Run Around

My friend Bernadette mentioned she was training for May's Pasadena Marathon. I thought, 'Why don't I blog about running anymore?' I had me. I had me cold. Maybe it's because progress is only measurable in geologic time. Since December I've steadily run (or run and walked) three times a week. And while I've been mostly injury-free, I can only progress as fast as I'm able to assimilate the chi running form. Since a slight pain while training for a marathon in 2008, I've started and stopped walking and running numerous times, grown depressed, ate quite a bit, became a tubby man, then commenced the exercise process all over again. In addition, my training attempts have been periodically interrupted by a galaxy of necessary physical repairs. I've had: Knee surgery in 2009. Physical therapy for a knotted shoulder tendon in Feb. 2010. Skin cancer surgery in May 2010. Now that knotted tendon has become a partially torn shoulder muscle. I'll need...surgery! The mileage and times I used to post seem mythic. Another reminder of things past was yesterday encountering Coach Katie (pictured on the left). We ran together for two miles around the Rose Bowl, discussing matters old and new. Very nostalgic and reminded me of how I took my health for granted and what a blast I had with Team in Training. I'm not ungrateful for everything that has befallen me. (Worse things were always possible.) And I had good health care. But years of start-and-stop make for boring blogging. 'Quixotic' comes to mind regarding my ever running distance again. Why not let it slide? Clearly, I'm too old and fragile for the sport. But something says I've got another marathon left. Maybe two. I'm just not ready to concede.