So once again, my body has gone awry in the final weeks leading up to a marathon. Though I haven't been training particularly long or intensely for the Ojai2Ocean Marathon on June 5th, I was looking forward to an enjoyable experience.

One of my cooler race take-homes...a plaque from the 2nd Annual Rock N Roll Marathon in San DiegoNot so says this old body. But this time I'm not sick at all. I feel just fine! No colds, flus, pink eye, bronchitis.

And I'm not injured in any of the typical places. My back is fine (knock on wood). My quads, hamstrings, calves, achilles, ankles, bottoms of feet, toenails, etc. are all peachy keen.

But since May 7th, I've had a pain in my lower abdomen as a result of (I believe) wearing my water bottle belt too tight around my waist. Damn.

I have no one to blame but myself, but I felt I had no choice but to continue training in the hope that, like many other injuries, the pain subsides over time.  So I ran a 21 miler on the 14th and the pain got worse, then not quite so bad by the weekend, when I had to decide what to do 2 weeks out from the marathon.

In true gritty marathoner spirit, I felt I had no choice but to run a shorter, 13 mile slightly faster paced run to give my body a little more taste for marathon pace. Well...that was Saturday. Today it is Wednesday and I haven't run a step since then.

Four straight days of walking is normally only reserved for my post-marathon recovery and vacations. But as a last ditch effort to address the injury, I'm walking. In the streets, on the gym treadmill, wherever. My ass hurts as a matter of fact because I'm not used to using those muscles.

My self assessment is that I bruised a stomach muscle or perhaps my intestine. It normally doesn't hurt but gets irritated with the movement of running. Walking doesn't have the same impact.

So...I'm hoping and crossing my fingers that this thing will go COMPLETELY away by the weekend so I can at least have some recollection of what running feels like in time for the marathon on June 5th. If it does not go away soon...might have to wait for another marathon. ARRRGGGHHHHH!! Always something!!