Today is the day of reckoning for me as today is the day I have to make the call whether I'll be running the LA Marathon or not this coming Sunday. Why today? Because the $280/night hotel that I reserved in Santa Monica at the finish line requires 72 hours notice for cancellation, and I ain't gonna spend $280 for a room I'm not gonna use.

I had a few solid training runs this training cycle and thought I had a shot at a sub-3 hour performance at age 49 (based on a recent half marathon performance), but running 26.2 miles competitively with an injury is not my idea of fun.

My chiropractor says it is a sciatic nerve issue. Since the sciatic nerve runs from the lower back to the ankle, it is easy to confuse a sciatic nerve issue with a hamstring issue. But he says the nerve is inflamed and that in the area near the hamstrings and that's causing me the problem. The pain is not present during normal activities, including walking. I can still run, and even yesterday felt ok at a decent pace for a few miles. But...the dull pain and interference with my stride in my right leg is still there.

So I'm out.  Spent $170 on the entry but that's ok, I'll drive down to the LA Marathon Expo on Saturday to retrieve my t-shirt and call it a day. The injury will run its course and I'll be back. I'll continue to run...cautiously.

Three visits to the chiropractor in the last 10 days have helped, but he can't work miracles. I also roll my hamstring/lower glute area on a roller device to help the issue but what I also need to do, is use an ice pack on the area...something I'm not particularly fond of. But I gotta do it to help ease the inflammation. Last year it took me 3 months to alleviate the same issue, though a year ago I think it was worse than it is today.

There will be more marathons in my future...just not this particular weekend. My almost-50 body is rebeling but I'm putting up a fight. Dammit!