Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Run to the Polls

I'm not writing about running again today because there's nothing to write about. I took this last weekend off -- my first running-free weekend since ... since ... since ... March? Yes, the weekend of March 8-9, the weekend when 18 inches of snow fell on Northeast Ohio, the weekend when I unveiled the Guess Viper's Car Contest. Since that weekend, I have gone eight months without skipping a weekend run.

I think I was about due.

I might run tonight. Might.

I know. This not running goes against my plan to crack 1,000 miles for the year. But so does this peculiar pain behind my knee.

You see, work is a dangerous place. That's why I try to do as little as possible while I'm there (i.e., here). However, yesterday, I hurt myself when I used my right leg to scoot my chair closer to my desk and computer screen (the better to see you with). I felt a very unpleasant pull near the juncture of my thigh and knee. It was painful, like bent-double painful.

But it's not a consistent pain.

I can walk fine. I can lift my leg OK. It doesn't hurt to touch. It just randomly hurts. Like, when I take off my pants -- which I do often -- it hurt like the Dickens. And normally, I'm OK with how much the Dickens hurts, because Dickens usually inspires me to stab out my own eyes with a grapefruit spoon, but this pain invokes a touch of pity for the man.

This pain is such that I think I can run, but the doubt is enough that I worry it might affect my gait. The Uncertain Stride will almost certainly lead to the Injured Stride.

Perhaps I'll run tonight after I vote. Or maybe I'll just lie down with a good book. And if not a good book, maybe A Tale of Two Cities.

[Drunkard's Note: Don't forget to vote today, teammates. And if you're having trouble deciding whom to vote for, don't visit Nitmos' blog today. I'm all for third parties, but the Calve Cramp Party? I think not. Vote for someone whose legs won't buckle under the weight of his own ego.]

10 comments:

Vava said...

Good luck with the knee. Avoid that dangerous scooting in the workplace. Did you inform your joint health and safety committee about this obvious hazard? I think a self-propelled scooting chair is in order for your desk.

C said...

Let's see--you have poor eyesight, a propensity to drop your pants, and somehow hurt your leg while scooting closer to your desk. Perhaps if you laid off that extra-curricular activity of yours, you'd be able to run. Just saying.

Ian said...

I can't believe that you're still thinking of running. After I complete (hopefully) my marathon in January I'll be taking a couple years off from running.

Glaven Q. Heisenberg said...

Didn't they used to close the bars on election day (do they still?) on the theory that one might "buy" a weak-willed dipsomaniac's vote with a couple stiff ones? (Um ... to clarify ... I'm referring to drinks in the previous sentence. But to each her (or his) own.)

Frankly I'm surprised that you would come out in favor of implicitly acquiescing to such tactics by exhorting people to vote despite the Vote-nistas blatantly anti-drunkards agenda. Want my vote, Nader? Really??? BEER ME FIRST!

Perhaps your knee is the only part of your body that's willing to take a principled stand by not allowing you to stand at all; not as long as you;re going to abuse the privilege of standing to go and VOTE!

Hey ... it's a theory.

Yeah, yeah, yeah: TL;DR

tfh said...

Uh-oh.

"Vote for someone whose legs won't buckle under the weight of his own ego."

Doesn't that rule out anyone who would ever consider running for public office?

Oh well. I do think McCain has bigger legs. But Obama's may be more steady. Speaking of legs, hope yours heals as suddenly as it was hurt.

Jess said...

Hope things work out with your leg!

Ms. V. said...

Envisioning you scooting and injuring yourself really made my day.

Okay check back with me. I'll run tonight if you will.

HAHA.

chia said...

After the GR Marathon I would ask people to do my scooting "for me."

If anyone asked why, I would just point up at my medal and smile innocently.

Your knee would be fine if you could only grow breasts and invest heavily in Crest Whitestrips. Little mascara never hurt either.

Sun Runner said...

I did indeed run at the polls. I voted and then crushed 4 x 800m intervals at 3:32 EACH. Four of them, all the same time! It was a miracle! I hope the election goes the same way. We need some fucking miracles in this country.

Nitmos said...

Hey, I really liked A Tale of Two Cities...which maybe why I had to make my concession speech a few minutes ago. I took the proverbial political guillotine.

Good lukc with the knee. Not running on it is always a great way not to injure something.