Back pain

Damn back doesn't seem to want to loosen up with the stretches I know, so I'm going to have to go get a massage and see if that helps.  The good thing is it doesn't hurt much to run.  Really weird, dead center on my spine.  Weirdest thing is the loud pop while I was running the marathon.  Have no idea what would cause that.

Guess I'm getting old, haha.  But I've never not finished a race I started, even when I probably should have dropped out.  Stupid or stubborn, who knows.  Probably why I think 50-k is the most I ever want to race.  I think I could do some real damage to myself if I started playing with 50+ mile races.

8 weeks until Millinocket marathon.  My buddy Evan who won Black Bear marathon in June and was 4th at Maine Marathon is running, so I'm just going to try and run with him as long as I can.  PJ who won Sugarloaf marathon this May might do it, or at least the half, so could be nice group up front.  The one sure thing for this marathon is it's going to be cold.  Usually don't do this many marathons in a year, but need to get the feeling back of racing that long so I'll be ready to roll next year when I run against top masters guys at US 50-k Champs and US marathon champs.

The US champs races I'm going to try and get to next year are,

20-k, 1/2 marathon, 25-k, marathon, and 50-k.

Like to run 1:08 for 20-k(pretty flat),

1:11 for half, think it's fairly flat, so may have to slow goal down a bit.

1:27 for 25-k(pretty flat),

2:28 for marathon(it's downhill), 

And finish 50-k(figure since I've never raced this far that's the best goal.)

The sometimes there are separate masters events , and I may go to some, but I'd rather run the open ones that still have masters divisions.  I've run the 20-k, and 25-k courses before and they are awesome races.

Full schedule for 2018 isn't out yet, so it depends some on when the races are, but I realize I'll have to travel to at least California for one of these races.  I'd like to run at Masters indoor and outdoor champs, and X-C. 

It's a lot of races, but I don't plan on racing much locally next year other than Midwinter 10-miler.

They have all kinds of events over 50-k, but I'm good with that crazy shit.  As it is, the 50-k is on a 5-k loop course.  although I kind of like that.