With a heavy heart she soldiered on Always thinking of her loss There must be something I can do To try and help the cause

She wrestled with the question of How to honor Mother? Then it hit her like a bolt - Become a 5K runner!

Some would scoff, while others laughed And some just did not get it Because no one could have really known The depth of her commitment

And so every day, rain or shine She went out on the road And faced a battle with fatigue Persevering in the cold

As Race Day fast approached The snow began to fall Determination still intact - Aching joints and all

Just one more week of training Before the big event Inspiration drove her legs Every mile that she went

And so finally ... The runners huddled in a group Her first race had begun? The wind cut through her nylon suit On this frigid morning run

Up and down - it wound around Would this race never end? And the only sound that she could hear Was a pounding in her head

But as she hit that final hill Panting every stride I swear I saw a vision of her Mother by her side Smiling, With a Mother's pride.