June 29

9 miles

Matt says it’s time for new tennis shoes.

July 6

10 miles

Jere got hurt.

July 13

12 miles

Finished in 2:14! Only had to use bathroom once

July 20

13 miles

Halfway there!

July 27

15 miles

Humidity just about finished me off. Time 3:06.

August 3

14 miles

Hurt knee. Overdosed on Pepto.

August 10

11 miles

Wore new knee brace—it messes with my gait.

August 17

16 miles

Didn’t get enough sleep in dorms.

August 24

20 miles

Need lifetime supply of Pepto & ice packs. Stat!

August 31

14 miles

Ran w/ Liza & Andrew

September 7

22 miles

Holy crap! Time 4:35. I ran for 1/2 a school day!

September 14

20 miles

Knee brace is The Devil.

September 21

The Bluegrass Half Marathon

Finished in 2:26! Won a medal!

September 28

12 miles

Tapering off.

October 5

10 miles

Almost there!

October 12

Country Music Marathon in Nashville

IT’S TIME

One Day Until the Country Music Marathon

“Did Jeremiah tell you? His frat accepted Colton into the pledge class.”

“That’s great!” I say to Kelsey. She and Vanessa are driving me back to Franklin for dinner. We’re going to Joe’s All-You-Can-Eat Pasta Shack so I can carbo-load before the marathon tomorrow.

Kelsey and Colton have been dating for nearly two months, and contrary to the bathroom incident in which they weren’t wearing shirts, they’ve been taking it slow. But it doesn’t surprise me when she says they finally went all the way.

When Jeremiah and I got back to campus after zip-lining, we sprinted to my dorm. We couldn’t get there fast enough. We stumbled from the elevator to my room, tugging at each other’s clothes, nearly trampling a freshman guy, kissing the entire way. In my room, he tripped over Vanessa’s shoe, lost his balance because of his shoulder, and landed on top of me. Our heads clonked together and we groaned.

The very sweet, very unsexy memory makes me laugh to myself. “I’ve been sleeping with Jeremiah too.”

Vanessa bounces up and down in her seat. Kelsey honks the horn, squealing. I kind of want to squeal myself. I love spending time with my friends.

About five minutes out from Franklin, I whine, “I’m so hungry.”

“I swear, Annie, I can’t believe how much food you eat,” Kelsey says.

She’s right. For lunch today, I ate an entire large pizza by myself. With my training schedule, I wake up hungry and go to bed starving, no matter how much I eat.

When we get to Joe’s, I hop out of the car and jog to the entrance, preparing to order tortellini. We walk in the door, the little bell jingling, and tons of people yell, “Surprise!”

A huge banner hangs on the wall: GOOD LUCK, ANNIE!

Kyle’s best friend, Seth, rushes up and hugs me. “I hope you don’t mind…we just wanted to show you how excited we are.”

My eyes welling up with tears, I gaze around at the crowd I wasn’t expecting. Mom and Nick are here, along with Jeremiah. Vanessa, Rory, Kelsey, Colton, Jack, and Savannah. Coach Woods. Stephanie, my manager from the Roadhouse, and some other people who work there. My old principal, Dr. Salter. A bunch of guys from the Hundred Oaks track team. Men from the fire department. Even Liza and Andrew are here, beaming at me.

Kyle’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Crocker. His little brothers.

I swear, it’s like the entire town is here. To support me. To remember Kyle.

My heart lurches when his parents come over to me.

“We’re so proud of you,” Mrs. Crocker says, giving me a big hug.

His father says, “We’ll be there tomorrow at the finish line.”

“Daddy got us a fog horn to blow when you run by!” Kyle’s little brother Isaac says.

“I can’t wait,” I say with a laugh.

I introduce Jeremiah to Mr. and Mrs. Crocker as my boyfriend. Mr. Crocker slips a comforting arm around his wife and gazes at her until she nods as if to say, Yes, I’m all right. Then they both shake Jeremiah’s hand and ask how college is going. Mrs. Crocker makes me promise to drop by the house during Thanksgiving break next month.

Coach Woods is digging into a massive plate of spaghetti. I walk over to her table to thank her for coming. She swallows and lets out a loud groan. The guy she’s with says, “Don’t eat so fast or you’re gonna bust a lung.”