More random things running has taught me

Yesterday I did one freaking hard workout.  It was a threshold workout that consisted of three 2-mile repeats at at 8:43 pace, with a roughly 3-mile warm-up and a 1.5 mile cool down--roughly 10.5 total miles. 

While that workout is hard enough in and of itself, I made it harder by doing it outside on all the hilly hills around my house instead of on the treadmill.  This decision was made because temps were again in the mid-60s, and you just can't waste a summer morning like that by staying inside and staring at a blue wall whilst slogging away on the treadmill.

But as I was getting ready to go do the run, I didn't think I could do it.

The distance and the hills (not so much the pace--8:43 I can totally handle) and the amount of 2 mile repeats were all getting in my head and forming a big ball of doubt.  But I forced myself outside and you know what happened?  I totally crushed that workout.

I've been running for a little over 9 years now, and you'd think I wouldn't doubt myself before a run anymore--but nope.  But I also love proving to myself that I can do the things I think I can't do, which is the one thing that motivates me to get out and do a run that I am fearful of doing.  It's one of those things I've learned in my 9-ish years of running--that I can do more than I think I can.  It's also taught me some other things along the way as well, which shall now be enumerated in a bulleted list for your viewing pleasure:

• I'm not invincible.  Sometimes I get injured because I'm playing fast and loose with recovery days or run too many races without enough rest.  When injuries start to crop up, preventative maintenance is needed - such as ice baths accompanied by cats with WHOA faces.

• Getting enough rest is essential.  Sleep is essential for getting the most out of your runs and for recovering/getting stronger.  It is also essential for staying awake at work the entire time and not wanting a nap at 2 PM because you got up at 3 AM to get that run done.  
• You'll always feel better if you just shut-up and get that run done.  At least, that's what the master of naps says in our house.

Hyooman.  Go running so you GO AWAY

• Consistency is key.  I've said this in previous posts, and I'll say it again - if you want to be better at running, you have to run consistently and with the intent to get better.  That's true for running ot anything in life, really.
• It's a hill.  Get over it.  Yesterday's run was full of annoying little rolling hills.  But because I was running for a certain pace, I told myself to power through them (up them, really), get over the hill (literally and mentally) and get to the downhill part as fast as possible.  It wasn't always easy and I wanted to stop and cry several times (especially when I had to run 0.25 uphill *sob*), but I kept going because I knew my post-workout would be beating myself up mentally for stopping.  Plus, I'm training for Twin Cities, which is known for its hill back half--what better training could there be for it but an elevation profile that looks like this?

holy hills

• Running is always better with a buddy.  Even if that buddy is constantly trying to pull you sideways into a ditch while you're trying to run in a forward direction and slobbers on himself during the entire run.

So much slobber.

• Skinnier doesn't mean stronger.  I used to be 20 pounds lighter than I am now, as shown in the pic below after my 4th 5K ever about 9 years ago.  However, that girl couldn't run a marathon, grit her teeth through an ice bath, or even think about running all the crazy hills I do now.

And she definitely wouldn't have thought about running over 10-ish in just a sports bra and shorts before going to work on a Tuesday morning, like the girl below does on the regular.

Tomorrow's workout:  I still have one more thing to learn - how to get tomorrow's 17-mile long run in before the heat gets all crazy while still attending a 5K with my dog at 8 AM at a location 35 minutes away.  So, if anyone has any helpful suggestions about how to solve the word problem I just gave in the previous sentence, I would welcome them (other than "skip the run you psychopath").  Myself, I forsee a 4 AM start time in my future....so if you're in my area Saturday morning and you see a bobbing white light following by a green blinky one on a lone country road, it's just crazy little me running in the dark.  Nothing to see there.

Some of my new normals.

This round of weight loss and this training plan have me doing some stuff I've never done before or stuff I haven't done/experienced in a long time.  For example....


...12.5 mile treadmill runs before work so epic I have to lay down to take my post-workout selfie...

I'm not trying to be sexy.  I'm just trying to save energy by not standing.

Doing a 6 mile easy run after all those 10-12 mile morning runs and being shocked at how short it was because normally I'm all like SIX MILES OMG IT'S GOING TO TAKE FOREVER....

ZOMG only six miles?!?

Having dinosaurs quietly roaring away on my ankles as I run to nowhere in front of the big blue wall...

roar.

Having female cat approve of my roaring socks...

Hyooman. You may wear those socks.
Now keep the rubs coming.

Actually tracking my weight religiously and getting on the scale every. single. morning (except when I travel and don't have a scale) even when I don't want to get on because I fear an increase and seeing a nice downward trend...

