I.am.a.runner.

In January, I set a New Year's resolution to log 500 miles in 2011.

I quickly discovered that I am an impatient person... and that getting 10 miles a week (which is necessary to reach my goal by the end of the year) can be accomplished much more quickly when one runs.

So I began to run.

Intervals at first. Walk a minute, run a minute. Walk a minute, run two.

Eventually, I pushed myself to run a whole mile.

And I didn't die.

And then, because I'm a goal-setting type, I decided I needed something to work toward.

So I signed up for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. April 17th. That gave me a few months to train...

And yesterday, I ran it.

And I didn't die.

In fact, I beat my goal of 33:00 minutes by more than three minutes, finishing the race at 29:50.

I never, ever, in a million years would have told you that I was going to become a runner when I was forty two years old.

But I have done that very thing.

I love running.

Not necessarily while I'm doing it. Although there is a certain degree of pride that I'm pushing myself when I feel like quitting and I'm doing something with my body that I never felt capable of doing...

But afterwards, I feel crazy good. Like, invigorated. For hours. Whodathunk?

And now I've decided to try to run Bloomsday.

Last night when we were getting ready for bed, Asia looked at me and said "You've become a person who runs. I never imagined you would become that person when I married you..."

Me neither.