A lot has changed since I last wrote. First of all, I have a new job. I am a teacher at a school about 1/6 the size of my old school. I am no longer teaching journalism or advising a newspaper. I am delving into an area I am just learning, Talented and Gifted students. I also am teaching seventh-graders, ninth-graders and a handful of upperclassmen in English classes.
I ran as consistently as I could into the summer. When I got the job, I also agreed to be a volunteer assistant on the fledgling cross country team. I teamed with the winningest basketball coach in Iowa high school history, who was returning to coach cross country for the first time in 40 years. We were an interesting pair: Me, a running purist who has loved the sport since he ran his first step 33 years ago, and him, an old-school coach who simply knows how to get a lot out of kids. We did very well, coaching the girls' team to 5th place in the district meet and advancing a girl to state. She finished 27th as a freshman, and we were very proud of her.
I have a knee problem. I run for a while, and it gets sore. I hurt it a few years ago, simply walking. I suddenly, unexpectedly, stepped off a curb and jarred my knee. It felt funny, like I had injured it. And it never went away. There was pain when I climbed steps, and it never really got better. Then, last summer, I was riding my bike. I was really pushing it in a high gear, and I felt more pain. Then it got very sore. It has been that way when I run more than 20 minutes.
I will be getting new shoes this week, and hopefully that solves some of it.
