I promise I'm not going to explode

I went for a (2.4 mile!) run today because it is 70 degrees and sunny, and because I'm going to be stuck in the gym until April soon so I took advantage of the opportunity to be outside. But this post isn't about my stellar running abilities (ha!), it is about what happens after I run...

I stopped running at 2:15pm and my face is still bright red with white blotches around my mouth. This is a common occurrence in my world, I blame it on my fair (read: pasty) skin and excellent blood circulation. While I find this to be totally normal, and will be normal for the next 2 hours, it is often alarming to other people.

When I was in the 3rd grade I came in from recess with everyone else and sat at my desk. The moment my teacher (Mrs. Carlyle) saw me her eyes got huge and she demanded that I go to the back of the class, drink a cup of water, and splash cold water on my face. I have very distinct memories of this because I was kind of embarrassed, but I also remember seeing my face in the mirror above the sink and thinking "this is what I always look like after a basketball game."

I just had a full on flashback as I came in from my run. The security guard in our building jumped up from her seat like she was going to have to catch me as I was surely about to collapse. I laughed and told her I was fine, then went into the locker room and saw the same face I had seen in Mrs. Carlyle's classroom that day in 3rd grade.

I hope that someday my kids get enough of their father's genes to mask the crazy red faceness that happens after a good workout - then I can be the only freakshow in the family who looks like I'm going to internally combust after a leisurely run.