The curiosity of second graders

The second graders at our neighborhood elementary school (where my husband is the library media specialist) created a book about their school that we have sent off to some schools along our route. We included a blank book for the along-the-route schools to use to write about their schools then send back to us. Today I had a most enjoyable time visiting with our second graders about my run. I did almost no lecturing, and just threw out the occasional comment or question to get the students to ask me questions. It didn't take much to get the questions flying. For example:

• Is this your job? (Sort of. I do spend about 4-6 hours a day running. ...that got a lot of wow's.)
• Do you ever get tired of running? (Well, sometimes I get tired while I'm on a run - so then I just slow down. But I always want to go for a run when I wake up the next day.)
• How did your shoes get so dirty? (Ah! A perfect lead-in. When I asked them back about different kinds of running, they went more in the direction of "fast" and "slow" - but eventually we got around to roads and trails and I showed them where I'll be running on trails through the various states on the way to Michigan.)
• Will you have TV crews following you during the run? (I had a hard time keeping from laughing on that one.)
  
• How many seconds will you be running? (It works out to about 1,287,000)
• How will you get across the water? (in reference to crossing from the Upper to Lower Peninsula of Michigan. When I told them about taking the ferry to Mackinac Island from the UP, running around the island, then taking the ferry to the Lower Peninsula, one of the students proudly declared that he had been to Mackinac Island and had ridden a bike around the island...on the very road I'll be running!) (Note: during my answer to that question, Kendall was making swimming motions - and, of course, one of the students immediately thought Kendall was going to swim across.)
• Will you run at night? (Probably not - the plan is to run early in the morning and later in the afternoon. I asked them why I picked those times of days. There are some smart second graders: "so cars can see you better," "because there aren't as many cars," "because the sun is the most dangerous at noon."
  
• Will you take pictures of us while we're running with you? (Kendall had to inform the heartbroken fellow that they wouldn't actually be running with us.)
  
• How old are you? (That question was asked by both classes - and both times, when I answered "55" the whole class said "wow" in awe struck voices... Then one class asked my husband how old he is and when he said he wouldn't be 55 until June, one student piped up with "You look so much older than your wife." Of course I had to respond with "Mr Kendall doesn't run as much as I do; running must keep you young!")
• When did you start running? The 1800s? 1900s? (Answer...as I was starting to feel quite antiquated: around 1957 - but then I asked how many of them had gone for a run. When all raised their hands, I pointed out I was just like them, running since I was little.)
  
• Kendall asked how long I had been keeping a running log - and that has been since about 1978 or 1979. One of the students then asked how many miles I had run since I kept a log. (About 49,500...just a few hundred more and I'll have run the equivalent of twice around the equator. Some eyes got very big at that.)
• Will you keep running when you're finished with your trip? (Absolutely!)
  
• Kendall then asked the million dollar question: "You've set a very big goal for yourself. Are you a little bit scared?" "Yep."