Keeping Pace: Chapters 1–7

by Laurie Morrison
In this novel, eighth grader Gracie gets beat by her former friend and rival at an important goal, and she decides to spend the summer after her middle school graduation training for a half-marathon to get back at him.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters 1-7, Chapters 8-13, Chapters 14-19, Chapters 20-26, Chapters 27-34
15 words 151 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. lurch
    move abruptly
    I lurch forward, my stomach crashing into the smoothie cup.
  2. usher
    take someone to their seats, as in theaters or auditoriums
    I take off back down the hallway to where the math teachers are ushering people into exam rooms.
  3. unison
    the act of occurring together or simultaneously
    Everything is quiet except for the smack of our running shoes, hitting the sidewalk in unison.
  4. boggle
    overcome with amazement
    That boggles my mind.
  5. propel
    cause to move forward with force
    I love how solid and strong my leg muscles feel as they propel my body forward.
  6. exert
    make a great effort at a mental or physical task
    Three girls fly past us, their strides so smooth it doesn’t look like they’re even exerting themselves.
  7. proactive
    causing something to happen rather than waiting to respond
    He thinks she needs to make proactive, strategic plans, or else she won’t accomplish anything at all.
  8. cohesive
    combining well to form a unified whole
    But Dad convinced Celia to sign up to work with the sports teachers, to make her college applications look more “cohesive” next year, since her extracurriculars are more sporty than artsy.
  9. residency
    a set period when a musician, artist, or author works at one location
    Pineapple is the code word Celia made up last summer, right after the two of us took a very unpleasant trip to visit Dad at this writing residency place on Lake Michigan where he was spending two months.
  10. jut
    extend out or project in space
    Celia finishes stretching her calves and juts her hips to one side to stretch her hip flexors, and then she squints at something behind me.
  11. chime in
    break into a conversation
    “Yesss!” Eliana chimes in. “No more homework. No more exams. Just soccer practice and tournaments, and pool parties at Mallory’s.”
  12. compose
    make up plans or basic details for
    As the rest of the ceremony drags on, I mentally compose a game plan for getting through this nightmare.
  13. veer
    turn sharply; change direction abruptly
    He gives me a hug and then hurries to guide Teddy toward the exit, but he veers off when he sees Jonah.
  14. elaborate
    developed or executed with care and in minute detail
    At least once a month, they make a big elaborate meal together, and today they’re making all the foods Avery and I like best.
  15. gauge
    judge tentatively or form an estimate of
    As I set off toward the nature trail, it’s hard to gauge how fast to go.
Created on Tue Dec 30 07:03:19 EST 2025 (updated Tue Feb 17 15:11:42 EST 2026)

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