Sprint said it had made significant strides, pointing to two overarching initiatives in the last year.
When André Villas-Boas's team beat their neighbours to stride seven points clear of them it felt as though they had a comfortable buffer for Champions League qualification.
At that point, Stride said, "they're, like, 'What do you mean, you're leaving me?' " She went on, "They're scared, because now it's reality.
At one point, Stride said, "Please don't think I'm rude," as she picked up her phone to read a text.
The program had more than hit its stride by this point, and the Simpsons' hometown, Springfield, has become a metropolis teeming with well-defined supporting characters, a rare example of a fully formed comic world.
In terms of packing, I was really hitting my stride by this point.
Smith described Shared Belief, an undersized horse, as athletic, with a graceful stride, "like a point guard".
By the time our all-too-brief lunch was over, I found myself waving my hands while I spoke in rapid clips, and using more bounce than usual in my stride, to the point where a few friends suggested I switch to decaf.
MW Wood also began shakily but she soon got into her stride, making her points clearly and with conviction.
