Work will win when wishy washy wishing won't

Yesterday I got out to run and was having some trouble with my right knee.  It was making me run very differently and I was afraid of doing something dumb so I decided not to run on it.  I am usually one who will err on the side of caution...especially this close to the marathon, so it wasn't a hard call for me to call it a day.  I iced, compressed, rested and Ibuprophined it through the day and evening.  I also wore a little band around the area which all seemed to help.

This morning I went out to try again.  I wore the band and everything felt alright.  While I am sitting here I feel it a bit but not like yesterday.

I decided to go ahead and try my Yassos for the day.  I planned to do them at a 7:20 pace just to see if I could.  I was able to do that 6 times.  All of them were 3:37 except one at 3:36.  However, I didn't have anymore in me.  Six about did me in.  I thought if I were to try 7 I would have had to be scraped off the road and thrown to the side with all the other road kill.  I thought of doing four more at a slower speed but knew I still had a few miles to get back home and didn't know if I would make it if I went for more.  

So for today I am happy that the knee felt better and that I was able to keep that pace for 6 repeats.  

Just four today.  

Sad that this was the last Payson Canyon run for the year.  I have loved my Thursday morning ritual!  Ran at a slower pace today and enjoyed the moment.  Beautiful full moon to light the way at the beginning but got rather dark as the moon set behind the mountain.  Glad to have a working headlamp with this week.  Also glad to have a long sleeve shirt as it was a bit nippy.  

I love these fall mornings!  I wish they could stay as long as winter and summer stay.  Tom got out again today for the first time since the Big Cottonwood Marathon last week that trashed his legs.  We went over and met up with the SF gang.  It was a bit nippy and windy at the beginning but a very nice morning for a 16 miler.  A few did a bit less and two of our guys did 23.  I'm glad I wasn't on their plan.

My knee was a little bothersom at the beginning but seemed to feel good the rest of the way. I tried to take it really easy on any down hill segments.  I hope it won't be a problem at SGM but it is possible that it might give me some grief.  That is ok though...I took that risk when I decided to run Mt. Nebo 1/2 a couple weeks ago. 

Sad to run into a running friend who has been battling cancer.  Just found another spot that needs to have a biopsy.  My prayers are with her and her family and doctors.  Those of us running after talking to her took our own health into perspective again as we left her.  Grateful for every single healthy day in our lives!  Which is one reason to run....because I can!