Training: am I overtraining, running into a wall and what is my goal?

Dear James, Daniel and Emily

I'll start with the first answer: my goal is continued health and fitness, that more than anything is why I run. Yes, I want to enter more races, and do well in them. And yes, I have an inner competition to see just how far I can run and overall how much I can push myself. But in the end running has become something I enjoy doing for it's own sake, not necessarily needing a goal to keep doing it. I would like to think it has become a part of my life that I won't stop.

Here's the problem. I am starting to get more aches and pains as a result of the running. Not when I run, usually any problem I encounter while I run is temporary or goes away pretty much when I slow down. But, even with daily stretching I am starting to encounter some pains that just don't ever really go away. I have spoken to at least 1 long time runner and gotten some advice. And I am going to break down and set up an appointment with my doctor about one of the pains that is most troublesome.

The thing is that I am afraid to stop running for any length of time at this point. And given my current life and schedule running is really the most convenient form of exercise I have available. And who is to say that switching to a different pursuit might not hit a similar wall? These are all rhetorical questions, I don't expect answers, but feel free to respond if you have any bright ideas or comments.