Atrophy?

Well, from the brink of death, to the top of the cough-filled mountain, I have experienced the depths of Strep Throat. Once I was starting to feel like a human being again, I couldn't shake the residual coughing from the birthday surprise strep throat (which I still have, I sound like I've been smoking for 80 years). And from that coughing came a bruised rib on my right side. When you haven't run for over a week and you have just over a month before a marathon that you're already feeling shaky about running....having a bruised rib doesn't exactly instill confidence in hitting that road again. Needless to say...I. Freaked. Out. Thursday I thought I was ready to get back on the road...slowly and easy, but I couldn't stop coughing and my rib was KILLING me. So then the guilt set in and all I could do was think about how far behind this sickness fiasco has set me back. I'm leaving for San Francisco on Thursday (!!!!!) and had originally budgeted my runs so I could skip the long run that week, and get by with 3 runs during my vacation...but now that I took 8 days off, I don't think I can afford to cut any more corners. Again, I may just be being dramatic (say-whaa), but as I said before, I've spent so much time over the past few months training, I'd hate for any of it to be wasted.

With that being said, let's see how I did when I got back on the road:

Friday, 7pm, 3 miles
It is SO nice having the sun out until 8:30. I don't have to rush to go on my run after work in order to catch the light. And I've completely acclimated myself to running during the day again (I can never go back into the dark running!!! Well, at least until next year when there's no choice..of course). Well, I was actually EXCITED to run. It had been over a week, and wanted to see how much atrophy my muscles had suffered (see....dramatic). I was also NERVOUS to run because of my bruised rib, I didn't want to aggravate it and set back my training even further. Well regardless of how I was feeling, I hit the road, knowing I was going to run 3 miles. I started out on my normal route, with the 1/3 mile uphill. Yikes. It. Was. HARD.

When I got to the top of the hill I had to stop, cough my brains out, snot rocket about 60000 times, and then walk for a good 3 minutes until I could catch my breath. This was not encouraging. I started running again, and kept telling myself "c'mon, this is only 3 miles. You ran 15 miles 2 weeks ago, this is nothing" and that kept me going until 1.5miles, when I had to stop/cough/walk/snot rocket again. I made it back home, completing the 3 miles, and having to walk 3 times. WALK 3 TIMES FOR 3 MILES?! I was not encouraged.

Saturday, 2pm, 5 miles
When I knew I could run on Friday (as in it didn't hurt my rib...well, only when I had to take my cough breaks) I set the goal of 3miles, 5miles, 8miles for the weekend. So I started my Saturday knowing that I was going to run 5 miles. I figured I was just warming up yesterday, so this 5 miles would be no biggie, and I'd be back on track! Well this 5 mile run was about the same thing as the 3mile run, just with an added 2 miles. I walked about 4 times (for multiple minutes each time), and thought I was going to have a hernia from coughing. Again, not encouraged.

Sunday, 3pm, 8 miles
BOOYA I'm back. I was TERRIFIED of this run after my 2...less-than-successful previous runs, but I knew I had to push myself to do at least 8 miles. I got to the top of the hill in the beginning (where I had to walk IMMEDIATELY) and I flew right past it. I was feeling good (OH also, I should mention I broke out my running belt. This makes it time #2 of wearing it, and I'll be a son-of-a-bitch but I love that thing! I feel kind of stupid wearing it, but it makes things SO convenient and easy).

Around 3 mile mark I wasn't getting cocky, since I was still nervous from my past 2 runs. I was taking it easy, but my body kept going faster. I realized I was almost at the halfway point, and I was feeling good...GREAT even. I popped a goo block (orange flavored...and that statement sounds kind of obscene), and kept making my way through the 8 mile run. When I reached mile 5 I was flying. I was SO happy I was feeling good I knew I could push it until the end, which I did. I also accidentally snot rocketed all over my face. Like...ALL over it. And I didn't want to soil my awesome running gloves, so I took them off EXPOSING MY OWN FLESH to wipe myself off myself. It was really gross, and I think it got in my eye (and by think I mean I'm positive it got in my eye, and possibly my hair).

I'm back (I think) but I wonder if I should have pushed myself further, and hit the 16 mile mark I should have last weekend (and this weekend too...that's 2 long runs I've missed). I thought I might try it for today (monday) but as I was driving home from work at 5:30, I realized that's a 3 hr(ish) commitment, and I didn't want to run from 6pm-9pm tonight (I know, call me crazy). So I figured I'd do the same thing as yesterday, 8 miles. It's enough distance where it's substantial, but still considered a "short" run (wow, never thought I'd be at a point where 8 miles is a short run...go team?).

Well I strapped on my running belt and about 7 minutes into my run I had to stop and hobble back home because my left Achilles was KILLING me. This has been happening to me on and off over the past few weeks, but usually I can just run through it and it stops hurting. It's almost like a tendon or nerve gets off track, and if I keep moving it eventually gets back in the right spot and stops hurting. Well it was not the case during my 7 minute run. I came home and iced it immediately.

I'm not too discouraged (believe it or not) by this. I'm just taking this as a sign that I had 8 days off, pushed myself 3 days in a row, and I shouldn't push too hard...you know, on account of all the atrophy to my muscles.

Also, while starting to pack for SF (I know, I'm packing DAYS in advance) I was watching The Critic episode where Jay runs the NY Marathon. It. Was. Awesome. (I love that show)