Anti-Climax

This year is fizzling. I had an easy winter off-season, and now my body is not rising to the occasion. It's taking me 2-3 days to recover from my training runs. I keep ending up with injurious pains that can't be ignored. This was my first winter without a full-blown injury, but it might be even worse than the ones where I was hurt.

Sunday night, I woke up with a hurt back. It was almost nothing. Monday morning, at work, I was mostly okay until I stood up after a couple hours of sitting at my computer. My back was SOOO STIFF! Ouch! I was crippled. And it got worse through the day.
I wish I could remember the dream I must've had! Maybe I dreamed I had sex with a contortionist! That would have been worth it!
I logged a little more mileage in January than last year, but February was about 20 miles short. And that's with last year being a slow ramp-up!
So this year is looking very very bad. I have about 16 races planned, most of which I'm already registered for.

Tonight, at Wash Park, I arrived early like normal to get an extra lap in before the regular Tuesday run. It took me half a mile of repeated false-starts before I could get running and stay running. My back kept spasming. It's a muscle or ligament on my lower back, left side. Once I got going, I was moving okay. Still about a minute per mile slower, but able to pound out the miles with proper form. Except that I couldn't do fast-feet. After Monday, I feel fortunate that I was able to still get my miles.
Tomorrow ought to be better.

Less than two weeks to the Salida Marathon. Also known as the Turret Marathon. Aslo known as the Zeb Pike Marathon (his great-grandson is still alive and hosted the first running). Also known as the "Run Through Time Marathon". I don't think I've ever heard of a race with so many names, but I like them all. I especially like the way the race starts out on easy improved dirt road, then tends to get snowy and icy but still tame until you get 3/4 of the way. Then it starts to get wild - and wilder - and then really narly, and REALLY NARLY!! It is such an awesome end to a trail marathon. I just love it.
But I need a good back for it. There's lots of radical body twists on the jagged descents.