Way off course.

That's it 14 days no running, doctor's orders. It was exactly like when you take your car to the mechanic because of one problem and they shake their head and point out a bunch of other stuff that you never even thought of and make you feel like a careless driver.
My lower back pain apparantly has more to do with a hip that is way out of wack and a blockage in the dorsal area of my spine and I may be developing arthritis in my hip and two discs in my spine. So I can't jog or do any sports involving running untill my next check up and if there are still problems I will have to get an x-ray. In the mean time I can swim and take Celebrex 200 and Chondrosulf 400 and keep on stretching.

I don't know if you can prepare for a marathon doing only swimming and biking and maybe some water jogging at a key stage in the preparation but we shall see. If I can still participate in the marathon the goal will be to participate and finish if possible and not run the whole thing but walk for part of it.

slowly slowly

Wk)20

3.5k (27 min)
3k (20 min)
8k (1hr)

Drinks
Terrasses de Larzac red, Bourgogne white, Carolus amber beer from Belguim

These times and distances are less than what I was doing in week 1. This can't be a good sign. Inspite of the obvious need for me to ramp up the volume of kilometers that I am running I am trying to take it nice and slow and not push myself too hard so that I don't have any serious problems with my back.

oh no

Things have been going badly in preparationville. Pain in the lower back and upper ass has drastically cut into my running in what should be the meat of my training weeks.

Wk 18
3k jog, 500 m swim, 13k kayak

Wk 19
3.4k jog, 500m swim
6k jog, 500m swim

Wine wise things have been off to the races. In the course of the last two weeks I have consumed about a dozen glasses of port. Some Vino Verdé white and Duro Red. Numerous Rosés and some St. Joseph Burgundy.
In red wines I have tried Peche Rome from Languadoc (very disapointing). Cheverny, Charrentes, Brouilly, St. Nicolas de Bourguielle and more Bordeaux. The Bourguielle was my personal favorite.

Pain in the upper ass

I have been experiencing what I thought was an upper back pain that I have already had but really it is more of an upper left buttock pain. I was reading something that led me to think it could be something to do with the sciatic. My running has been getting weaker and weaker instead of stronger. I will be away in Portugal for a few days with no running gear so I have to do a run tomorrow before my flight. I am due for a 23k run but I am thinking that mightn't be so wise. In the morning I will do a gentle little run after some warming up and stretching and then enjoy my time off.

This is an article I read about similar problems.

http://runningtimes.com/Article.aspx?ArticleID=4220

Running in Paris

week 16

6.5k (35 min)
9k (1h10 min)

Reds: Chiverny, Brouilly, St. Nicolas de Bourgueil, Charente organic.
Cross training: Hoegarden, Organic white Flemmish beer, ciaparina

Plagued by a bit of lower back discomfort, which almost upper ass muscle pain, my running schedule is really being hampered. I have been going easy.
Paris made a nice change of scene. I ran past La Bastille and over pont Oberkampf and around Le Jardin des Plantes. I saw some pandas, wallabies, mountain goats and ofcourse, rats on my run.

Drinking the lighter northern wines went well with my change of pace aproach to this week. We will call this a weak week. I will have to gradually pick up the pace. Next weekend I will be in Portugal without my running shoes, that won't help.