So I was healthy enough to head out for the 98th annual Run for the Diamonds in Berwick, and what a showing I had. This was the 3rd year in a row running the race on Thanksgiving, and it was my best yet. I completed the 9 mile ‘hilly’ course in just 1:08, which is 4 minutes faster than last year. I think training for the marathon, and still being in marathon shape, helped me achieve this record, and a great way to end the season!

I had some groin pain during the race and had to slow it a bit to ensure I didn’t pull or tear anything, and unfortunately, today I am feeling some hip/lower back pain, so I plan to take the weekend off from running and all so it can heal up. I have no need to continually abuse myself over the next couple weeks, so I don’t plan to. The funny thing is that my hip/back didn’t bother me until I headed out to the YMCA this morning, thats when I felt it. Its not too bad, but enough to let me know that its there, so its really bothersome. Not sure if its just the body being sore after the major effort I just did. This means also that I won’t be doing any of the 5K’s this Sunday either. I had planned to do one of the two, but at this point won’t push it, so thats about it for the season. Possible the next race I’ll hit will be the New Years Run in Bloomsburg, but we’ll see how we feel I guess.

So thats the season, I PR’d in just about all the distances I ran this year, and am planning for next year now … I had the crazy idea of doing an ultra-marathon in the fall (the JFK), I dunno though, it takes a lot to train for something like that and I know how difficult training for just a marathon is on me and the family. We’ll decide I guess as the year goes on (actually the off-season) and I still haven’t fully selected my marathons for the spring yet, so I have some decisions to make.

The big goal right now is to get back to life a bit, and rest. My body is banged up, its telling me that, so I should enjoy the time I have before training starts again before I know it.