Training Week 12

WOW! I just realized I am now at 600 miles for the year! I beat last years total by 80 miles so far. I am totally feeling all this mileage now. Not in a bad way all the time, but things are changing. Last night I ran 5 miles and felt ok. It was tough since I felt off. I went to the chiropractor earlier that day and had an adjustment. I went twice back in June to use up some HSA money we had to 'use or loose' (before we became self employed). I thought it would be wise to go since my knee had been feeling out of alignment some after the 15 and 16 mile runs. He said it was out of line and fixed it. He told me to stretch my soleus often and explained how that affects the knee and it's position. Ive never stretched it in the past. So I hope it helps. I just felt off in my run, though. Weird. Different. Perhaps it was from the adjustment. Maybe I was way out of line and have to get used to being back in line. I don't understand that stuff. Who knows. Maybe it's just all this mileage adding up! I do know I am going to be stretching even more than usual to do all I can to help keep injury at bay. I'm getting in tough weeks now, territory that my body and mind are not familiar with at all. Any advice will be greatly appreciated!
Tonight I ran 8 miles and felt ok until mile 4. Somewhere deep in my upper quad it hurt. But it was radiating from somewhere deep in my lower back. I even sat on the sidewalk and tried to stretch it for 30 sec. but it didn't help. So I walked a few minutes and then ran at a slower pace. It seemed to go away but something way back there deep in my lower right back area hurt. Not bad, but it did hurt. I took an ice bath for 15 min. and then have been stretching deep and often since. Just hoping that this step back week will give me somewhat of a break before next week!