Butt Knot

I swear it isn't just some tapering madness body niggle. I have a knot. This knot hurts and it's right above my left buttock. This has never happened before. After Sunday's tough long run, I took a day off, then ran with the running group on Tuesday evening. I pushed the pace slightly the last five minutes or so of the run and felt my lower back tighten a bit as we chatted in the parking lot. The tightening grew worse. By yesterday morning, every tenth step was accompanied by a shot of pain somewhere between my tailbone and my butt. I ran five this evening with a fair degree of discomfort, but not necessarily pain. I'm hoping this stupid knot will loosen its grip.

Despite the butt knot, in a frenzy of good feelings and The Who's Baba O'Riley, I made a nice little goals poster. It looks like this:


OBX Marathon 2006, November 12, 2006

GOALS
1. FINISH STRONG
2. SUB-FOUR HOUR MARATHON
(EVEN IF IT'S 3:59:59:59)
3. RUN WITHIN 9 SECONDS OF 9:00/MI EVERY SINGLE MILE.

YOU CAN DO IT.
REMEMBER FORTITUDE AND COMMITMENT.
RUN RUNNINCHICK, IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY! (because, it is, in fact, my birthday).

Let's all hope this knot goes away and I can achieve these goals. If not I'll be pissed.

Off

Today was the final long run of this training cycle. I struggled through 21 mentally challenging miles on a trail that most people who've done long runs on it call "boring." I wouldn't call it boring necessarily. This morning it was relatively desolate as the typical bicyclists were warded away by rain and local runners were probably participating in a race. Nonetheless, I worked through this run despite things being so "off." I turned off the alarm this morning and didn't want to get up, thinking I'd have a miserable rainy long run. Once arriving at the trail, I couldn't quite get a good pace, I had to stop twice for pit stops and I never did feel quite right, in stark contrast to my last twenty-miler two weeks ago. However, I take solace in the fact that I'm now into the taper. In about a week and a half, I know I'll be cursing the taper.

This upcoming race, the OBX Marathon, scares me. While this training cycle has been "good" in terms of my recovery and overall feel, I still don't feel comfortable. Past cycles, my legs were restless in the evenings, my legs never felt good, and I didn't sleep well. This cycle, I've learned that using my post long run drink of chocolate milk has helped me. I've also found that a lunch of Ramen Noodles is a terrific way to replace the salt lost during a run.

Speaking of nutrition, for the past three weeks, I've done a decent job of cutting out the junk food. I can count on one hand the "junk" I've had: a big bowl of ice cream after a twenty-miler, the candy I eat on the long runs, and fried pies (4) from husband's parents (okay, so maybe not one hand, unless I grow another finger). This feat is a minor miracle for me. I come to work each day with an arsenal of fruit and veggies to combat hunger, which has helped me to avoid foraging missions at the vending machines. I'm not sure how long the trend will last; I know after the marathon, I'm treating myself to something really good, regardless of how I run.