Hard times:  Pulling a back muscle changing a flat tire on my car 10 days ago and then a very sore back hindering my runs for more than a week.  Back spasms swimming this morning.  Not competing in the Boston Marathon yesterday for the first time in five years. Too much work hindering training over the past six months.  Being undertrained.  Not racing this spring except for a half marathon in mid March in Maryland.

Good times:  Running decent miles despite my sore back.  Running in Sedona in the hills (too short!) and in Rio Verde northeast of Phoenix in gorgeous early morning weather, then hiking in the desert for 7 miles/3 hours with friend Kevin Brown and the playing golf with Kevin and spouse Belinda, all this past weekend.  Swimming 2,000 yards this morning despite my finicky back.   Celebrating the good times of my friends doing Boston and realizing with my back I likely would not have finished.  Finally being back to full staff this week and thinking about starting outdoor Wednesday a.m. rides next week.  Running with Rich tonite and feeling pretty loose, back not very sore and times Ok.  Thinking about May races - a 10 miler, a 5k, a 10k perhaps - and a half Ironman in June.