Strawberries - a serious injury threat to runners?

I am afraid.  I shouldn't be, but I am.  Today I pick strawberries, and I can only hope it doesn't lead to training-interruptus - as it has in years past.

Around northeast Wisconsin, where the winters are about six months long, any type of fruit season is keenly anticipated.  Because of my interest in buying local when I can and my spoiled taste buds, which turn their tiny little noses up at most grocery store produce, I especially look forward to these short seasons.  So, in June that means strawberries; July, raspberries and blueberries (if I am traveling to Michigan); and in August and the fall, apples.  Most of these items do not pose a problem for me.  

Strawberries, however, are another story.  

Picking strawberries kills my knees and is just another example of how some non-running related activities can impact your training - all that squatting, bending, and crouching.  It makes me cringe just thinking about it.

I hate to give up fresh strawberries freshly picked (mainly because it is about the quarter of the price of pre-picked berries, and I am cheap.)  Also, the kids LOVE strawberry picking.  Check out this cuteness from a couple of years ago ....

Priceless, right?  Well, except for the fact that it was a day after this that I went for a long run and came home with a case of patellar tendonitis that didn't go away for nearly two years (okay, that was my fault; I didn't take care of it properly).  

Anyhoo, yesterday a friend mentioned her family was going strawberry picking and knowing the kidlets would not be able to pass up an invitation to an adventure like that, I said we'd go, too.  Since then, I have been trying to think of a good strategy for making myself look useful strawberry picking and yet not kill my knees doing it.

A quick scan of the garage offered these possibilities:

The stadium cushion, which I have used in the past.  It looks disgusting, though, and I am too lazy to clean it right now.

There's this little gem....I could actually push it down the rows and I don't think the kids would miss it.  It kind of pushes the limits of how ridiculous I will let myself look at any given time, though.

Here's one idea that actually makes sense - the granny gardening chair my mom gave me for Mother's Day.  It actually works and it's how I do my weeding now.  The downside is that it is bulky.

Now, here's a possibility - the hard-sided cooler.  I could sit on it and store cold drinks at the same time.  I love things that have dual purposes.

Well, I will noodle it out for a bit.  No doubt something will make sense.  One thing I know for sure is I don't want to spend my morning like this...

Well, the eating strawberries part is okay, just not the crouching.  I do have the Bellin 10K Run tomorrow, and I don't want the combination of crouching and running "fast" to kill me.  

Happy Running!