Believe to Achieve

left leg so tight and painful.  bruising noted behind knee above and below due to hamstring.  Then didn't run rest of week as it didn't really let up until Thursday and I worked all shift.  But letting up is all it did.  not cured.  seeing chiropracter tomorrow to do the usual adjustment I need when this happens, stretch table, laser and ultrasound to SI joint and pirifomris areas of left side.  Tomorrow meaning monday October 2nd.  Did not run all week except Sept 30, Saturday.

Everyone met at Art Dye-- jane, kim, angie, marissa, jenny and summer.  Didn't know that just asked late last night what everyone was running.  I have been chomping at the bit to be in ready shape to try leg and back out.  I believe it is piriformis/disc lower back radiating to left hamstring and lower side of left calf.  The disc has probably stopped pushing on the nerve as the pain is lessened.  Possible IT band as well.  Anyway they all got a ride up  AF canyon at two miles from top.  I ran from where are cars were parked.  I met up with Angie and Jenny (they ran up only 1) at my mile 7 exactly. Stopped and chatted for a few minutes then I got to the calves less than a half mile later.  Looked for some water at the fountain but they turned it off.  so I decided to stretch and see if  Isaw Jane and Kim as they were doing six of theirs at race pace.  I think Jane's race pace is 6:25.  YUP she is going to be super fast!! she is amazing.  Kim is dealing with similar pains to me so I struggling to be where she wants but will probabably get sub 3 anyway.  I started to run up from caves and got to 7.75 when I saw Jane but she was not stopping we talked as she flew by.  Didn't want to slow her down.  Then Kim was like 90 seconds later and I turned as she sped by.  After 7.75 miles of uphill it was interesting to turn and go down.  First mile was 6:52, then 6:49 then we stopped at 0.75 of next mile, don't know pace but when we started up again at an easy pace when it got to a mile it was 6:57 so if I had not slowed (that was the end of their six miles at race pace) with them it would have been my fastest mile.  The stop however made my hamstring pain loom over me.  I didn't want to rock the boat.  One false move and I would be back to square one.  So I had to let them go while I walked it out and massaged if for a bit.  I was able to jog in just fine.  It really was a nice run and beautiful weather.  Paces-- 9:14, 9:03, 8:42, 8:37, 8:53, 9:03, 9:28, 8:39 (up 0.75 down 0.25), 6:52, 6:49, 6:57 (jogged 1/4 mile), 7:50, 8:12, 7:53 and last 0.36 at 7:33.  Pretty much ran this by myself but had some encouragement and interaction.  Stopped thrice on way up (bathroom by golf course for water, then jenny and angie talk, and waiting at timp caves trail head) and twice on way down-- mouth of canyon where kim and jane finished their fast 6 miles and when I had to walk for a  few minutes and massage my  leg nd piriformis.  Really just going to have to try my best at saint george.  not sure 3:20 still in the stars.  as of last week I honestly could not have run a marathon any of those days I didn't run.  so glad it is mellowing out.  one week to go.  Plan 1:45 first half then see how I feel.