Dave, I really think they do. They hurt a good bit during the run... flat only hurt minimally but the hills killed... there was walking! Glad your legs loosened up!! And stay away from those squats!

Bugs - 11, 13 - wow lady!! You are getting some miles in!! I hope you are finding time to relax and enjoy your vaca as well!

Got a call from a buddy to play poker last night. Needless to say, I didn't set the alarm for 4:45 this morning after that. But, it's supposed to be a little cooler today (90 I think), so I should be able to get the miles in tonight. Sounds like a good excuse to put off mowing for another day.

Cash, They had a canoe, bike, run triathlon while we were here. God I wish I was so cool to be able to do something like. Do they have anything like that in your area?

Murph, welcome back. Glad to see you're getting back out there. Doesn't look like I'm going to try and hit the USAFM but I may very well run it next year after our move to Michigan. Bugs, glad to hear you're enjoying your vacation. I have a strange feeling that 11 milers constitute relaxation for you Brian, I'm trying to figure out how to log my mowing time as miles. Can I count that? Just under 9 today in warm but not oppressive weather. 3 miles at 8:30 in the middle. Maybe its just the heat but its causing me to question my marathon pace goal. May need to slow it down to make sure I don't have a really bad experience. Probably too soon to decide.

Bugs, graston probably wouldn't be much help because it's a mechanical issue with me... bones not tendons/ligaments/muscle. The miles have caught up with the deformed toe joints and causing inflammation and bruising. Dave, pace doesn't seem to matter, but surfaces do make a difference so I try to avoid concrete at all costs, asphalt if I can, and stick to trails/dirt as much as possible. With all the rain we've had that's a little tough because of all the mud, so it's been a lot of asphalt lately. Shan, rest days don't seem to make much difference. I took last Friday off and by bedtime my foot and second toe were just as swollen as usual. Swelling mostly goes down overnight but not all the way. First few steps in the morning are ouchie... but it's not PF (not in the heel area at all). So, the saga continues... Bugs, I like your idea of relaxation. When we go somewhere, I'm always figuring out how I can get a 10 mile run in. Drives my DH nuts. He sometimes says that's all I care about. I tell him, no, it's just the first thing I care about. After I know I can run, I feel much more relaxed and ready to think about other things. And after I run, I'm ready for whatever comes next! Strange addiction, but I like it... Hey, guess what... it's raining. I've heard they're thinking of re-routing Saturday's half marathon course to make it mostly on roads. It'll be a much faster course that way (it's already pretty flat, but the trail portions can slow you down even on good days), so hard to compare one year's time to another. But could still be a good PR at the HM distance, which was one of my goals this year!

My knee's sore. I think it's from lack of stretching... my legs are tight. I know what you are all going to say, but i'm sure i'm not going to listen... Instead i'm going to ice, and do the stretches I got at PT. I stopped stretching - probably stupid... so i'm going to go back to them. And keep all my runs very easy. Bugs - i'm so glad you are getting to relax and enjoy yourself! Husker - Murphy - hi!!! Sorry to hear about your back!! Dave - your running sounds like it's going well! Don't worry about the pace - the heat's been crazy here! Erika - if rest doesn't seem to help then how would it help to take a month off? Cash - thanks! Maybe it's the cut-back week messing with my mind...

Erika, Get some botox shot in between those bones. Actually I heard of that for TMJ treatment so it might not be that far out of an idea. Shan, About a month ago my foot hurt, and all I could think was dam I'm on edge of re-injuring my foot. It was nothing. No sense in worring. P2R, What marathon? You were thinking of one before Des Moines right? I am lazy, no running today. Tomorrow I have been granted time from 5:30-6:30 and then I will crawl back to bed.