The Running Dream

Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2011

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Part 5, Chapters 7-9Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 5, Chapter 7 Summary

Every morning during the summer, Jessica and Gavin run together and then spend time with Fiona and Mario around town. Although cross-country practice has started, Jessica is forced to practice on the track and the streets due to the rough terrain of the cross-country courses. She has improved her mileage with the wheelchair to eight miles a day. Her father has modified the chair with bigger wheels, a padded seat, a seat belt, and a hand brake. For Jessica’s comfort, he gives her a pair of bike gloves for her hands, as well as added pouches to the chair for water bottles.

Finally, Jessica stops by Rosa’s house to propose the idea to Rosa’s mother. She explains what she has been doing for training, and Rosa becomes excited at the thought of “running” in the wheelchair. Rosa’s mother is doubtful and concerned, but at the girls’ insistence, she relents. Rosa wants to try the wheelchair right away, so she slides over to the wheelchair while her mother buckles her in. When her mother says she needs a helmet, Rosa violently objects, saying, “I don’t want to be the weird kid in the helmet […] And I want to feel the wind” (304). Jessica insists that she won’t be running that fast, so Mrs. Brazzi agrees to let the helmet go. The girls take off for one block, a block which leaves Rosa ecstatic and Jessica drenched in sweat and wondering how she will ever make it ten miles.

Part 5, Chapter 8 Summary

Although her family and friends tell her they would understand if she gave up on the ten-mile race, Jessica can’t let it go. She turns to Coach Kyro for help building her strength. At first, he is skeptical, but Jessica tells him that “I’m going to do it. I’m asking you to help me” (307). He agrees to create a weight training regimen for her, as well as a muscle-building diet. He jokes with her that if she thought the 400-meter dash was hard, she was really in for it. Jessica knows but also realizes “It’s the only way I’ll get Rosa over that finish line” (308).

Part 5, Chapter 9 Summary

Jessica follows Kyro’s training plan, eating food on her diet and alternating running and weight training days. She continues to run with Gavin each morning. She also begins to find encouragement and inspiration from the people in her community. While running around the neighborhood, Jessica is congratulated and greeted by strangers and she wonders “how many of these people helped buy my leg” (310). Jessica finds that the kindness that these people share with her helps her push through the toughest parts of her training.

While talking with Gavin, Fiona, and Mario one day, Jessica says that the race is “a run about Rosa” (312) where people can learn about what makes Rosa wonderful and look beyond her condition to the special person within. Fiona suggests that they create “Team Rosa” shirts so that race supporters could cheer them on as they passed by on the race route. Suddenly, the whole group is planning on blowing horns, carrying flags, and wearing special shirts for the entire race. Team Rosa is born.

Part 5, Chapters 7-9 Analysis

With the help of her father, Jessica outfits the wheelchair to be more running-friendly and finds the support from her family, friends, and even strangers in the community heartening and encouraging. She stops by Rosa’s house to propose the idea to her friend and Mrs. Brazzi before continuing further with her training. Rosa is thrilled at the idea, but Mrs. Brazzi is worried at first, until Jessica convinces her that she will not be pushing Rosa that quickly. When her mother says she will need a helmet, Rosa yells no because she doesn’t want to be seen as stranger than people already view her.

Jessica turns to Coach Kyro for additional help in developing the strength necessary to push a hundred and twenty pounds over ten miles. He gives her a strict training and diet plan to follow, and Jessica finds that sticking to the program is easy when she keeps in mind what this run will mean for Rosa.

Gavin, Fiona, and Mario create Team Rosa and will have special shirts, flags, and horns on hand to cheer Jessica and Rosa on during the River Run.