Tuesday, January 19, 2010

January 19, 2010.

Today's run was a 7-miler, the goal of which was to run each mile faster than the one before. It's called a "progressive run." The point is that it teaches you pacing, and improves endurance in a measured way. I managed to improve every mile, until the 5th and 6th, when I regressed a little. I picked it back up in the last mile, but I was left with a slight feeling of dissatisfaction that I hadn't achieved what I'd wanted to do.

Out of Massachusetts this evening comes the news that a Republican has won the special election to fill the seat of the late U.S. Senator, Ted Kennedy. It signals the end of the super-majority the Democrats had in that body, which allows them to prevent filibustering on key legislation. Doubtless, the G.O.P. is celebrating, and the Donkeys are moping, as was I after my run this morning. Now the party which brought us warrantless wiretapping, a ruined economy, and a needless war, has at least as much power as it needs to stop the progress Americans had voted for just a year ago.

We've made some positive steps as a nation over that time, but the going has been difficult to say the least. Now, it appears, that we're headed for a time of stalemate, if not outright regression, as the Democrats struggle to get anything done, and the Republicans dig in their heels and wait for the next Congressional election.

Call it a "Non-Progressive Run."

No comments:

Post a Comment