When you work in and around education, it’s bound to happen. MrU came home from school saying “I think I’ve got a bug” on Wednesday. He’s never ill. There was so much sneezing and general grottiness that the Covid tests came out. Glowing positive T line before the control even came up. I’d been feeling a bit sub par all week…runs feeling unexpectedly exhausting, watch warning me I was stressed when I wasn’t, HRV right down etc. I was surprised not to test positive but I thought maybe I’d had a mild course and given it to MrU. Then came the tidal wave of proper symptoms and two lines for me so I think there’s no doubt about who patient zero was in the MissU household…
Anyway, that’s a long backswing to the short story of “I feel rubbish and I’m not running”. I’m feeling pretty sorry for myself and fighting off the gremlins screaming that I’m OFF TRACK for the event I’ve got scheduled in October. I know this is ridiculous. I started the training plan early expecting this to happen. I’m a bit nervous about when I’m going to be able to train properly again, even though I know it’ll be counterproductive to push too early. I’m grumpy that this has come just as I was really flying along with the runs and making great progress. There’s nothing to be done about it but I’m pretty fed up and can’t even go for a grumpy run to fix the mood! It feels like there’ll be a mountain to climb to get back to where I was.
Enough of the self indulgent whinging. I am reminding myself that this has happened with every training programme I’ve done and I’ve always been fine before. I’ve been out for a couple of short walks where the focus has been on taking it slow and enjoying nature rather than how rubbish I’m feeling. I might not be able to get out and run in the mountains right now but I’ve had some fun with sketching again. YouTube is great for distraction.
I’m sure I wasn’t as dramatic as this before starting running. When you’re on track, a setback feels like the worst thing in the world but in the grand scheme of things, I know it isn’t. It’s nice to have a good old moan amongst people who get it though!
Hope you are all staying germ free! MissU x
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MissUnderstanding
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Oh MissUnderstanding I feel your pain there is a lot of Covid about at the moment, I know so many people who have had it lately including my boss so I’m surprised I didn’t succumb too- just a rotten head cold for me.
I was also feeling pretty annoyed that my 60mins/ 10k plan went off track when my Achilles started playing up after I’d ran a 6k for the first time ever. I few tentative runs and the niggle was back so I rested again. I’ve been back out a couple of times this week and so far so good but I’m nowhere back on the plan yet. However, I’m trying to be positive and glad that I’m actually back out albeit on a reduced timetable as it were!
Oldfloss posted a link to some marvellous calf stretches which I have been doing alongside my other stretches so hopefully it’s all strengthening and flexing me back to the plan! I actually think the Achilles may have been caused by the tight calf but who knows 🤷🏼♀️ if it recurs I will see a sports physio and see what they say.
I have consciously been trying to slow down even more as I do my recovery runs which isn’t always easy with Ebony in tow but listening to something other than my running playlist definitely helps- clearly I run to the beat because my pace was much slower when I was listening to a podcast!
I was feeling pretty low that I wasn’t going to achieve my goal by the end of the summer as I had planned l, but Coach B reminded me that goals will need to change all the time at least in the short term, because we change all the time, we might be ill, run down, tired or equally, we’ll up for it and raring to go. That made me feel a lot better actually and gives me permission to keep doing what I’m doing for now and not rushing back into the plan and feeling that I have to do the incremental next steps all the time - even though I know we can do it at whatever pace we want with as many repeats as we want- silly isn’t it?
Gosh sorry for the rambling reply, I hope you feel better soon and back up in those mountains - is that one of your sketches ? You are very good! 😊
Thank you and absolutely need to apologise for rambling-we all love a ramble, and it’s not as if I’m in a rush to get out anywhere!!
Really appreciate such a lovely reply. That’s cheered me up as I’m sitting surrounded by tissues. You’ve had a rotten time with injury and it sounds like you’re being very sensible in your comeback. Coach B knows exactly what to say, doesn’t he! Thanks for the reminder about goals being flexible-that’s just what I needed to hear!
