Grinding

I cannot tell you guys just how annoying it is getting old. Some days I feel as good as I have ever felt. Then there are days like today. I am about to head out the door for a morning run. This despite a persistently sore hip that feels as if it might pop out of joint at the slightest provocation. To add insult to injury, about 30 minutes ago I was standing at the kitchen counter waiting for my coffee to brew when I made the mistake of opening a cabinet to retrieve my mug. The mug in question was on the second shelf, consequently it required me to reach up and to the right. This simple movement resulted in an uncomfortable pull in my back between the shoulder blades. I felt a slight pop, and now I have a wonderful new painful pulled muscle to deal with. However, the news is not all bad. My morning trip to the bathroom went off without incident.

Some of you might be thinking (along with my wife) why exactly I am heading out for a 5 miler at such an ungodly hour if I have a bad hip? This is a fair question which has many answers, none of which are satisfying (especially to my wife). First of all, putting in 15-20 miles of road work a week is the only thing insuring that I don’t weigh 300 pounds. Second of all, I do some of my best thinking when I’m dripping in sweat. And lastly…I’m stubborn, a trait I inherited from my sainted mother. When confronted with sore muscles or any number of other humiliations of aging you can either pull back or you can grind through it. You pull back enough and you wake up one day covered in wrinkles, angry at the world and shouting at kids to get off your lawn. If you grind through the pain and humiliation, you at least give yourself a fighting chance.

So, I chose to grind.

But, I always bring my cell phone with me so if I pull up lame I can text Pam to come pick me up!!