My back is so much better today.  The deep tissue and trigger point massage, the laser and adjustments by a chiropractor and icing the last two days has worked.  I also have been taking some extra magnesium.  Yesterday (Wednesday) I could only run a quarter mile like the day before.  I have only been able to walk.  BUT today I was able to run 6.5 miles at 8:41/mile pace.  During the run my back was about 95%.  It is now about 90% but that isn't bad.  I do feel out of shape however.  This is why I needed this run.  Going to be really tough to average around 7 minutes for the half Sunday.

Thanks to my massage therapist Asha, my chiropractor Dr Hunt and the icying advice from my running friend Peanut Harms.  At this point it is all working and I now finally looking forward to race number 29 this weekend Napa to Sonoma Half Marathon.  The thought of trying to get through 13.1 miles with a back issue was not good.  This is not a fast course at least for me.

In 2010 I ran 1:34:17 and last year I ran 1:35:40.  Right now I am 13:49 ahead of pace for my 50 race challenge.  To stay even I would need to run 1:31:42 which is 7 minute pace.  I am hoping to get under 1:34 and not give back more than two minutes.  The next three races (32.2 miles) are critical.  The second half of the San Francisco Marathon is not fast either.  Wharf to Wharf also has some hills.  So if I can average 7:08 for all three races I will loose 4:18 minutes but I will still be under by 9:30 minutes of my 7 minute/mile goal.

At the 2010 Napa to Sonoma race I meet Terry McCluskey.  He finished about a mile ahead of me.  He is one of the top 60 plus runners in the country.  He has run a 1:25:02 half this year at age 63 and much more impressive he ran 1:00:10 at the Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run.  He is not planning on being in Sonoma this year.  At least I have a chance of winning my age-group. 

Wow, Terry is just crazy fast! Bob, you know you are not REALLY out of shape. Glad the treatments helped and your back is better for this weekend. I don't think you are going to give back nearly that much time.
Bruce Gilbert 7/12/12 2:17 pm

Good to hear the back is better. Nice t-shirt!
Barry Anderson 7/12/12 5:48 pm

Bob, sometimes after an injury, the downtime gives your body a chance to come back even stronger. Good luck in Napa. Here is a quote from a web page describing the course: <<From there, the course follows a winding path southward along Duhig to Ramal Road, taking runners up the affectionately named "Butt Burner Hill" and then downhill into the Carneros wine country area ...>>.
Gary Funck 7/12/12 9:15 pm

Thanks for the words of encouragement...it really means a lot to me. That first hill on Sunday is a Butt Burner for sure...
Bob Anderson 7/12/12 9:59 pm

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I just have to get this back thing behind me.  Yesterday I just walked three miles and by the end of the day my back was not better.  I just don't have the time to waste.  So, I started off the day by having a deep tissue and trigger point massage by Asha at the Shawsu Workout Studio in Los Altos.  It is only about a mile from my house.

Asha has been doing massage therapy for 22 years.  I had just met her right after I took that fall a week ago Saturday.  She worked on me for one and an half hours.  She is good.

Since Catherine can not run right now because of a foot issue, she works out here three times per week.  Catherine introduced me to Asha who works out of this studio.

The charts on the wall of the massage room reminded me on how complex the human body really is.

Can you tell that I have been laying face down for nearly an hour? I felt so much better after this massage.

Then tonight Dr Hunt worked me in for a session with him.  He used his laser treatment for the first 30 minutes.  Then he did some adjustments on me.  I like his style and I felt some more improvements right away.

If I was not doing my 50 race challenge, I most likely would not have seen either Dr Hunt or Asha today.  And like many times in the past, something like this can get worse.  Over the last couple of years I have not been able to race at all for 4-6 weeks because I don't jump on the problem.  I am thinking I have gotten a handle on this.  I am not totally out of the  woods yet, but I know I am heading in the right direction.  Thanks Asha and Dr Hunt for working me in today.