You've got to be kidding me.

10 weeks of training, down.  5 weeks at 70 miles.  I'm finally at my "racing weight", so to speak.  I ordered my green glitter sparkle skirt and shamrock leggings.  I. am. ready.

And then, during the taper week -- yes, my first week of REDUCED MILEAGE -- race disaster strikes.

I finished up my final high mileage week with a 10 mile race, done on a hilly course and untapered legs, and set a little PR (by less than a minute.)  The course took a lot out of me though, and so I did very very easy runs Monday and Tuesday.  I had a sports massage Tuesday evening, and ran for the next time on Wednesday night.  On Thursday morning I decided to try some tempo intervals, but I couldn't get my pace where I wanted to, so figuring I was still recovering, I finished up nice and easy.  I felt fine.  I changed my clothes and headed to a meeting.  When I stood up from the meeting, I couldn't walk.

Seriously.  Pain in my right hip, glute, and groin.  I was visibly limping all day.  I iced, took a long bath, and started to worry.  But the next day I only felt a little tightness, and no pain, so I took the day off from running and figured I could run an easy 3 miles before deciding to do my long run on Saturday.

I felt fine after 3 miles at about an 8:20-30 pace, so we headed off for another 14.  By 5 miles into the run, I could feel the pain return.  I made the decision to turn around.  When I finally quit at 7, I was hobbling.

Sunday I was stopped at church by two people who asked what was wrong and why I was limping.  Today (Monday) I am still walking with a bit of a hobble, though better than yesterday.  I had an appointment with the chiropractor today and he used the stem machine on the sore spots -- all connected to my left hip.  No exercise -- no swimming, biking or elliptical even -- until this weekend.  If I can do some cross training without pain, we can try some easy running miles.  Maybe.

And I'm supposed to run a marathon in 13 days.

I'm a little mad at the universe right now.

However... I must say that this would be a whole different story had I not gotten a BQ back in December.  Though I've trained hard for this race, and I might go a little crazy if I have to take significant time off of running, I still have Boston in April 2014 to look forward to.  If I have to wear my green sparkle skirt as a spectator cheering on my husband, it is what it is.