Er... you know I said 'no more excuses'?.....

It seems like every runner I know round here was out yesterday running the Bolder Boulder course.

The race itself -- billed as America's biggest 10k -- is happening next Monday, Memorial Day. I decided not to run, then thought I might, if only to keep a friend company and on pace. So I had my pick of start times yesterday, ranging from 6am to do the course in a series of 1k repeats; to 8am with a some fast guys; to 10am with a more "recreational" group.

But...for the past couple of days I've been on UK time doing some magazine deadline work and when I finally got to bed on Friday night I really needed some uninterrupted sleep. Well, I got it: 11 hours straight. (Yes I know, I am a world champion sleeper!). However, I don't know what I did in my sleep, but when I eventually got up I found that my buttock muscles on the right side were completely seized up. OK, normal morning getting-older syndrome, I thought. But no. They wouldn't loosen up. We toddled round to the cafe for breakfast; well Abby toddled; I limped. It just wouldn't let go -- I poked and pummelled, foam rollered and stretched, finally stuck acupuncture needles in myself.. there was no point running.

It's a sign! It's a sign! OK, I won't run the Bolder Boulder. I'm going to walk it, bravely wearing my "A" Wave number. It was either that decision, or the final bedtime needling that did it, but I woke up this morning with the pain completely gone! Bizarre. I've never had that before.

So today is officially Day Number 1 of my restart. I'm going out on the trails for a steady aerobic run - with an extra mile for littlemamalopez (see http://www.yourrunning.com/blog-dnr_no_2).