The Boston Death March...

With all due respect to Bataan, the march to the Boston Marathon can take its toll. The miles and miles of training that are absolutely necessary to do your best. The months of pushing yourself to the very limits of your endurance. Knowing that you have to run on the ragged edge of risking injury in order to be at your peak. These can add up. And 16 weeks is a long haul. Reading Scooter's Blog (he's in my favorite Blog Index on the right, by the way) lately - http://scootersweightloss.blogspot.com/ - has been sobering as he wonders if he will be ready to give Boston his all and be in the best shape he is capable of being in. Of course, he's also run a 1:27 Half Marathon which makes ME wonder why he isn't shooting for a sub-three! I have every faith that Scooter will pull his game together and do himself and all his many supporters proud. In fact, he already has. I am so looking forward to actually meeting him in person and quaffing a beer in his company.(AOL crashed again.... Arrrggghhh!) I did 20 on Friday and 28 on Sunday, granted I dropped back five pace groups yesterday in order to be safe. Still, on Wednesday Dr. Mary told me not to sit or walk for a week. Right, like that was going to happen. Nobody knows my back better than me and I have been treating my injury as aggressively as I can within reason - aknowledging of course that acting reasonably is not exactly my strong suit. I already suffer chronic pain, so that is no big deal. It is what it is. The weakness and nerve pain referral into my right hamstring IS a cause for caution. Once I determined that I wasn't doing any actual additional tissue damage, I backed off my speed and strength runs, and just kept my mileage up. Powered by Extra-Strength Motrin and caffeine, I went out at the very back of the pack on Sunday. And honestly, at 26 I ran out of gas. Nothing left but dead legs and pain. And then I remembered doing the Pacific Coast Runners First Half Half Marathon in 1:34:07 last Sunday... Like I said, not the sharpest knife in the drawer...Now to spread the kudos around to my running buddies who actually have some real athletic talent. So far the Timex Road Race Series is two races old, and after two events Hugh sits fifth in his age group, as does Luisa. Who is Luisa? Just one of the many foxes I have the great pleasure to run with, all of them ageless and ever-gorgeous! But Hugh's and Luisa's tremendous accomplishments pale next to the amazing Carmen who now sits alone atop the standings in her age group. She is truly the Mistress of her Domain! I bow down before such athletic prowess! And just to give you an idea of how extraordinary Carmen truly is, after running her marathons and collecting her awards, she then goes out dancing until she shuts the establishment down!