The race director asked me, "Are you a survivor?" I didn't know how to respond but was humbled and grossly effected.
It was the day after my last day working as a civilian with the Army. Saturday morning, I went on my run and decided to visit the post where I (previously) worked and run the Breast Cancer Awareness 5k that the hospital was hosting. I had seen a flyer the day before and thought why not. So I ran the 4-5 miles from my house to the starting line. Right as I got there, the gun went off. So much for registering. The race was free, so I just jumped in and followed everyone else. As I picked up the pace, other runners quickly fell behind me until eventually, at about two miles, I was in the lead. I was feeling great, running at about 6:15/mile. Not my fastest, but pretty good. I finished with a time of 18:30, a good minute ahead of the next runner. The race director came up to me and asked my name. I noticed she was writing my name down as the lead female winner. I didn't object and had a huge smile on the inside.
For the next hour or so, I stuck around and ran around the parking lot waiting for the rest of the runners to trickle in so that they could start the awards. I grabbed some of the free food (the berry applesauce packets were delicious), drank some water, and got another six miles added to my workout. They took a podium picture of the top three, with me in the middle. Not long after that, the race director grabbed me and asked if I was a survivor. Meaning, a survivor of breast cancer. I felt the emotions surge. At first I was elated she saw me strictly as a woman and had no idea that I am transgender. Then I felt the gravity of the situation: other women battling a deadly disease and surviving. I felt honored but also like I was mocking them.
