Running and Health care reform

My darling-very-young-sister-who-is-20-something invited me to run in a half marathon with her. Naturally, since the weight training, and the martial arts, have not reduced me to a size 2, I said "yes."
That's not quite what I said.
What I actually said was somewhat less committal. I told her that I really don't know if my body will go for thirteen consecutive miles, but that I'm game to train for it. So I turned what I do on the treadmill into an aggressive training regimen. I'm quite proud of myself, really. I've kept to the plan all week long.

And my sister? The young one? Her daughter, my beautiful niece, was hospitalized this week for croup. Did you know that croup could be life-threatening? I didn't know that before this little adventure. It was terrible. She's ok now. She got to go home this morning. She's 2, and adorable, and there she was in the hospital.
My poor sister! These things are always hardest on the mom.

Our family does spend a lot of time in hospitals. Why do we do that? In the past year, we've been there for my niece, my nephew's birth, my son's ruptured appendix, my cousin....who else? It's ridiculous. We need some kind of frequent flyer punch-card. We're beginning to know the staff on a first-name basis. I even have favorite menu items picked out from the cafeteria.

You don't think that a half marathon will land me in the hospital, do you?