I’m an athlete!

I don’t really think of myself as athletic most of the time.  I just don’t think about it at all.  I’m not fast, and I’ve worked my way up to the level I am at.  I’m certainly not well-rounded; running is all that I do.  Sure, I am proud of my accomplishments, but I just don’t necessarily think of myself as an athlete.

I had the notion challenged when I was at Canadian Blood Services to donate blood one evening.   The nurse raised an eyebrow as the machine took my temperature, pulse and blood pressure.  She said, “your pulse is really low.  Do you work out?”  I sort of shrugged and told her casually that I run, in that tone that says “well I don’t think so, but does this count?”  I watched her write in the box at the bottom of the page, “Note on low HR: very athletic.”  I laughed out loud – I mean I really laughed.  Not at the nurse of course – more like a half-incredulous, half-grateful guffaw of semi-disbelief.  After all, a well-trained, experienced health care professional just stated that, in her professional opinion, I was athletic.  Not just athletic!  Very athletic.  How cool is that??