Seven weeks and counting till the Country Music 1/2 marathon and your coach, (that's me) is behind in his training. I suffered a sledding injury to my tailbone on Saturday. I'll be ready but my mileage is a little bit lower than I'd like right now.

My teammates seem to be in full gear. Barbara M. ran 10 miles this weekend. Kerri walked 7.5 miles.

We are finalizing a couple of items about the race day (Saturday, April 26). Number one, we expect to have a Kintera site up shortly so we can raise some money from friends and family, as well as make our own corporate donations. We will make it possible for donors to choose from among several worthy causes when they make a donation. Here's a small advertising note for Kintera. If you've never used Kintera as a part of a not-for-profit raising money, or never seen this easy-to-use technology, you need to check it out.

Also, we are finalizing the location of the Team Hammock hospitality tent. We will have a place to go and spectate, support the runners, eat food, drink coffee and other beverages, and enjoy what has become like another holiday weekend in Nashville. Stand by for the details. I promise this will be the place to be course-side.

There are other races that occur before the 1/2 marathon. A new one that takes place in my neck of the woods, and near Hammock's offices is the Richland Creek Run, a 5-mile run to support Greenways for Nashville, held Saturday, April 5 at 8 a.m.

The race begins outside Cohn Adult Learning Center, also home to the Nashville Adult Literacy Council, an organization that will be one of the beneficiaries of Team Hammock's Country Music 1/2 marathon's fundraising. The race makes its way through Sylvan Park and onto the Richland Creek greenway. Hammock's own Lena Basha serves as a board member for NALC. The Richland Creek Run is a great tune-up for the 1/2 marathon. And, as someone who observes these things, I think they have the best t-shirt of any race around.

Good luck in your training.