So, this is a picture of me (in pink) and my daughter-in-law Royall coming in to the finish line of the Top of Utah half marathon last August!  It was pretty amazing to run that race with her.  I loved it.  (See how happy we are.  See the dejected walkers behind us.  Illustrates perfectly the power of proper pacing in a race! )  This past Thursday, I ran a 10 mile long run.  It was awful.  My hip hurt. My knee started hurting.  But I kept going- and going- and finished the run.  But after, I had to ice pretty much my whole legs/hips/knees, and I haven't run since.  So was that smart or not?  I really don't know.  Not smart in that I am now injured and can't run for a few days and will need a couple of physio treatments.  But maybe OK because I discovered a weakness in my hips and glutes that needs to be addressed now rather than later in my training, closer to race day.  And maybe OK because it brought me down to earth a little and helped me realize that I do have limitations and pushing them doesn't always bring the results I want.  So, now I am wondering if I really can do this whole marathon training thing, or if it is beyond my body's capabilities right now. 10 miles is only half of 20, which will be my longest training run.  I have enlisted the help of an online running coach- Coach Jenny Hadfield, who I believe is the very best out there.  She will contact me tomorrow to discuss my training program.  She doesn't know I'm injured, at this point, but she will.  And I'm counting on her to help me through the next few months of marathon training- or not- (maybe it will turn into half marathon training if I don't heal up fast enough)_It iis good to know in either instance that I have someone to count on.  Someone to give me good training advice and encouragement.  But I know, too, that ultimately it will be me who will know what I can expect my body to do.  I have learned to listen.  To be gentle or to push.  To rest or to run.  John Bingham said that sometimes being a runner means not running and this week I am finding out all about that.  Water running.  Walking.  Stationary biking.  Swimming.Waiting.  I keep reminding myself when I get feeling down about it all that I am indeed in training still.  Just in a different way this week.  4 months.  We'll see!