Last week well over a thousand people (1) took part in our local round-the-city 10-kilometre fun run. This kind of race doesn’t normally (2) amuse me, as, frankly, I’m not really (3) right for long distance running. But I’ve got two friends who are dead keen runners and who keep going on about the (4) positive effects of running. So I decided to run, partly for that reason and partly to (5) raise money for charity. Friends and colleagues agreed to (6) sponsor me, and pay for each mile I completed. Well, I hadn’t done much training for the big event, and after two kilometers I was (7) gasping/panting for breath, so I settled down to a slow jog and resigned myself to plodding along with the (8) strugglers  at the back of the race. At least I finished, and was very pleased with myself, as I didn’t need to stop. I timed myself with a stop-watch, and reckon I (9) crossed over the finishing line in 43 minutes – not bad for a novice. The heat proved too much for a few people who’d gone off too fast for their capabilities and ended up (10) suffering from exhaustion. Apparently, the course was very fast, and both of my friends ran a (11) personal best. The winner (12) surpassed  the course record. I was actually vey impressed with the whole event; the organization was first-class, with medical volunteers (13) on duty  throughout, and drinks (14) stops every few kilometers of the route. So now the charity of my choice is £150 the richer, and as for me, I’m well and truly bitten by the running bug. I go running with my friends regularly now, and I’m actually starting to (15) get near to them!