Tasty Grapes

As I sit here watching game 4 of the World Series not feeling tired from running a marathon, not feeling aching muscles from having completed 26.2 miles, not feeling exhausted from exercising for roughly 3 or so hours, I could think of all the I'm-glad-I-didn't-run-today excuses. It was forecasted to be pouring wet (I think of Boston 2007) --- but the rain held off. It was forecasted to be gale force winds (again I think of Boston 2007) -- but the major winds will come tomorrow (not that a 10 - 15 mph headwind is fun, especially at the end of a marathon). I could be sitting here (while my wife sleeps the sound sleep of the marathoner) thinking I'm glad I didn't run because those grapes were probably sour anyway.


But I can't. I know those grapes are sour. Those grapes are tasty. I don't care what the conditions are -- I'm really bummed I wasn't out there running today. Or in early September at Parks Half. Or in late September at the Richmond Rox 1/2 Ironman. Or in November at the Potomac River Run Marathon. Or in December at the Seashore 50K. Jordana ran her 8th Marine Corps --- 7th in a row. Two away from getting her 10 timers patch. Me? I squeaked out my 5 timers patch last year -- no streak. I was hoping to run MCM #6 -- maybe start a streak of my own thinking my running injuries (at least serious injuries) were in the past.


Instead, I spent the morning doing laps. As I was going up and back 36 times (plus the 15 minutes of pool running), I was running the course in my mind. Thinking of where my running friends would be at that moment. I got back home and followed the runner tracking -- imagining where everyone was. Imagining how I felt running last year. Thinking of my crappy spring marathon performance and how I was hoping to redeem myself this fall. Definitely a bummer.


Meanwhile, assuming there is power, I have another DEXA scan scheduled for Tuesday. And another visit to the orthopedist next week. Part of my crappy mood is that at the beginning of last week, I was thinking to myself that everything was starting to feel pretty good and had been for a number of days and maybe I should be thinking about when I can start running. (As you may recall, I'm supposed to go 14 days pain free, then I can schedule a follow up orthopedist visit to discuss resuming running). But all week I felt a nagging pain in the groin area. Not as bad as in the summer. But definitely setting the clock back to zero when I should be not feeling this way. I've been good -- no running (I swear), no fast walks at lunch. Hell, I don't even run to catch the metro. Nothing but swimming with the pull buoy and pool running. So why is it hurting again.


Oh well.


To all my friends who ran Marine Corps today, well run. I don't care what the conditions were, I wish I could have joined you. I'm sure those grapes were sweet.