I just realized as I sat to write this that it’s my last full recap before race day when 30,000+ of us will descend on the streets of San Francisco. (Let the pre-race nerves commence!)

Here’s a peek at the last week of training as mileage continued to drop for week 15:

• Tempo run – 8 mi 7mi
• Track workout – 3 x 1600s
• Long run – 10 mi 7mi/30min on elliptical

Yep, you’ll notice some extra modifications in there, which I’ll explain below.

But first, as you can see, we’ve finally entered into fall here in the Bay Area. I, for one, am thrilled – not only for the cooler running weather but because dusky evening runs mean maybe, just maybe, I can get away with these obnoxiously-bright calf sleeves?

In all seriousness, they did help me rock one of those few-and-far-between utterly awesome track workouts where everything feels effortless and running your heart out just hits the spot, like scratching an itch.

My 1600s were supposed to be in the 7:40-7:45 range, but I ran them in negative splits of 7:39, 7:23 and 7:13. I was so happy with how well the workout went that I tweeted one of my favorite running superstars, Kara Goucher.

And, guess what? She responded. I’m taking this to mean that we are now running BFFs.

(Yes, I realize my fastest mile was slower than her warm-ups. And, yes, I’ll be expecting my restraining order shortly)

Tuesday’s workout ended on such a high note, that I couldn’t believe it when I woke up Wednesday with that all-to-familiar dull ache in my left hip.

Oh. No.

Luckily Wednesday was a pool workout, so it was non-impact, but Thursday’s tempo run unraveled quickly. Not only was my hip still nagging me, but my planned route was closed due to construction, which forced me down onto the trails.

Ok, so maybe it wasn’t such a bad change of scenery…but then I realized that I forgot to re-start my watch after I stopped a few times for photos, so I lost track of how far I had gone.

And then it was around the National Cemetery (about halfway through the run) that my headphones decided to stop working.

Ok, I thought, I can just double back under the Bay Bridge and make up the half mile or so that I may have lost on the detour, plus the scenery will help distract me.

But thanks to the government shutdown, that wasn’t going to happen.

You win some, you lose some, right?

Well, I decided to cut the run a bit short anyway to keep from pushing the hip issue, and when I got home I went on the injury offensive with a mixture of ice, Advil and KT Tape to try to keep things from getting any worse.

And what do you do when you’re trying to distract yourself from obsessing about a potential injury the week before a marathon?

Take a rest day and go to Napa, of course!

Ben and I took the day off and met up with a high school friend of mine, Lesley, and her husband Josh. We sampled good wine, ate delicious food (see below from my new favorite winery, Robert Sinskey) and had a blast catching up.

Funny thing, too…a few glasses of bubbles later, and suddenly the hip felt much better. Go figure!

To say I was worried going into Sunday’s long run, though, was putting it mildly.

My heart really wanted to complete the last long run on the schedule, but my brain was warning me not to push myself to the point of injury, so I settled on an easy seven miler.

It was a scenic loop by the Golden Gate, which helped distract me from the pangs in my hip every now and then.

We took it easy, and fortunately my hip held out, so I’m just crossing my fingers that I can continue to manage anything else that pops up in the final few days before the race.

In the meantime, my immediate plan of attack is a post-run massage and more Advil, and I’ll be taking it easy the rest of the week with some light cross-training and (potentially) one or two short runs.

Until then, it’s just putting one foot in front of the other…in the final approach to the starting line. Have a good week, everyone!