In Which I Argue With Myself
To facilitate this argument, I'm going to split this into Sensible Cy (SC) and Crazy Nick (CN).
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CN: You know what, I should sign up for the 5K program at work. Run four 5Ks over the summer and get a really nice winter fleece.
SC: Oh, that's brilliant. You want to start running again. Need I remind you that your right knee is structurally unsound and sometimes hurts just after walking?
CN: Only when I walk really long distances, and so what? It's not going to stop hurting unless it gets stronger, and running will help with that.
SC: So will lifting weights, which you are already doing.
CN: Sure, but I don't haven't been doing any high impact cardio, which would help my overall health a lot.
SC: Exactly, you haven't been doing that. The last time you ran more than a mile was what, 2005?
CN: So what? I'm only talking a few 5Ks. I can easily work up to that, and it's not like I'm trying to set land speed records, just finish.
SC: Well that's good, given that you're slow as hell.
CN: Hey, my PR for 3 miles is better than my crazy runner sister's PR.
SC: Yeah, and you set that 11 years and 40 pounds ago on a gravel course before you screwed up your knee. Now you're going to be running on pavement with a bad knee and gut.
CN: I used to run 8-10 miles a day, getting back up to 3.1 miles shouldn't be a big deal, even on pavement. I'll work into it easily, and not run every day.
SC: How could you run every day? You're already insanely busy. 90 minutes a day of walking Tulip, 3-4 gym visits a week, gaming night, radio every Sunday, 45+ hours a week of work and commute. When exactly are you going to fit this in?
CN: I figure I can run for half an hour every night I don't go to the gym. I might not finish 3 miles at first, but I'll cover some ground.
SC: And your knee?
CN: I've got a brace, and when I go to buy new shoes at Second Sole I'll make sure I tell them I need a pair that can help mitigate knee problems.
SC: Gee, that's what you did in 2005.
CN: Yeah, and I gave up a lot easier then. I'm a little more disciplined now. And besides, the worst that can happen is that my knee gets really sore, and I use my new shoes at the gym instead of outside.
SC: No, the worst that can happen is that your MCL decides to get refucked up and you can't even drive for a few weeks.
CN: That's unlikely. Besides, that's more likely to happen when I play ultimate this summer, what with all the planting and cutting. If I run now, it's less likely to happen then.
SC: Well, I do like ultimate... wait a minute, this is nuts.
CN: Probably. But thinking longer term I'm going hiking in Iceland in August. It'd be helpful to be in good shape for that. And if I'm really going to climb Kilimanjaro in 2013 it would sure help if I was in better aerobic shape.
SC: Has anyone mentioned that you might be an overachiever?
CN: No, that's my sister. I'm going to run four 5Ks at a reasonable speed, not a marathon or a half marathon.
SC: Oh sure, you say that now. But if you finish four 5Ks you'll feel like running a 10K, and from a 10K you might step up to a 1/2 marathon, and then the next thing you know you're thinking about running 26.2, and after that there's 50Ks and other crazy shit.
CN: Please, give me some credit. I'm Crazy Nick, not Insane Nick.
SC: Sigh. I guess we're going to buy some running shoes this weekend?
CN: Yeah. Right after we go price out our new bike.
SC: Wait, new bike?
CN: Well, sure. I'm going to bike to the gym. It's stupid to drive that in nice weather.
SC: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
--
And yes, my hypothetical child will totally be named Cy Nicholas or Cynthia (Cy) Nicola. Which is probably a compelling argument for me not to have kids :-)
---
CN: You know what, I should sign up for the 5K program at work. Run four 5Ks over the summer and get a really nice winter fleece.
SC: Oh, that's brilliant. You want to start running again. Need I remind you that your right knee is structurally unsound and sometimes hurts just after walking?
CN: Only when I walk really long distances, and so what? It's not going to stop hurting unless it gets stronger, and running will help with that.
SC: So will lifting weights, which you are already doing.
CN: Sure, but I don't haven't been doing any high impact cardio, which would help my overall health a lot.
SC: Exactly, you haven't been doing that. The last time you ran more than a mile was what, 2005?
CN: So what? I'm only talking a few 5Ks. I can easily work up to that, and it's not like I'm trying to set land speed records, just finish.
SC: Well that's good, given that you're slow as hell.
CN: Hey, my PR for 3 miles is better than my crazy runner sister's PR.
SC: Yeah, and you set that 11 years and 40 pounds ago on a gravel course before you screwed up your knee. Now you're going to be running on pavement with a bad knee and gut.
CN: I used to run 8-10 miles a day, getting back up to 3.1 miles shouldn't be a big deal, even on pavement. I'll work into it easily, and not run every day.
SC: How could you run every day? You're already insanely busy. 90 minutes a day of walking Tulip, 3-4 gym visits a week, gaming night, radio every Sunday, 45+ hours a week of work and commute. When exactly are you going to fit this in?
CN: I figure I can run for half an hour every night I don't go to the gym. I might not finish 3 miles at first, but I'll cover some ground.
SC: And your knee?
CN: I've got a brace, and when I go to buy new shoes at Second Sole I'll make sure I tell them I need a pair that can help mitigate knee problems.
SC: Gee, that's what you did in 2005.
CN: Yeah, and I gave up a lot easier then. I'm a little more disciplined now. And besides, the worst that can happen is that my knee gets really sore, and I use my new shoes at the gym instead of outside.
SC: No, the worst that can happen is that your MCL decides to get refucked up and you can't even drive for a few weeks.
CN: That's unlikely. Besides, that's more likely to happen when I play ultimate this summer, what with all the planting and cutting. If I run now, it's less likely to happen then.
SC: Well, I do like ultimate... wait a minute, this is nuts.
CN: Probably. But thinking longer term I'm going hiking in Iceland in August. It'd be helpful to be in good shape for that. And if I'm really going to climb Kilimanjaro in 2013 it would sure help if I was in better aerobic shape.
SC: Has anyone mentioned that you might be an overachiever?
CN: No, that's my sister. I'm going to run four 5Ks at a reasonable speed, not a marathon or a half marathon.
SC: Oh sure, you say that now. But if you finish four 5Ks you'll feel like running a 10K, and from a 10K you might step up to a 1/2 marathon, and then the next thing you know you're thinking about running 26.2, and after that there's 50Ks and other crazy shit.
CN: Please, give me some credit. I'm Crazy Nick, not Insane Nick.
SC: Sigh. I guess we're going to buy some running shoes this weekend?
CN: Yeah. Right after we go price out our new bike.
SC: Wait, new bike?
CN: Well, sure. I'm going to bike to the gym. It's stupid to drive that in nice weather.
SC: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
--
And yes, my hypothetical child will totally be named Cy Nicholas or Cynthia (Cy) Nicola. Which is probably a compelling argument for me not to have kids :-)