The Training: Week Fourteen

Just four more weeks until the ole' 26.2. Due to lack of drinking fountains along the trails in Bismarck, I opted to postpone my twelve-miler until I returned to Minneapolis. A good decision. After sitting in the car for over six hours, I was actually looking quite forward to my run. Sadly, the first two miles involved some of the most painful steps I've ever taken. IT band. With only four weeks of training left, I'm not really willing to give up altogether, so I hobbled along until the pain subsided as it commonly does. Good thing too, because just as I was getting into the groove, I happened across a similarly paced runner who seemed to be in his own modicum of pain.

"You training?" he asked.

"Yeah. Twin Cities. You?"

"No. I used to run it, but I was hit by a car in the spring. I've just started running again."

"Wow. How does it feel?"

"Good now, but I may not be able to walk too much tomorrow. Lower back trouble."

Poor guy. We chatted for a while and I learned that he had actually saved his four year-old daughter. Pushed her out of the way of the car and took the hit himself. He runs despite the pain because he just can't give it up. "You've got a strong stride," he told me. "Use it. You can go faster than you are right now." He made his turn home and we waved farewell. Then, I kicked it into a higher gear. IT band nothing. I'm running this marathon