Friday fill-in

7:25 AM - 8 miles, 56:10 - Rockland 7.
Took a mid-run detour through the high school for 8 x 100-yard strides on the turf. Easy distance pace felt smooth and relaxed but strides felt slow and choppy.

7:10 PM - 4 miles, 30:00 - Westboro.
Easy does it on the "Casey Kellogg after-work loop", after work but without my buddy Casey. Might have to rename this one.

It's steady as she goes out here along the bumpin' backroads of Central Massachusetts. Training continues to go on full bore despite the nagging discomfort which has permanently parked itself just south of my center of gravity. Last week's MRI confirmed the suspected sports hernia and left me with the option of either dealing with the stupid thing or patching the sucker up for good.

Since the thought of a knife near my nuts and 10 weeks on the shelf didn't exactly have me jumping for joy, I passed on the patching option, for now anyway. Running doesn't seem to worsen any of my symptoms and the combination of twice daily icing sessions, the strengthening exercises James prescribed me and refraining from lower abdominal work, raucous laughter, coughing and sneezing have kept things pretty much at bay and allowed me to continue training at a high level with minimal restrictions.

I don't mind managing the situation as long as I can, well, manage, and for now I'm doing so without much difficulty. Hopefully it stays that way, or by some miracle of Ditka, improves altogether.

Quote of the Day

"Sell’s making the team is something deeply important to me, as well as others close to a number of us. It has an effect that is profound (but still difficult to convey). It is more than validating a training program (although this is very important). It is more than serving as inspiration to the all the 10 minute high school 2 milers (but I hope that all of those kids from our area in PA are following closely.) It is more than proving to one’s family a "delay in getting on with life" was worth it. The effect it had on me I think involves the process of the quest. I am old enough now to understand it is that which shapes us during the journey to our goal which truly gives the most meaning to our lives."
- Terry Shea, BAA long-distance stud and all-around good guy, reflecting on his Trials experience last weekend in NYC