking every mile anymore. It's about feeling every step
because you never know where the trail is going to
take you, and that's where the joy is.
Speaker 2: And so Cassie learned what many of us do when
we chase our monsters, that the people who love us
don't want perfection from us.
Speaker 1: They just want to to keep going, not.
Speaker 2: For glory, but for joy. Personal Best was written and
produced by your host, Julie Hopkins.
Speaker 1: Thanks for joining me on this trail through the weird
and the wild.
Speaker 2: If you enjoyed tonight's story, please follow Cozy Horror, leave
a review wherever you get your podcasts, and share the
chills with a friend who loves a little cryptid with
their cocoa.
Speaker 1: And if you'd like a bonus audio.
Speaker 2: Drama, head to January Daphne dot com for a free
spooky short. Until next time, this has been another episode
of Cozy Horror, where the darkness has never been so inviting.