Oh those poor, poor newbies that showed up to work this week. They saw me in my running gear and then asked the question that non-runners ask without realizing that by asking “the question” they have just opened the door to my entire life running story. “Oh, do you run?” You be your sweet ass I run!

And without taking a breath, my eyes gleamed and my mouth smiled from ear to ear, I then begin to tell them about my ultramarathon training and all the hours I have to run. But wait, there’s more! I begin to tell them about all of my marathons and my half marathons and Ragnar and 5K. AND…why I started running and why anyone can run and that it’s hard and fun at the same time. I tell them about the first time I reached an entire mile without passing out and when I hit mile 8 and when I decided to try to run a marathon. And I tell them that THEY should run and argue every excuse they give me.

Then I take a breath and then…

I tell them about all of the wonderful people I’ve met and my sole sisters and how the running community is THE BEST EVER! And then there’s road running, trail running, and mud runs, which I hate. And then I go back to trying to turn them into a runner. Then I talk about how we poop in the woods and pee around the corner and how you have to watch what you eat and how important stretching is for runners and how you can’t neglect strength training and WHY AREN’T THEY RUNNING!?

After about an hour of me giving them every detail of every step that I have taken over the past two years I realized that they’re just starting at me like I’m crazy. So, I smiled and went for my run.

Is it me or has this ever happened to you too?