Day off. I was feeling run-down and a bit sick (sore throat, etc.) last night, so I slept in and got some rest. I feel better today and hopefully will continue to improve. I'm a bit frustrated right now. I feel very fit from cross training and am shedding pounds, which is great, but my nagging injuries don't seem to be getting better. I don't think the elliptical is nearly as hard on my knee as running, but apparently it is preventing proper healing that only rest can provide. As much as I hate to do this, I've decided to can the idea of early-summer racing and am going to take some time off and start over. October is still a long ways away for my peak race (St. George), and there's some other good races along the way in August and September. I'm not going to resume a normal training volume until I am completely pain-free, which may take a couple weeks or a couple months, I don't know. It will be better for the long term. I figure if I ran 2:26 at St. George last year with a disfunctional body, I should be able to go faster if I let myself get compeltely healthy. In the meantime, I may jog a few miles here and there and hop on the elliptical for SHORT periods a fews day a week just to keep the weight off. I'll continue with my stretching and core strengthening and improve on that during my time off. I may explore the option of pool running, which is a fantastic non-impact cross training method, but I don't have access to a pool in the near vincinity...but it may be an option. | 