Tercer Puesto....?

About two weeks ago, some NGO set up a 12K race against drugs. Me, Scott, Ann and JP all decided that it would be fun to run with some of our students in this race. It was suppose to start at 8am on a Satuday morning, which was an exteremely good thing, seeing how it is summer here now and I did not want to run in the mid-day heat. As you all know very well, Emmy/running/heat dont match up together. Some of you might remember me fainting at the finish line after cross coutnry meets, in the Oregon heat. Oregon heat has nothing compared to the Atacama Desert heat. So we got our numbers and as the punctual Gringos that we are, we were ready to go at 8am. We didn't realize that literally almost every teenager in the city was signing up and running, so our little race turned into a thousands of youngsters waiting in the heat for the race to start.
After 3 hours of waiting, we finally started that race. Since there was like a million people running, ther wasn't enough people to control the mob and indicate the course. After I was running for what seemed to be 2 hours of pure pain I turned on a street that I thought was the right turn and proceeded to run through the finish line. I did not know though that as I took that turn I was cutting off like 3K from the race, I finished naturally with a killer time. Later, Scott and JP told me where I suppose to turn... SO whatever, i cheated, i didnt know.
However, a little bit later I heard my name being called over the loud speaker, and I went to the stand where the officials were. They told me I had won second place. I told them NO I cut I really didn't win. They were like ok thanks for being honest........and then as I was getting ready to leave and the awards ceremony was starting, I heard my name again!! I went over and they were awarding me third place!!!! I was like what the heck I cheated and I told them!.....oh well I thought ill stand on my little step then everyone will clap. BUT it gets worse, they first gave me a little diploma, and I was like ok, no biggy, then a medal, then a trophie then $70!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know imagine my guilt, I cheated, won lots of money, from a NGO that could have used it for something good!! My guilt eventually got to me and I gave the money to my school, even though it was tempting to take off with it. So I ran a race in the heat and I didn't even faint and I won money!!! SO different from my cross country days!!!