Lost the plot!

[Beek]

I am struggling with a heavy chesty cough which means I have been unable to get out regularly for about a month. I am beginning to worry that I will soon totally loose my fitness and want to know how to get back into the swing of the game again. I have been doing Stamina or Speed (to the best of my feeble ability) but find that there is no feel-good factor whatsoever. I am so exhausted that I have to go back to bed a short while after my run.

Should I stop going out and take a complete break? How will that affect my fitness levels? Feeling a bit stuck and just signed up to Jantastic.

[Hidden]

Being prone to chest colds I stop until either my peak flow increases again or I've finished the steroids and/or antibiotics, then I do my first couple of runs at 1/2 the previous distance and increase as tolerated, generally takes 2-3 weeks to get past 2 weeks off

[flossieflyblow Graduate]

Beek, don't get too down. I haven't run for weeks now and have just managed (a very slow) 30 minutes. I went back to Laura at week 9 and she saw me through! Get yourself better before running as you don't want to make yourself worse.

[AnnieF Graduate]

I can't believe how many nasty, chesty coughs there were about through what seemed like the whole of 2013. I had two bouts needing antibiotics which I haven't taken for about 20 years and I spent a lot of the year feeling miserable and hating not being able to exercise and thinking all my fitness was just disappearing. I am finally on the mend and I've come to the conclusion that resting really does help and although I am a lot slower than at the beginning of last year, I am running and feeling ok. So don't stress, give yourself time to get better. I think a bit of gentle stretching is good too if you feel like it.

[waletta Graduate]

I think that not looking after yourself will put you further back than taking a break whilst you get better. Hope you feel better soon. I never thought I'd get so irritated as I do when injury/ill health stops me getting out there. Hang on in there Beek.