Sunday, February 21, 2010

Sick!

In this ghastly photo of me - never let it be said I'm not honest with you all - you can just see what I should have known was a harbinger of doom. See that large spot above my eyebrow? It's not a fleck on your screen, it's a boil on my forehead. I get few spots ever but when they come, oh boy. They're bad. I could feel this stinker brewing on Friday morning and was wondering why it was there and what it had come to tell me. At about 10pm last night I found out, as I sat shivering on the sofa (we had guests) and could just feel flu descend like a blanket over my head. By this morning I realised I had it. Flu. I performed the bare minimum of my maternal tasks - made pancakes, cleaned up, put on laundry, ironed, lost my temper with 2 fighting children - before retreating to my bed where I have been tucked up ever since. No 10 miler with speedwork. And much more sadly - no Mika concert tonight. But sometimes you just know there is no way. And this is one of those occasions. I am not going anywhere.

So.. training! Well - I am not too worried. I have actually lost track of how many weeks I have been training and I have just used my last silver bullet week over my children's half-term holiday (damn!) but given the length of my training program (20 weeks) I think I can afford to skip a few days and jump back in when I feel better again.

After last Sunday's exertions I took Monday and Tuesday off from running, and did a very slow 5 miler on Wednesday morning round Highbury Fields in London where I was, by now, staying with my bestie, Dawn. Thursday morning I got up nice and early and ran a glorious 10 miler, running down to the Smithfield meat market and then along the Embankment and across Westminster bridge, and back across the Wobbly bridge and through the West End. Friday was another washout - spent all day in the car, taking the kids first to the Roald Dahl museum and then back home through roadworks and rush hour traffic. So yesterday morning I woke up determined to set things straight. The schedule called for a 14M long run this weekend, but as I had missed an 8 miler, I decided to turn my run into an 18 miler. Hardcore no? It went okay - AutoPause was on so I didn't record the time stretching between miles and the various pitstops I made -but all in all I still managed an sub 9 minute mile for the run. I was intending to do an 8 miler with speedwork this morning but well .. that didn't happen. So it goes.

I hope this post finds you all better than I am. Happy running!

13 comments:

jeanne said...

feel better sweet pie! you look pretty damn good for sick, very sultry, come hither.

i can't wait to see you in a few weeks!

Unknown said...

You are one healthy minded girl. I love it that you're not worrying obsessively about missing a couple days of training. Take care of yourself and thanks for your constant, honest and secure portrayal of yourself, your illnesses, set backs and life! You are refreshing and your boil is very...photogenic.

Marathon Maritza said...

Sorry to hear you're under the weather, friend! Hang in there and take the time you need to recuperate. We both know you have been training well and a few days won't make a big difference.

Sending get-healthy vibes and love!!!

Susan said...

Dang, you ARE hard core!!!

jen said...

You poor thing! Feel better soon dear. Don't worry a bit about missing any training and just focus on getting well. HUGS!!!

jen said...

You poor thing! Feel better soon dear. Don't worry a bit about missing any training and just focus on getting well. HUGS!!!

ShirleyPerly said...

Sorry to hear about the flu!

But absolutely, the best thing to do is exactly what you did. Take the time to get well again. You'll be back to full training in no time, no worries.

Aron said...

feel better!!!! good job letting your beady get better and taking a few days off - you are smart!

Anonymous said...

Feel better soon! It's ok to take time off when you're not feeling well, you'll come back strong :)

Runner Susan said...

wow, you are faster than fast even when you are sick! I hope you are feeling better soon. I hear a Cabernet calling your name - an excellent cough syrup if needed.

Irish Blue said...

Glad you are feeling better (according to your email). Even bad, you look so darn cute! You know we love the good, the bad, and the flu infected you no matter what!

MarathonChris said...

Wow an amazing amount of maternal duties inspite of the illness.

Hope you feel better soon!

lizzie lee said...

The bare minimum of your maternal task? feeling that sick??? I conclude I was not such a great mother, then!!! I would've been in bed... and laundry and ironing???? I think that's worse than an 18 miler.... Congrats on that sub-9min/mile... AMAZING speed... GO Petra in Boston!!!