Training? What training?

One month ago I set out my training schedule, got through ONE week of it and was hit hard by the flu. Exactly one day after Thanksgiving, KAPOW!

"OK, that's fine, I'll get over it in a few days and continue my training schedule - noooo problemo! I'm tough. Yah! That's right! I. Am. One. Tough. Cookie!" I willed myself to get better. The plan was to just ramp up the scheduled runs - run harder and run farther. Noooo problem!!! I love running!

Last week when it appeared that I was NOT getting better, I emailed the people at the Fall Classic and asked to be dropped down from the Half-Marathon distance to the 10km run, soooo optimistic that I would better by now.

It's now November 11, and I've completed two 3km distances on a treadmill at the gym and one 6km outdoor run today. Hmmmmm....

The problem is that I have mild asthma but the flu kind of complicated things and took the "mild" part out. The flu and asthma has really set me back with my running and exercise. It's especially bad at night... I get coughing fits where my head wants to explode, my eyeballs want to jump out, I can't breathe, just wheeze...

Running is my meditation – my zen and combined with workouts at the gym it has also been a part of my pain relief regimen. OK, I really gotta say it now, I AM IN SO MUCH PAIN!!!! I've had chronic neck/shoulder pain for a little over 10 years now. All on the left side and it's so bad now it's affecting my arm and my wrist. This whole breathing thing, being sick, not running and now the pain(!) really makes me a CRANKY ol' lady. But really I'm not that old... but boy I'm no spring chicken either.

Can I whine anymore? Yah, I can. It was nice to get out for a run this morning. The weather was perfect, partly sunny and 4°C but felt more like 8. But my breathing was like trying to breathe through a straw. And stupid me forgot to bring my inhaler! I was so excited and focused on getting out the door to get my run in I left my blue inhaler on the kitchen counter.