Best Laid Plans

A pain free back is always a challenge in my profession, and recognizing that, I had set up appointments with my chiropractor and the massage therapist (thanks folks) Thursday night after the work week and Friday afternoon to try to optimize things before today's scheduled last long run before Boston. Good in theory. Unfortunately, something freaked out in my back between the two appointments on Friday mornin and even a quick extra trip to the chiropractor and Chris's Friday evening massage left me still in sharp pain with any movement as I headed to bed Friday night. This morning it felt about 50% better when I got up, and with rain in the forecast for tomorrow, getting the long run in today if possible seemed like the best option.

Well, I laid out my GU Gel and water at Kensington at five, ten and fifteen and waited for it to warm up a bit from 26 degrees. At about 9:00 I started walking to the start and once again, POW, the searing pain in my back returned with a vengeance. Yikes! Well I decided that I was committed to at least give the thing a try and see if it was feasible at all. The first mile was really totally miserable and slow, but the pain eased to a manageable, if strength sapping dull roar and I did eke out 23 miles which I stubbornly had as my goal in my mind. Things got even slower at the end, and with no refueling the last eight miles and never being able to shed the long pants, hat and gloves, I was actually just very grateful to be able to finish the run. I wore the mouthpiece the entire time. It felt as if I was clamped down on it just about the entire run and is now significantly indented. My bite also felt altered for a couple hours after taking it out at the end.
A problem that I hadn't foreseen-- since I can't get my top and bottom front teeth together with the mouthpiece in, stripping the gel out of the foil packet every five miles ain't so easy. Oh, well.

Time now to rest, taper and heal.

Sat 23 miles 9:04 pace HR 149 28 degrees at the start 10 mph winds partly sun Kayanos

Weekly mileage 35





Blisters, but no other immediate injuries as a result, thankfully.