Getting back to fitness after an illness.

Everyone who knows me well, knows how frustrated I can get when I'm unable to train for more than 2 days. So wherever I go, I take kit with me and always carry a couple pairs of running shoes in the boot of my car. So when it comes to enforced rest due to illness, I'm more than a little fractious and biting at the bit to get training / running again asap.

To cut a very long story short I picked up a stomach bug on the 24th September which knocked me back and forced me to stop all training with immediate effect. Problem was, I had the Mablethorpe Half Marathon on the 3rd October, but surely I would be fine by then? Even so, I'd run so many halfs and got lots of experience, so I could just get round gently on the day.

Whilst I'd had a very bad stomach the day before, I did pick up some medication and felt great on the morning of the race. Miles 1 & 2 were fast for me, but felt good. By miles 3 & 4 I'd settled into 'race pace' and my watch showed 8:15 min miles and put me on target for a personal best time. 

By mile 6 I called at the water station in agony with stomach cramps and the paramedics were trying to persuade me to get a lift back to the end. I'd never pulled out of a race ever, so it was possibly pride which prevented me from doing so now.  I did finish the remain 7 miles but had to walk / jog as cramps were now very intense, and it was my slowest ever half marathon time, and I was being overtaken by 'shuffling grannies' in the last 2 miles.

Pride had caught up with me and was to set me back another 7 days before I felt well enough to run again, and when I did, it was clear it was going to be a while before I was back to fitness fitness.

Moral of this story is simple: 

Ignore your body at your own peril. No matter how experience you 'think' you are, there's always another race on another day. Don't allow pride to dictate terms.

Since then I have been slowly coming back to fitness in readiness for my 'Guy Fawkes' 10 mile race on 31st October.

Friday 8th - Spinning 27k and some gym work

Saturday 9th - 10k slow run (very tough)

Sunday 10th - Swam 1 mile

Monday 11th - Ran 6 miles (better)

Tuesday 12th - Ran 5 miles followed by 30 mins gym

Wednesday 13th  - Ran 5 miles to pool (39.55) and swam 1 mile

Thursday 14th - Ran 5 miles slow with friend

Friday 15th - Swam 1 mile in 34 mins

Saturday 16th Ran 10 very hilly miles

Sunday 17th - Going away now for 6 days to the coast, and will train / run 4 of those days.

I have learned my lesson.

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