I have my worst training runs at the time when I should be having my best. Great.

I am three weeks away from my next half marathon. This is the time where everything should be coming together, but for me it's not. It's true that I've dropped down to the half from the marathon because of a hamstring issue, but after a pretty terrific 10 mile run last week I barely made it over 9 miles this week. I have a hard time believing it's all injury-related since I consider my injury to be pretty minor, so here are my guesses:

It was too warm. Almost 70 degrees by the time I got back to my car. I was prepared for low 50s.

The trail was too soft. While today was bright and sunny, it rained virtually non-stop for the three days prior. The trail wasn't muddy other than in a few spots, but it wasn't nearly as hard as the road I ran 10 great miles on last weekend.

Not enough sleep last night. Six hours is enough to get me through a work day, but is it enough to get my through 13 miles running at my pace?

Unhealthy eating. I went to a party last night and didn't eat a lot of great-for-me chow.

Internal bodily issues. For the first time in as along as I can remember I had to make a pit stop while out on a run.

Those might be minor factors, but the truth is that I think I'm hurt a little bit and I'm just going to have to soldier through 13.1 miles in Las Vegas. Today at about 8 miles in I started to feel a little strain in my left calf under my already slightly strained left hamstring. Over the next mile it moved up to the hammy and I was done. I was trying to do 13 miles, but stopped at 9.25 miles, walked to 10.25 where I made a pit stop, jogged slowly to 11.50, walked to about 11.75 and then jogged slowly the rest of the way in.

I hate to admit it, but I think this morning's run might have been a preview of what I'm in for at the half marathon. I'm not happy about that, but it's still just for fun. I guess.