BAD BACK...

My back troubles returned last week and got so bad, I couldn't sit for longer than an hour or so. I went to the doc today; he was shocked at how twisted and convulsed all the muscles and vertebrae were.

That is related to all the nagging injuries I've brought up. But they won't disappear until the back is properly treated. It will take a while to see what works and whether or not I can run the fall marathon. But I'm still planning on it.

My back's been bad for probably 18 months now. It's a little worse today because of a large training volume--especially long runs, which are slower and require many thousands of foot strikes (30,000 per 20-miler).

Last year, I could barely walk after trying some speedwork after a back flareup and it ruined my season. The good news: I'll feel better at some point. I'll be able to run more freely, as I did a few years ago. And at race pace, there's little stress on the back.

But the last two weeks are about healing--not training. I'll run enough not to decondition, but maybe 3-5 miles a crack. Then we'll see if I can race on the 29th.

READER BEWARE!!! All those footstrikes compress the back. Make sure you're not driving with bad alignment, or you'll end up like me!