On a recent visit to Cincinnati I went out for a run from a friend’s house where I was staying. I have some knee issues and now run for 3 minutes and walk for 1 minute. I caught up with a guy who was carrying a plastic grocery bag and picking up trash along his run. He had stopped to pick up a crushed pop can. I thanked him for what he was doing because the street looked great. He replied that you would not believe how much trash there is even on a quiet road like this and laughing said the cans keep help keep him in running shoes. He has been running for years and would miss it if he could not run.
As we walked along he told me he has some knee issues and must run for short periods and then walk and return to running, just like me. He discovered if he picked up trash along the way he did not have to track his time, that he had enough stops and starts. He reported that it also makes him pay more attention to what’s around him and every now and then meets someone new like a guy moving from Vancouver.
Rich was appreciative that we met and that I noticed his clean street and hoped we would run into each other again when I was back in town. I see what he means, the cans do help keep him in running shoes.