After the year of running dangerously – training through one compensating injury after another – Ryan Hall is committed to not running again until his body is sound. The sooner the better, but Hall is determined to be patient.

Friday, September 14 will mark three weeks since he last ran, the longest idle stretch of his career due to injury. He’s taken a couple of other three-week rests during after tough marathon campaigns that were not injury-driven.

Since a hamstring injury forced him to drop out of the London Olympics marathon last month and a “pretty gnarly quad strain” led to his withdrawal from the November 4 New York City Marathon, Hall has spent most of his time in Redding, California. There have been heartfelt talks with his wife and fellow runner Sara by the Sacramento River on his running future.