One Week to go and still Weak

7 Days till the Boston Marathon.  Wow, I would like 3 more months to prepare.

I've glanced back through some of my blogs, and I see I have really been facing a number of injuries and questions along the way.  It seems the mental battle has been the most challenging part of the training.  I didn't imagine this blog would be a whine-fest, but it has recounted a fair amount of difficulties.

Unfortunately this entry isn't any different.  My left knee has continued to irritate me.  I am sore on the inside of my knee cap.  It seems to me to be "Patellofemoral Syndrome."  Last week I only ran three miles - and my knee was significantly hurting.  So, I cross-trained with the elliptical machine 60-90 minutes a pop - including some pretty good hills, but not actual street pounding for the rest of the week.  I also started to ice my knee twice a day, and take Ibuprofen.  Today, I ran another 3 miles - and again felt some pain - not unbearable, but real nonetheless.  

My plan was to decide today whether I thought I could go for it or it not.  If I don't think I can complete the race, I think I would rather not run.  So, my hope was the decision would be clear and easy - I would either be pretty well healed up and go for it, or not and not.  However, as is often the case in life, the decision isn't so clear.  I am not all healed up, but I "feel" like I might be able to make it.

So ... I think I am going to go for it.  I will not run again between now and then (a very scary idea), and I will only do some very light elliptical training this week - no hills.  I will continue to ice my knees and take Ibuprofen.  I don't think I will use any kind of knee brace - as I have not seen any indication that they would be helpful.  I am possibly going to use some soul inserts, though.  It seems that part of the problem might be caused by over-pronation.  This is most commonly a problem for flat footed people, yet I have fairly high arches.  So, inserts may help to spread out the pressure of the continued pounding of 26.2 miles.

I don't know if I will be able to make - it doesn't look real good.  But, at this point things to don't seem clear enough for me to bag it.  If you've read this far, and it's not April 20th yet, please pray for me:  

1.  That I would be wise in the management of my body in this thing, and 

2. that God would allow me to accomplish this challenge