i'm a runner!

Sometime last spring, I lamented to my sister about being out of shape, not wanting to pay for a gym, etc. and she said, "Well, why don't we start running?"
"Okay!" I said, "Let's do it. Every other day, we'll go running."
Robert, who listened to this conversation, was quite amused. "You're not going to go running," he said, "I can't even get you to run to the store and pick me up a sandwich."
"No, I'm going to do it," I insisted, "I'm going to be a lean, mean running machine. Why are you laughing?"
"You're just not a runner," Robert laughs.

Just to be contrary, I try it. And huff and puff for 8 minutes. And then walk for 15. And then run the last minute home, so it looks like I ran the whole way.

"See, I ran!" I say triumphantly. Robert is not fooled.
"Gee, you're not very sweaty from running that long."
"Okay, I walked most of it," I admit.
"See, you're just not a runner," he says teasingly.

So to prove him wrong and because I am ashamed of my inability to run longer than 8 minutes, I keep at it. I don't run every other day, but am able to do it 1-3 times a week. I get better. So much so that Ki-ki and I decide to run a 5K race.

"How long is a 5K?" Robert asks.
"A little over 3 miles," I tell him.
"Can you run that far?" he asks.
"Of course!" I say, though I have my doubts. I don't tell him that I think this will be the longest distance I've run and I'm not sure if I can finish.

So, on Sunday morning we run the Shape Up Somerville 5K and... I win a medal!!!

I win 3rd place in my age group (females age 30-40). Of course, there were only about 33 people in my category (there were 120+ people in the under 30 category, which is why Ki-Ki got nothing! Ha-ha! But then maybe people lied about their ages and said they were under 30 when they weren't, I know I almost did) and I was more on the 30 side while the others were on the 40 side...but my goal was really just to finish, so it was a hilarious bonus.

I finish off the morning running home to Robert with my medal.
"Look," I tell him, "I AM a runner."
He just grins.