Her friends’ zombie trick did help the main character feel more mentally prepared for the “Zombie 5K.” Before her friends helped her out, she did not know what it would feel like to run while being chased by zombies. At the end of the story, she knows that she can complete the physical tasks of the race even while panicking and being chased. The text indicates this when Kristen says the main character “owned” the obstacle course while under pressure; the main character agrees and says she is not nervous about the race anymore. The fact that she says “anymore” indicates that she was nervous about the race before the zombie chase, but not now. This shows that she feels mentally prepared. The main character also starts laughing after she realizes how well she handled the obstacle course, even though she had been scared in the moment—this too indicates mental preparedness.
