You want me to do what?

A friend wants three of us to run a 10-mile race in May.

Why do I find this so funny?

Because I haven't run more than two miles at the most, and now I'm not running at all,

due to the snow all around and also because after my glorious runs in New York, my knees hurt. It might be easier on a treadmill, but even in winter, I either run outside or not at all. I'm already paying for yoga and tennis, and I can't justify joining a gym.

I asked my friend, Tami, whether she could come up with a shorter race. She said not to worry about it; it's mostly downhill, she plans to do a walk/run, and if I just want to do part of it, that's OK. Of course nobody is making me do it, and, realistically, I'm not sure it's possible. But the idea intrigues me.

Meanwhile, Emily signed me up. Thanks, Em.

This morning we had a three-way phone conversation about their progress in training. Arrgggh.

On Wednesday I'm going to revisit the doctor who built up the heel of my orthotics to take the pressure off in an effort to alleviate the plantar fasciitis. I wonder if my knees hurt because he over-corrected. Hopefully that's the case and he'll make an adjustment. In the meantime, I've been able to play tennis, because my heels feel better and tennis doesn't involve the kind of constant movement that hurts my knees. (Although after watching the tennis players constantly move their feet in the Australian Open, I'm reminded how I spend too much time just standing around on the court.)

I've also continued walking Maddie, though even that hurts my knees somewhat.

Today I came up with an interesting and fun interim plan.

I walked Maddie around the unplowed upper lake, where walkers, skiers and snowshoers have created two parallel narrow paths with a mound of snow in between. Maddie ran around like crazy, playing with other dogs along the way. I did a combination of walking and "jogging" using a gait as though I was cross-country skiing.

It didn't hurt my knees because the snow made the ground feel padded. I went a couple of miles this way. Trying to stay on the one narrow lane was good for my balance. (At right, my running partner takes a break.)

Occasionally I veered off-course, stepping in a pile of snow. Feeling like a kid playing, I let out a little yelp. Maddie turned around to check on me, either wondering if I was OK or wondering why I was acting so funny. (Who knows what they think?) In any case, she looked a little funny also.

Garrison Keillor had a good "Prairie Home Companion" tonight. Talking about how winter can feel really long right about now, he advised against staying in the house too much.

"Get out, get out, get out!" he said.

It's hard to get out. Sometimes it takes me half the day to do it. But it's a pretty good idea.