THOU SHALT BE A COMEBACK

8:42 average pace.  Really slow start.  My legs, particularly my calves, were burning and sore which was weird since I didn't run yesterday.  It felt like major lactic acid build-up.  It took almost 4 miles before the feeling dissipated and my legs loosened up and the rest of the run was normal.  Strange.  I want fresh legs for Sunday so I may back off mileage starting tomorrow.  Maybe only 8 a day?  Friday I have an early clinical so that will be a day off, and then Saturday I will just run a few very slow to knock of cobwebs, and hope this leaves me feeling fresh and loose Sunday morning.  My plan is to eat very well this week and stay well hydrated, and get up early enough Sunday to eat a full breakfast(not huge, but a substantial breakfast).  This way if I encounter nausea issues again hopefully I have enough fluids and gas in the tank that not ingesting anything during the race doesn't affect me.

9:29 average pace.  Very slow.  Left hip/buttock feels very tight again today.  I am worried about it.  It is not really pain, just tightness.  I think it is my piriformis but there is no sciatic nerve involvement because the pain does not radiate and it is not form-altering.  I think it is a result of using this hip to compensate for the plantar fascitis in my r hip.  Concentrated on running with good form and being very very careful not to favor anything.  I noticed yesterday when I had to do a deep squat and deadlift a patient on our cot up stairs I use my butt to lift and I totally felt it in that hip.  The discomfort is definitely muscular in origin.The hip never really loosened up while running.  Will be taking it super-easy all this week until Sunday's and work on stretching this hip out and resting it.  I am NOT interested in another injury.  

8:59 average pace.  Glute is better today.  The pain has migrated, seems more superficial and it hurts to put direct pressure on it--so can't really sit on the toilet comfortably.  Also seems to be a little bruising there.  I don't know when it happened but it appears I bumped my glute on something and this is really the cause of all this pain.  Run felt good today.  I could feel the area of pain sort of bouncing when I ran but running did not exacerbate it.  Nor does walking or standing.  Does not hurt to stretch it out, actually feels good.  Lifting does hurt it.  I did not like lifting patients at work yesterday.  It got to hurting pretty good at work last night and I was dismayed and pretty sure I wouldn't be running on Sunday so I tried to cure it with a peanut butter patty blizzard from Dairy Queen.  Well it must've done the trick because I feel a lot better about things today.  Ran about 300 meters at 6:52 pace to see if the faster pace was more painful.  It did not seem to be.  My form does not seem altered.  I have determined that at the very least I will jog the half-marathon on Sunday at my easy pace.  If my glute lets me I will run it harder.  If my glute lets me and the stars align I will race it.  Will just have to see how things are feeling.  

8:34 average pace.  Glute feels seriously better.  Not perfect, about 90%--almost perfect! The big mileage back off is working, or maybe it was the blizzard.  Legs are starting to get that fresh feeling.  My first mile was under 9 minutes and that never happens.  I am always a rickety starter and take a long time to warm up.  Foot is doing pretty good.  So, if the glute feels okay, and the foot doesn't protest the hard surface, there is indeed hope for a decent run on Sunday.  Have to work late, then get up early and make the long drive to Hutchinson for a clinical, so no run tomorrow.  A little dust-off-the-cobwebs jog on Saturday.  Then the big 1/2.  This should be a pretty good-sized one I will be lucky to place in my age group.  Heck I don't care I just want to run a decent time and not suffer the misery of my last 1/2.

worked  late. got up early.  drove to Hutchinson, on my feet all day at a clinical did very little sitting down, only a few minutes at the most.  I am home now, and exhausted, and my foot didn't like all the standing.  My glute feels fine though.  So, no run today, better to rest.  I will run a few miles with some strides tomorrow and then race day Sunday!  I keep getting weird tingly feelings in all my muscles and sometimes it feels like I could crawl up the wall.  Is this what it is like to be "tapered?"  I have never felt like this before.  It feels sort of like I need to sprint madly or something might explode.

4 at 8:51 pace, with four bursts of race pace.  Foot feels good. Glute feels good. I feel nervous which is silly.  Going to hydrate well today and go to be as early as possible.  The plan is to relax and go out fairly conservatively and allow my body to warm up for the first few miles, and then put the pedal to the medal and see how long I can hang on.  If I have enough steam to really push the last 5k that would be great.  Good luck to all racers today!!!