Sunday: 10 miles @ 8:51 -- 1:28:30.8 (plus 25 minutes of "homework)
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Friday was a rest day. It was also Passover. We invited our best friends over and had a half assed Seder. We played with plague finger puppets, ate horse radish, and watched Game of Thrones. That show just gets better and better.
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Saturday: One of my neighbors was mowing his lawn at 8am, so I was up early. FUN! I puttered around as long as I could justify. The longer I waited the more I wanted to do yet another tempo run on the treadmill. But, I won't be running my half on a treadmill, so I need to be used to pushing myself at my desired pace.
One of the things holding me back was the feeling of something settling in to my lungs. Two weeks ago I was sick for almost a full week. It felt like I was getting sick again.
But, I wasn't bedridden, so out I went.
1 9:19.0 (warm up)
2 7:49.0
3 7:45.0
4 7:56.3
5 7:49.1
6 7:41.6
Total Time: 48:19.9
My "goal pace" is 7:51 - 8:00. While my average pace (minus the warm up) was still below my pace time, mile 4 depresses me. Sure, I have plenty of excuses. The wind was in the face. But, the wind was in my face for mile 5 as well. And yes, I was tired, and it was hard to breathe, but that didn't get better for miles 5 and 6. I just tried harder.
Mile 4 was the point where I repeatedly considered stopping my Garmin, sitting down, and crying. It was hard to breathe. I was not going as felt as I felt I was going. My lungs hurt. Everything was so difficult. I told myself a lot of lies during that mile. And a lot of possible truths. I seriously considered quitting early.
But, training for a race isn't just physical. And, I wasn't injured. I wasn't on my death bed. Things were just *hard.* So I started playing the "you have x miles to go. ANYONE can run x miles." and "The faster you go the sooner you'll be done." My breathing was mildly scary as I soldiered through.
But, I did it. It was awful. It felt like one of the worst runs I've had. But, I did it. I did it all. I didn't die. I didn't cry. I didn't quit. I didn't crap out (too much). I feel like I should be proud of that, but it also feels stupid to be proud of not pussing out. I don't know.
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Sunday. Was rough. I was sore. I was tired. I was still feeling sick. I canceled morning plans so I could attempt to sleep in. I made it to 8:15am. Lame. It was still 9 hours of sleep, but I could have done with me.
Marla and Andrew hosted an Easter brunch, so I dragged myself out, ate some bacon and fruit, made a comment about prison rape and beaver pie, and dragged myself home. A few hours on the couch and I was starting to feel like I could probably do my run. 10 miles seemed like a way to go, though, so I hatched a plan with my husband, and headed out the door.
Three miles later, I met up with my husband at the dog park.
Hello doggies.
While he played at the park, I knocked out four miles, then met him back at the park.
Then I ran the three minutes home.
Ten miles, done and done. The last few miles burned my lungs a bit, but overall they were so, so, SO much easier than Saturday. Not just because it was slower. I felt so much better the whole time. Sick lungs versus slightly less sick lungs, I guess.
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Weekly workout time total:
Running: 4:24
Non-running: 4:05
Total: 8:29
Not too shabby.
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Was it smart to do a hard run and a long run while sick? I don't know. I felt worse after the hard run and better after the long run. Obviously I wasn't on death's door or I wouldn't have done either. I'm stubborn, but I'm not stupid. I just didn't feel well. I wasn't coughing my lungs up. I wasn't having intestinal issues. I just didn't feel well, but I ran anyway. I guess I would have quit if it was too much. I don't know how much worse that would have had to be. I was still able to keep the pace I wanted, so I guess it couldn't have been too bad. I've been sicker.
I've heard you should cut out the running if the sickness is in your lungs. Clearly I didn't do that. It didn't ruin my life.
Anyone have any authoritative knowledge on this?
I don't have any authoritative knowledge on running when sick nor even any amateur knowledge. Sometimes I run when I am sick and sometimes I don't. It just depends on my level stubbornness for the day!
ReplyDeleteI hope you are feeling better!
No authoritative knowledge, however I do think that you are more hard-core than the average person. So when you think you should go running, most people wouldn't :)
ReplyDeleteGame of Thrones is the best. The Dragon Girl is my favorite. I can't spell her name. Daernys or something like that.
