Dog days of running

Another running update. Not much else going on since Heather is back in the States. I'm bored. I'm on holiday now, and I have a few plans for next week, so there should be plenty of updates and pictures then.
I ran my park/harbour/Opera House circuit again yesterday. The total distance is just under six miles. When I first ran it my time was an hour. The next time was 48 minutes. Yesterday, I cut it down to 42:30. That's really too fast because I won't be able to keep up that pace during a half marathon. But I could do that for a 10K, which means I could keep Michael in my sights for, oh about 500 metres or so, and that's saying something.
I've talked to some people who "get in tune" with their body while running. Not me. My body hates me when I run. Going up stairs, even just four or five, is a killer. At about the 20 minute mark I get a sharp pain in my mid back to the left of my spine. What is that? Any thoughts or ideas? It goes away if I take really deep breaths for a minute or so. Anyway, I do fine after that goes away. At least I thought so until last Sunday when I ran eight miles, my longest so far (I do nine tomorrow). I found out I hit another wall at about 6.5 miles. Maybe I won't be crazy enough to try the marathon next year after all.
So to get my mind off the shortness of breath, aching legs, and sharp back pain, I find distractions from my body. Rather than consciously tuning in to my body, I try to slip into cruise control and ignore it. I watch tourists in the park and at the harbour. I dodge their cameras--maybe I should try getting into their pictures instead, Heather-style. I look at the trees, animals, the water, whatever is around. I listen to music--Nelly's "Country Grammar" gave me a second wind at the 35 minute mark yesterday--good up tempo pace song for me, too. White Stripes came up next--a little eclectic mix, but effective. I think about school lesson plans or other things to blog about--I've come to terms with being a self-absorbed blogger. I try to figure mile time averages, but I never spell-that's Heather's thing. I play a perfect round of all 18 holes at LinRick Golf Course in my head. Anything. Before I know it, I'm done, mostly pain-free.