It’s just one piece of good news after another here at Universe Central.
I can’t yet walk up my hill fast enough to work up even moderate panting, and I was fearing that the cause was not atrophy from lack of use of the leg muscles but rather peripheral arterial blockage, which would mean that without more medical procedures (assuming they were even possible) the best I could hope for would be to be able to keep up with normal people while walking.
However, I was so grateful for walking that I felt guilty daring to hope for more, so I put off testing while I tried to regain some leg strength. But yesterday I was about to be late to meet Robin for lunch, and since I’d kinda leaned on her to be on time because of a hidden agenda I had, I felt it would be in real poor taste to get there late myself.
So there I was a short block from the meeting point with like two minutes to go….and broke into an increase-speed-as-much-as-possible-whilst-using-minimal-leg-power trot. And it worked!!!!!!!! I was able to maintain the trot up to the Embarcadero, where I was forced to stop for traffic (thank God) and lack of lung power. I was just gloriously winded, my sides heaving. It was wonderful! Am I moving blood through my legs or what!!
Now I’m gonna get me some real springy running shoes and find a track and start shaving seconds off my mile. That’s how I did it in the late sixties, just went out there unable to run a whole mile at any speed at first, but every day tried to shave a second or two off the time. I’ll just do that again, this time without smoking.
Ummmm. And maybe I’ll start with a block instead of a mile.
Still, I wonder what the record is for sexagenarian milers? I mean, just to have something to shoot for in case it works out that I can’t play tennis again.
Meanwhile, I’ve been prancing around telling everyone, “I can run!” and reactions have been universally favorable. Of course, that’s just locally. I’m sure if I made the same statement before Mr. Ashcroft, the response would be, “Yessss, but you can’t hide.”
Here’s a rooftop I like on Hartford Street:
