To run or not to run?

As a runner, this is the question I dread having to ask myself.  During DWD, I tweaked my right hip flexor.  I stayed off it a couple days, saw Dr. W, and he agreed it was a slight strain.  At that point, I wasn't having any pain while I ran on it, so he told me to go ahead and do very slow miles. 

So I did, and was doing great.  Last Tuesday, though, I ran a little faster.  I averaged in the low 7s for a 6 miler.  It wasn't hard, and it didn't feel fast.  It felt....steady.  Apparently, my hip flexor didn't like it.  As soon as I stopped, it began to hurt.  It didn't hurt at all whilst I ran...but after.  I hobbled a bit to get Amelia at the bus stop, but by bedtime it had gone away again.  I had Tim massage it and also put it under Therbo.

Next morning, I ran 5 miles with Emily.  Zero pain until the last mile (and we went very slowly), when I began to feel a pulling sensation there.  It was again sore afterward, but cleared up by the time it was time for my second run of the day.  That run was supposed to be 5 miles, but I decided to cut it to 3 instead.  My hip flexor hurt (at a low level) during that entire run.

I haven't run since Thursday, as yesterday was a scheduled rest day.  Tim and I decided...actually, Tim TOLD ME that I just had to take it day by day.  If it felt better today, I should try a short run on it.  Well, it feels a bit better, but I'm still feeling it when I walk and when raising my extended leg upward.  I am not sure what to do.

My head says:  "Rest."  My heart says:  "You can run through that."  And I know I can, but should I?  Here's my issue.  I tend to use a 20 week schedule for marathon training.  A lot of people use an 18 week one.  My schedule began this past week.  So--for you experienced marathoners--if I rest the rest of this week and build slowly back up sometime next week...will that have any major effect on Chicago training?

And I ask that knowing full well that a surgery is likely going to totally disrupt my training.  But until I know that, I'm going on as normal.  So....what do I do?  Rest until next week?  Test it out today, keep running on it?  I'm too much like my dad to make this decision on my own.  So....help.