What a pain in the back!

Well hell, not good news to report today.  I woke up Thursday morning with a sore lower back.  Not sure what I had done but low back pain has been a part of my life since I was a teenager.  Figured I'd head into work and tough it out with the mindset that some back pain wouldn't slow me down and moving around would be the best thing to do.  I was wrong, very wrong.  By mid day I had no smile on my face and every time I moved it just plain old hurt.  I was doing myself no good nor was I any help to the staff or my patients.  By mid afternoon I had to throw in the towel and I headed home.

The only way I can describe it is that it feels like someone is clinching tight, very tight on my lower back muscles.  If I get up from a chair or bed I get the most painful spark in my low back.  I thought that a day or two of rest should calm this flair up of pain in my lower back. Besides I had a 5K race on Saturday and I couldn't miss that.  My running times have been so good lately that I really anticipated a new PR for the 5K.  Here we are Saturday morning and I unfortunately had to cancel my race plans.  I am in that much pain!  First time I've done that in about three years of racing.  And now here I am at three days in a row of no running.  To say that I am a little depressed and little distressed about how this will effect my Marathon training program is an understatement.  The art work at left pretty much sums up how I feel right now.  I feel like I have fallen down flat on the ground.

Only thing I can do now is rest and continue stretching with a combination of ice and heat.  My goal is to try and keep a smile on my face and hope this injury goes away soon.  Think good thoughts, and I'll try and keep smiling, but for now, no running.