Kyoo 199 - Couple Challenge

I can't remember exactly what started it, though it probably stemmed from my nagging. Which goes something like this:

"Bear (that's what I'm calling the Gregman nowadays), let me tell you how much I love running. I love running! It's such a stress relief. I could just run forever."

Bear will usually nod his head and give me his "yes, you tell me this everyday" look. If I looked carefully I could probably detect a subtle eye roll in his look, too.

Not terribly happy with his unenthusiastic response I'll continue.

"Bear you just don't understand!"

Followed by more dribble about how amazing it feels to run and how good it makes me feel and how I can just run and think and yadda yadda yadda.

Doesn't that sound like a fun conversation?? I mean who doesn't like to listen to an endorphin-stoked runner talk about how amazing running is! (and I usually only see Bear right after a run so I'm pretty amped up on those endorphins).

This conversation happens on occasion. With occasion being about every day. That I go on a run. So 5 times a week. Give or take. Sometimes I'll shake things up and talk about swimming. Just to keep it interesting, ya know?

Then there's another similar conversation that's repeatedly exchanged o'er the Kyooyoo-Bear airwaves. This one goes something like this (Bear being the initiator this time):

"So, I got my book today."

Kyooyoo (instantly turning absent-minded at the mention of a book, maybe): "Uh-huh, another book?"

I'll start multi-tasking with my head awkwardly cocked to the side holding the phone against my shoulder to free up my hands while Bear excitedly tells me about how amazing his new book is and how it's such a stress relief to read it and how good it makes him feel and how he just loves it.

Sound familiar? Ugh. It's like he gets endorphins from reading. Is that possible??

And then he'll tell me how many pages he read during his lunch break.

"500 pages!!" I'll exclaim. Question mark. Question mark.

"It was a little more." He'll nonchalantly respond back.

And this is where the conversations tend to reference each other.

"How do you read so much??" I'll ask him, completely flabbergasted (in the most flabbery of gasted ways).

"How do you run so much?" Bear will rhetorically reply.

Ok!

That conversation happens ever so often. With often being every time Bear gets a new book. Which is about once a week. Give or take. But mostly give.

After having these conversations for months on end (I've been training intently for this marathon since April...), a challenge brewed in the car one day.

I remember exactly where we were. And I want to say we were driving to church. It sounds better that way, right? Either way, we had just had our "Iloverunning! Ilovereading!" conversation when the Bear piped up.

"Remember how running to me is like reading to you? (we remember when a lot, we do). I don't understand why you love running and you don't understand why I love reading. There's nothing wrong about it and it probably won't change."

I most likely realized this was a true statement but still started desperately racing through my mind to find a good argument. I had to have a good argument! Running was better and he needed to understand that!!

Yes, it's a sad thing, but the competitive mind is never at ease people.

Bear laughed at my expression. Something like a small child not getting their way.

And then his brilliant plan lit up his face.

"What if I pick 5 books for you to read by the end of the year?"

"5 books!?" I probably exclaimed. "Why would I read 5 books?? That's so many!", the whiney voice I'm sure coming in to play.

"If you finish them I'll train for and run a half-marathon next year. It might help us understand each other better."

Ugh.

He would turn it into a challenge! He knows I can't back down from a good challenge!

But wait.

*mischievous smile*

He'll have to start running.

*more mischievous smiling*

My plan that I didn't even know was a plan was in motion.

*a little more mischievous smiling*

And then he named the 3 books. (maybe I forgot to mention I talked him down to 3...based on my current reading level...and desire to read...I mean come on, he was only agreeing to run a HALF marathon, let's not get too crazy). And my mischievous smile was wiped clean:

1). Jesus the Christ (Gulp. Not that that's 800 pages of tiny print or anything, but that's 800 pages of tiny print. Tiny!)
2). The Book of Mormon (Mr. Ihavereaditfortytimesandyoushouldtoo apparently)
and
3). The Count of Monte Cristo (Bear wanted to throw a "fun" one in there. His personal favorite. And something about the abridged version being acceptable. Darn straight!)

A daunting list for a non-reader (maybe that's just me...). But I guess a half marathon might seem daunting to a non-runner (I don't know...).

And so it is, several months later, the couple challenge is in full swing. Bear is experiencing the aches and pains and joys and (joyous) strains of a regular running regime and Kyooyoo is through (or is it thru?) Count of Monte Cristo, belly-button-deep in Jesus the Christ (that's OVER half-way! *happy dance*), and past 2 Nephi in the Book of Mormon (all downhill from there, right??).

It's been fun.

Annnnnnd, (don't yell this to the Bear!) I might be enjoying reading.

Also, don't spill your beverage, but I might have read a couple extra books too.

About running.

Have a great day :-)