Yesterday, I participated in a local 10k race. A 10k is 6.2 miles so I was a little nervous since I'm pretty new to this whole running thing. It had been raining pretty steadily right up until the start of the race but we lucked out because it stopped just before the race began. The 10k race usually brings out a lot of competitive runners, so my goal was just to finish in the upper half. I was very pleased when I came in 195th out of 470 runners. My time was 53:22 for an average pace of 8:36 per mile. This pace was even better than my 5k time from a couple of weeks ago, so I was really proud of myself. I will admit though that I am feeling it today. Here is a pic Greg took of me right before the race. You will notice that Jackson always manages to make his way into my running photos.
At the race, I noticed a woman there who lives in our neighborhood. Not only does she live in our neighborhood, but she also goes to the same gym as me and we have taken a few of the same classes there as well. I've never met her before, but since I see her everywhere and since she appears to be around my age, I figured I'd introduce myself after the race. Unfortunately, the conversation didn't quite play out as I had hoped. Here is how it went....
Me: Hi, I just thought I'd introduce myself because I think we live in the same neighborhood and go to the same gym. Do you live in Parker's Landing?
Neighbor lady (smiling): Yes, I do! I live on 79th and Hunter's Ridge.
Me: Yeah, I know. I live on Nob Hill. My name is Brooke.
Neighbor lady: I'm neighbor lady, nice to meet you. So, do you know Chris & Jessica Such and Such?
Me: Uh, no.
Neighbor lady: How about Rick and Christy So and So?
Me: Hmm. No, I don't think so.
***About this time, neighbor lady's friend, who is standing right beside her, asks "Where exactly on Nob Hill do you live?" Only, she didn't say it in a manner of curiosity, but more like she didn't believe me.***
Me (nervously): Ummm, well, it's at the end of one of the cul-de sacs (note: there are about 5 cul-de-sacs on Nob Hill) but I can't remember the name of the cul-de-sac. Actually, you and I have the exact same house but yours is made of stucco and mine is made of brick (just as those words leave me lips, I think..too much, Brooke, too much).
***about this time, neighbor lady is looking at me like I just might be a crazy person who is planning to break into her house and kill her***
Neighbor lady: Oh, okay. Well, um, maybe we can go running together sometime.
Me: Yeah, definitely. Well, anyways, I just wanted to say hi so.....it was nice meeting you.
Neighbor lady(looking sideways at her friend and smirking): Uh huh.
Ok, so that was my version of the conversation. I'm sure neighbor lady's version of the conversation included me saying "Hi, I'm Brooke. Nice to stalk you."
After the conversation I walked slowly away with a "deer in headlights" look thinking "what just happened???" Then I ambled over to the food area for no apparent reason, at which point I decided... Time. To. Go.
As I started the long walk to back to my car, all I could do was replay in my mind one of the famous Chris Farley skits from Saturday Night Live..."Dangit...That sounded so stupid!!". About that time, I saw someone running at me, pretending like they were some sort of "bird of prey". It was Greg. He had come to watch me cross the finish line. And although the eagle/falcon/hawk scene would have been embarassing under normal circumstances, I was just too shaken up to care.
So, I proceed to share with Greg that I introduced myself to neighbor lady. He says, "that's great...I'm proud of you". I was starting to feel better about myself, like maybe it wasn't so bad after all. That is, until I re-enacted the conversation to Greg, at which point he lets out a muffled laugh and says "Okay, stalker".
Great. Guess I'll be finding a new place to walk the dog.
Brooke
