RUH OH, MUSCLE STRAIN?

So the night before I left for Miami I did a 5k, figuring I'd get my "speed" workout in. I did the 5k at 7:45ish a mile over the 5k course by my house like I had done dozens of times before without incident. Well, for whatever reason, I seem to have pulled a muscle on that run and could feel it around 1.5 miles. I finished the run because it was a pretty low level ache and honestly I didn't think much of it.

Fast forward to my Miami runs. I didn't feel the strain AT ALL. Both runs. Ran the first run at 8:45, nary a peep. The long run I didn't feel it at all. Not a twinge, not a dull ache, nothing. Honestly, I forgot I had "hurt" myself.

Okay, now last night. I go out for a 10k run at my usual 8:45 "normal speed" run pace. Feeling great until about mile 1.5. Then that muscle starts acting up again. When I first started I felt like I was flying I felt so good. It was crisp and 52 degrees out and after Miami that felt amazing. So I was in a really positive place. Then, the muscle goes "remember me?"

It seems to be really irritated with elevation change. Running uphill hurts it the most, but downhill also irks it. Flat running doesn't seem to bother it, and that might make sense because Miami was all flat. Anyways, I got through the run making sure to just take it really easy on the ups/downs and when it felt like whatever I was doing was hurting it, I would throttle back. The strain is in my lower right buttcheek. I am not sure it is a glute because it seems low in the cheek and to the outside. Maybe I should WebMD that.

The marathon is 11 days away. The good news is it seems to be a pretty low level strain and something I could run through on marathon day. The bad news is that my training will be comprimised these last few crucial days. I don't know if I should just stop running or just run and take it easy. I think I'm going to try running easy at my run group today and then ice it afterward.

Anyways, that's the update. I really hope this heals quickly. It is a low level strain but it is enough that it could really screw up my race.