Sunday Nightmare W7R3 ..... where do I go from here?

[BettyTwinkle]

I did W7R1 & 2; 2 was more difficult as I had some sort of chill and felt I was filling up with phlegm at one point (TMI I know) anyway, run completed. Jubilee pageant day dawned, got up at 5.30am and ran over Battersea Bridge, up and over Albert Bridge, coughing badly and nose running, still onwards and over past the police guarding 'The Spirit of Chartwell' managed to get past them and had to break into a walk. Just couldn't push myself on, chest was raging. Got my breath back and walked for about 5 mins, and got up to Chelsea Bridge. Mental thought now, I had to run the second half of this as I had already walked past the people camped out along the embankment once and now I had to do at least the last 12.5 mins back at a run.

Managed about 10 mins and just couldn't do any more. Felt very hot and sweaty and pretty down with myself. Even what I thought would be the mental push of having to get past the people on the embankment didn't work.

The rest of the day was so busy, and at the end of it I was exhausted and I haven't run again since. Thought that I would give myself a couple of days off, cough is alot better but not 100% gone.

Where do I go from now? Any help would be appreciated, do you think it might be better to go back to W6? I plan to go for a run on Sat morning, I know that I have to get my mojo back!! I have lost confidence rather as I don't want to go out and not achieve the session on my next outing, hence my reluctance to go back to W7R1.

Any advice would be welcome, has anybody else got stuck here?

Thanks so much .....

[RhonaL]

It sounds as if you were running with a fever and may have had a viral infection. I have read the advice that if your symptoms are below your neck don't run. I don't think you need to back track at all. Just give yourself enough time to recover properly, then run again. You'll be fine.

[Greg_M Graduate]

I should pick up where you left off. I am sure its nothing, don't read too much into it.

That sounds like a nice running circuit you have there.

[BettyTwinkle Graduate in reply to Greg_M]

Yes it is, I was heading for Battersea Park but it was closed because of the pageant, hence having to pass the campers! Twice!!

[hollyO Graduate]

If I was you I would move on to W8.

Your blip over the weekend may have been because psychologically it was a big day, and you knew you were going to have to run past lots of people and maybe even sped up (apparently this is a well known runner's trait, speeding up subconsciously)! You just ran out of oomph and had a cough.

I did W7R3 the other day and managed to run 30 mins (running the warmdown walk) only because I had a really bad start and tried to make up for it at the end. Just do what feels ok to you. I run very slowly, more of a shuffle really but it works for me!

I really admire you for running in public! I run early so as not to frighten anyone!

Good luck and hope this helps. We should graduate at roughly the same time!

[BettyTwinkle Graduate in reply to hollyO]

Thanks Holly, I usually go around 6.00am as it's so quiet. Couldn't have picked a better day heh! I was determined not to be put off my run day because of what was happening on the river, and it was wonderful seeing all the set up happening even though it was blowing hard and raining then, the whole river clothed in mist.

I don't want to backtrack, so will go for W8 on Sat.