Really good much to you. Yes, it is a sketch of mine-if I can’t get out in the scenery, maybe I can enjoy some on paper! Oldfloss has suggested visiting the rainforest next so who knows what plants or animals might appear (not necessarily very true to life!!) in my living room later!
ohhh..sorry to hear you’re on the Covid train MissUnderstanding ..but, knowing you, you will get back on track at the right time and will be 100% raring to go when you’re fit and well..just like my driving lessons, we have a goal at the beginning but somewhere during that lesson we just have to change the plan a bit to get there..and that’s ok xx
There is a lot of covid around. I've lost track of how many people I know that have got it in the last month alone! MrBFE had covid a few weeks back but somehow I got away with it after feeling a bit out of sorts for a day or so. Hopefully you'll make it over the summit of mount covid soon 🤗 Take it easy and look after yourself xx PS love the sketch! 😍
Oh dear, I can relate to all that and you have my full sympathy. Mines not COVID but I haven't run for ages, spent a night in hospital and have a bunch of really fun tests to get through. Rest, read, try not to be too grumpy... .and hopefully you'll be able to start building up again soon xx
Oh no! Sorry to hear you’ve been unwell. Really hope the tests are helpful and you’re on the road to recovery soon. Sending good wishes your way! ❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹
Sorry to hear this SueAppleRun , you've had way more than your fair share of different issues to cope with. Bon courage ! for the tests and get well soon xxx
Sorry you have been caught by Covid MissUnderstanding . Here’s hoping that it doesn’t keep you out for long - it’s a funny beast though, isn’t it? We have had a few people off with it at school recently too, so I think it is doing its rounds again. Funnily enough, I felt really tired after my long run last weekend and wondered if I had picked it up too. Luckily, my next run felt much better.🤞
Hopefully you’ll be back on your training plan soon.🙂🏃♀️
Thank you! And. you’re right. It’s such a weird bug. MrU bounced back in a couple of days and I’ve been totally floored by it. Hopefully it won’t hang around for too long!
I hope you stay Covid free. There seem to be many reasons to be tired at the moment…heat, hay fever, end of term… Glad your last run was a good one!
Receipts....Receipts I say to you MissUnderstanding all the runs you complete you've got a receipt for. Good ones, dodgy ones, fast ones, slow ones, mad ones, melancholy ones...you've got all the receipts.
Now you're here, you can take some time to check those receipts, look back to plan forward. It'll remind you so much...what you've achieved and what you've gone through to get here. You can definitely adapt from here to see what's ahead and what things may look like. I absolutely and totally get the Marathon off track feeling but in reality you aren't. A drop back week or weeks is a good thing (albeit forced upon) but we both have plenty of time for our October exploits and between now and then you'll have so very many more receipts. Each one will be imprinted and each one will be your bank of experience.
Get well soon but fear not. You've got this, I've got you and we've got you. When you feel ready there's no need to worry you're not where you should be or things don't feel right; things will all come together and you'll look back at this break as a way to plan the ascent of your beautiful mountain.
This is such a great post GTFC (as always!). You’re spot on-I’ve somehow forgotten that I’ve been really consistent for months and a week or two of enforced rest is nothing. I love the receipts analogy. I’m nicking that one! Thanks so much for the cheer up! ❤️❤️❤️
Oh my goodness! What a palaver this all is and you have had your fair share of it!!
No wonder you feel like there is a mountain ahead of you and that gremlins are throwing boulders down on you!
Well... they do not know who they are aiming at do they?
You have been here before and you have come back before...all you need to do is rest and recover... and you will be over that mountain, and completing that HM in style.
So... carry on with that sketching and the mountain will see, smaller with every day that passes
HUGE HUG...and a kick in the pants for those pesky gremlins... they won't know what has hit them!
Thank you so much for the encouragement! The bug is still hanging around but thankfully with the help of everyone here, the gremlins are on their way out of here! ❤️
Oh boy doI get this post.Hang in there Miss U. On thee other side of the mountain (and you will be soon, though not anywhere near soon enough for your liking) you will look back and see this as the mere blip that it is. In the meantime you are orced to work on your mental fortitude and adaptability - essential skills for a marathoner. You are also resting your legs, something that is very hard to find the patience to do, but nonetheless something that pays great physical dividends : fresh legs are marathon training ready legs!
Hang in there for this too shall pass and that medal will be yours.
Thank you! It’s my favourite thing about the site. People here just understand! I’ve seen you’ve had a few things to deal with too-really hope you’re on the mend. Sending masses of good wishes your way! ❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹
You’re absolutely right-hopefully the legs will be fresh as a daisy when I’m back!
Love the sketch, though am slightly concerned about the runnability of some of those mountains. Maybe the path winds round between them and conquering the peaks isn't an obligation?
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