1 . After getting married nine years ago, I moved to an absolutely new town._________as I was, with various new things to explore, I was still lonely. I was desperate to establish_________.

This could explain my enthusiastic "Count me in!" when_________to participate in a half marathon. Considering my usual 3 miles, I must have been_________—13 miles seemed a（n）_________task.

However, the initial_________gradually wore off. I found comfort in burying myself in training. Though taking it slow, one mile, and then two, I gradually made_________. Mile after mile, I managed to step beside my new friends. We talked about our favorite music and_________funny stories about our children. At about mile 10, the conversations_________. We shared our past and hopes for our future, our fears and regrets. By the time we were running 12-mile legs, I was__________that I'd made lifelong friends.

__________, the day of the race arrived. At the start line, armed with my friends, I already felt like a champion. My time training had__________. I managed to hold a steady pace and kept up with my__________. Finally, we crossed the finish line together.

Although it started as a__________of building social ties, running not only provided me with friendships, but with a skill that would__________me the rest of my life.