On the road again

I've started running again.

Maybe that means I'll start blogging again.

Adam and I are training for the Hospital Hill 10K in June. Those who live in KC, and who have hung around any runners, know that Hospital Hill is a badge of honor.

You're not really a runner in KC until you've done that race. It's tough.

Last year, the 17-year-old co-editor of my newspaper staff ran it. She blew out her Achilles tendon halfway in but finished the race.

She's young. She's on the cross country team. She blew a tendon.
What am I thinking?

I'm old. Just six weeks ago I could hardly walk my back hurt so bad.

Training for this race is different, though. Adam is training with me. This is a huge development. He's not really a runner for the sake of exercise, but I think he's motivated by the mystique of Hospital Hill. For three weeks now, we've been slogging through runs, starting with 20 minute runs, moving up to 45 minute runs during the week. On Sunday, we did a 50-minute run. I still take a walk break every now and then during the workouts, but knowing that Adam is running slower than he would really like to helps me keep moving. I don't want to slow him down too much.

Sometimes our runs together are quiet, only the rhythmic tapping of running shoe to sidewalk and my ridiculously labored breathing break the silence. Usually, though, it's a nice chance for us to catch up on each other's days.

I can bounce ideas off of him when I'm trying to motivate un-motivated students. He was one back in the day and usually has suggestions that help me back off the ledge. I can work out problems in my head.

The time between Spring Break and summer vacation is always the doldrums, but this year it's even worse, since we have no inservice days or three-day weekends or any other breaks.

The yearbook is done, so that's one thing to check off the timeline. Our last newspaper work night is tomorrow night. Another item checked off. State journalism is this weekend.

The dots on the timeline are coming hard and fast, but sure enough, each one is ticking away.

I finished my fourth six-week master's class tonight. Number five starts next week. With school, my grad classes, and life, I feel like the hamster wheel is moving much too fast for me to keep up.

Running is keeping me going through all of this. I don't think I realized it while I was laid up with the back trouble, but I was in dire need of some endorphins (and some sunshine).