Flu. Running. Upcoming races.
Runners are a different breed of people all-together. I realize that many non-runners look at runners like we are crazy! We run at strange hours. We run and push ourselves to crazy mileage. In the rain, snow and even ice. I get it. Sometimes, I know personally, I haven’t used my best logic when training. For instance, when we were training for our first marathon, I had a surgery 4 weeks prior and then one week after the race. My doctors thought I was crazy and maybe I was or it was just dedication (and there is a very fine line there). Training for my second marathon, I ran through tearing my medial quad on a 15 mile training run not stopping till I was done. My doctor flat out called me stupid. Ha! He is also a runner, which was the only reason I permitted this comment to flow from his lips.
So I have a half marathon scheduled for this Sunday and a ten miler scheduled for next Sunday. My running expert friends have advised me with great passion to select which race I was going to “run”. Meaning which I would run harder and the other had to be at a slower, nicer pace to avoid overtaxing my legs and potentially causing injury. I took this advice to heart. I normally never do back-to-back races so this was something I was open to advice on. I just didn’t know which race I wanted to focus my efforts on. Honestly, I don’t know how a race is going to go until I’m running it. I don’t go in with a hard core time (just an estimate). I always give it a 100% but truthfully a 100% today doesn’t look like 100% every other day. Your body changes by the fuel, environment, allergies, colds, sleep etc. Anything and everything impacts you and your run. I know that.
So Tuesday I was diagnosed with the flu and immediately put on Tamiflu. I stopped training. I started hydrating like crazy. Sleeping more. Doing everything in my power to just get to this half. Breathing treatments (I do love My Pure Mist) which helped tremendously. I’ve been good (and that’s been really hard for me). So today I went out for a very short 3 miler with my husband and my dog Sam. My husband runs to keep fit but trains harder on his bike than running. So I knew his pace would be good to temper pushing myself. We went out and I felt good. My lungs didn’t burn. My legs however felt like jello. Expected! So I’m going to do the half this weekend but just take it as a slow distance training run and then run (if I’m 100% healthy) my race next weekend harder. Still have two days left of the Tamiflu and I plan to rest up and hydrate/fuel. Will do a race recap if and when I survive Sunday. Ha ha.
Although not a sponsored by My Pure Mist I do highly recommend it for allergy suffers or when you’re sick. I used this 4-6 times of day and it has helped my cough pretty much go away. Fun night in reading a new magazine and breathing in some moist air to help my lungs.
Stay tuned…
Robin
oxo
— Knead to Cook
Good luck tomorrow and next week too! Wishing you strong legs and no sickness! 🙂 I have my first half tomorrow in Allentown and I’m nervous/excited! Love hearing about your training!
Teresa, Good luck to you!!! I’ll be praying for your success in a wonderful run. I’m a bit weary as my legs still feel tired and weak. I’ll have a race recap tomorrow. Hugs and best of luck! You’ll do great!