Ten-miler, here I come

I am back in New York, en route to Philadelphia, where I am meeting my high school friends for our big 10-mile run on Sunday.

My energy is good, but my feet are still bothering me, and three miles is the most I have run. But I have figured out a way to finish. A student at MIT has created a device for me based on the concept in the children's story Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, about a car that can fly over anything in its way.

I will tie a computer chip to each sneaker and hold a small on-off button in my hand. When I have had enough running, I will press "on," which will cause my sneakers to send out wings that will carry me along, close enough to the ground that it won't be obvious. When I want to run again, I will press "off," and so on and so forth. I will make sure to be running at the end so that I look good and tired.

What's that you're thinking?

OK then, I'll start over.

In addition to the problems with my feet, there is the small matter of having been in the hospital for more than three months just a little over two years ago, and all that entailed: the coma, the time in bed, the difficulty of even standing up and walking even a few steps. I don't think that the statute of limitations has expired yet on using that "excuse."

I'm going to run some and walk some but not overdo it. I don't want to stumble away exhausted and having more trouble with my feet than I already do. I'm just going to be with my friends and get the feeling of being in a race again.

Race organizers said a van picks up stragglers along the way and takes them to the finish line. (I will resist the temptation to say to the other passengers, "Don't look at me, I was in a coma!) I'm also going to tuck $20 in my sneaker in case I want to take a cab. For good luck, I'm wearing my yellow T-shirt from the 2006 Saint Patrick's Road Race, the last one I ran.

I am spending the weekend in the area at my friend Tami's house with our friend Emily and her husband, Mike, who are also running. It's Emily's birthday weekend, so I'm sure a little toasting will be in order.

I don't want to make this an afterthought, so I'm going to devote a separate post to it, but I am also meeting my donor, Denise, who lives in the area and by strange coincidence (six degrees of separation) is in Tami's book group. Naturally, I'm very excited!