Jack loves to run. And I love to watch him. He just flies. He told me that he did not know what he would do if he could not run.
             This is his senior year at High School. He has been running Cross Country for several years now. He had qualified for the Regional level by placing in our District. He was so excited. We were excited for him.
             The Regional race was run in Nebraska. It was supposed to snow that weekend. Jack was hoping it would. He told me he wanted his last race in high school to be different than any other race he had ever run. And he had never run in the snow. Well, he got his wish. But, it wasn't snow.
             I was watching him and his friends before the race started. They were so excited, and so pumped up. Laughing and jumping around to stay warm. I was so proud of all of them. They were all such good kids. I cried as I watched them there for possibly the last time they would ever run as a team. I felt a mother's love for them all, but especially my own.
             The starting gun sounded and they were off. It was so thrilling to see hundreds of athletes giving their all for a sport they loved. I watched from a distance as they all flew around the course, and ran to where I could cheer them all on as they passed.
             Jack was not in the lead. Neither were the other members of his high school team. But they were running their hearts out. They were all flying.
             As Jack made his last turn to come past me toward the finish line, a member of the girls' team came up and said, "Jack has lost his shoes. He is running in his socks!!!"
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