1 . After watching my son Todd run in a race, I made my usual comment, “Todd, I could walk faster than those women run.” Todd ______ as he knew I wasn’t a runner. “Listen, Mom, how about you run with me next year at this race?” Without thinking, I quickly agreed to this ______. I felt this was going to be a piece of cake!

Never in my ______ dreams did I ever imagine what the next year would ______. When it was almost time for this race to ______, Todd wasn’t going to be running. He had died in a car accident. A few of his friends knew this “challenge” I had agreed to with Todd. They started to ______ me to run the race. I hadn’t ______ or prepared anything. Quite ______, I had almost forgotten I said I would do it.

I decided I should keep my ______. The day of the race came. I felt pretty ______. When it was time for the race, I was all dressed and ready. It was freezing cold that day, but I didn’t care. I ______ all my warm clothes and ran with only a sleeveless shirt and shorts on. Nothing was going to ______ me.

Before the race, I listened to some ______ talking about how to run a race. They gave ideas about staying ______ and knowing when to make your ______. I played the race over and over in my ______ when I listened to the tapes. Now the time had come to put it into a ______ practice.

No one knew what ______ me to run. I found that running ______ the stress I was feeling of losing my dear Todd. I finished my run, fell on the grass, and cried my eyes out.

It brought me___ and relief through running.