ReplyDeleteYou are badass, especially for running while sick and tired...
ReplyDeleteGame Of Thrones is the best. BEST. best....
Feel better. Eat more bacon, it helps.
I run unless I'm coughing so hard that I vom- maybe I'm not the best person to listen to?
Well I'm an authority! Just kidding but we always suggest the above the head rule. You said it hurt and your lungs were burning and you wanted to cry. All of these don't sound like a good training plan, unless we're talking 'no pain, no gain'.......... Get well....
ReplyDeleteNot bad at all. I sometimes have one odd mile where the pace is bad compared to others, but it's the average pace that matters in the end.
ReplyDeleteYou can run when you are sick. The general rule is that if it's above the neck, you're good to go. If it's in the chest, you're supposed to rest. (<--- roflcopter) That doesn't mean it'll be easy, but that's largely up to how you handle being sick. I usually feel mopey, lethargic, and blah when I have a cold. You look pretty good, though.
Now on to important things... How the hell does your hair stay up in a bun???? Mine will only stay up if my hair is short.
You are lookin' GOOD. That shot of your back with the pink top is all muscly. I like it.
ReplyDeleteWhat the hell was that?
I like a post that has a Passover sedar and bacon eating in it.
ReplyDeleteWhen I got a lung infection after running 50 miles, the ER doc told me that running won't make it worse, but it will prolong my recovery. Basically, it takes a while to get full lung capacity back (like 2 weeks) and that's with full rest. If you run, then it takes longer. Whatever, you recover eventually. That was my philosophy.
No FOR REAL knowledge, but when I have something stupid, like a lame-o cold, I usually feel better doing a run. It clears up the funk in my head, or something. Then I go right back to feeling shitty.
ReplyDeleteAnd, sometimes, a run is just a shit-fest. It just is. Oh well.
I love that red top. LOVE.
You look so cute in your running skirt! I hope this doesn't offend you (I swear it's a compliment!), but it's very cutesy tennis player. Just makes it that much more badass that you wore it to run 10 speedy miles though, right?
ReplyDeleteNo advice beside what I have heard before about above the neck is fine anything in the chest should clear before running.
ReplyDeleteLove the running skirt, suits you nicely.
No knowledge from me. I've lifted while pretty sick and taken time off while sick and it doesn't seem to make a difference for me either way. My workouts are generally shitty though so usually I just stay home.
ReplyDeleteThat is one cute locust.
I have zero authority but I do know that we as runners are the sickest type of individuals that ask things like "why couldn't I run my best when I had a 101 degree fever?" I was on a heavy round of antibiotics before my first half marathon. Running a 101 degree fever two days before the race. I set a 5K PR within the first 3 miles of that half. I almost literally called an ambulance by mile 10. I couldn't figure out why I couldn't have felt so great. Running is like drugs for the brain.
ReplyDeleteYou're so BUFF...I kind of hate you a little.
ReplyDeleteLawnmowers at 8 am on a weekend -- I'd murder somebody!
Thanks for making me feel good and excited about 5 lousy miles! :)
Can I have your arms? Like the duplicate set? Holy crap woman.
ReplyDeleteGame of Thrones.....so it is THAT good? I've been holding out on the pita....well in WATCHING it.
Holy shit. You're getting so freaking fast.
ReplyDeleteI usually won't run when I'm feeling sick. But I'm a big freaking baby and just spent three days sleeping because of allergies.
Your warm up pace is faster than my 5K race pace. You're a machine!
ReplyDeleteI like how you broke up the 10 miles. If I had a man friend that would walk my dog for me and play with her, I'd totally try to do something like that. But then my town is so small that to get in those kind of miles I pretty much either run the same circle over and over and over or I run to the next town south and back home. Blah, who cares.
I've heard that same thing - that if you are sick in the head (ha!) you can run, but if it goes south you aren't supposed to. But then I don't know who "they" are that say this, it's just what I hear sometimes.
Have you read Game of Thrones? My husband wants me to read it .
ReplyDeleteI think you are sick that you ran when you are sick. But I'm a pansy, so what do I know?