Trend: DOWN

...and finally, putting on a pair of size six pants this morning and not having muffin tops spill over the top and being able to breathe while sitting all day long.

Large dog is unimpressed and is wondering when he'll
get that treat he was promised earlier.

These things are my new normal, if you could call it that.  I hope they become a permanent normal (except for those 12 mile pre-work runs), much like these nonlearning learnings I put at the end of each post:

• Another new normal that isn't new is that I'm pretty much exhausted after work and blog super tired all the time.  You could probably tell.
• Everyone needs a pair of Roar socks.  Literally everyone.
• Female cat's approval of my socks is nice, but ultimately unnecessary as they had already been approved by large dog.
• Large dog barely recognized me in normal clothes and without a visor on.
• But I'm sure you recognize how awesome those red shoes are.  Yes, you do.

Tomorrow's workout:  Spin.  Weights.  Cross training goodness.

Day 4, Week 3: Things I think about when...

This morning some indoor cycling was had in front of the TV in my living room.

22 miles to nowhere.  NOWHERE

So what exactly does one think about during 22 miles of not moving forward at all?  Let us count those thoughts:

1) I just want to go back to bed.
2) This isn't the same as outside biking because I'm not screaming vulgarities at the wind.
3) Do they intentionally make stationary bike seats this uncomfortable so you'll get up out of the saddle?
4) I just want to go back to bed.
5) Should have turned down the AC before I started sweating all the water out of my body on this thing.
6) Am I going to have to get off this thing to make sure the hubbs gets out of bed on time?
7) Speaking of bed, wish I was there.
8) My left butt is feeling pretty good today...probably ruin that good feeling by running tomorrow though.
9) The male cat is in for a rude awakening if he tries to sniff the spinning wheel on this bike.
10) The female cat is smarter than the male cat. She's sleeping....like I should be.

Tomorrow's workout: 6 mile easy run on the treadmill instead of outside because....left butt injury.

Zomg there's a marathon coming.

This morning was my last speed workout.  For this training cycle, anyway.  And, of course, to commemorate this moment I took absolutely no pictures of myself running in goofy poses.  So instead all you get is this crappy above-the-head selfie and a random pic of my cat between my favorite speed work socks.

Just a post-workout selfie with an office chair
and a box of Kleenex. Classy.

Hyooman.  Stop dripping sweat on me.

The schedule called for a 6 x 400m, which I had no problem doing because apparently my brain is okie-dokie with 400s but anything longer and it's all NOPE.

But the fact I got to do short 400m repeats wasn't nearly as good as the fact that I finally got a nickel-free watch band with a magnet strong enough not to try and slip off my wrist every 200m.

Black metal mesh running bliss.

I mean, really - who doesn't enjoy a run where you're not swearing furiously at your watch as it tries to escape your wrist?

Anyway, there's this thing I have this Sunday called a "marathon."  Now, I knew my marathon was approaching, but this morning as I pulled up my training plan and saw NO MORE LINES OF WORKOUTS below that 6 x 400 workout it really smacked me in the face that I was going to have to put up or shut-up in just a few days.  It also made me realize I had better start getting down some marathon goals...because more than one makes the marathon much merrier:

My very own marathon goals (in order of hopefulness):

• Run any time under my marathon PR, which happens to be a 4:09:50 on this very same course.
• Run a time between 4:10 and 4:15 because hey-that'll be my fastest marathon in a while, anyway.
• Run any time between 4:15 and 4:30 and just be freaking happy about that because suck it up, buttercup.
• Run any time at all that gets measured by a clock.
• Run the whole thing, clock be damned.
• Just make it to the finish line for cryin' out loud with some teeny tiny morsel of dignity left.
• Screw dignity and make it to the finish even if I'm riding on someone else's back and ugly crying the entire way.

I'm thinking I can hit at least one of these goals for sure on Sunday.  After all, it's important to have levels of goals so you can at least say you accomplished something.  

And now let's accomplish some learnings, shall we?

• The speed work felt good this morning in only the way a workout designed to hurt you can.
• I love that Chicago Marathon shirt, even if it's not my favorite of marathons.  It's nice, but not my fave.
• My new watch band was seriously amazing.  A product that works like it should--a novel concept.
• Treadmill tip: when using the treadmill, it's always good to flush out any cats that have taken up residence underneath it.

Hyooman.  Scram.

Tomorrow's workout: Haven't decided yet...probably some yoga.  Stay tuned.

Yet another four picture, four sentence post

Picture #1: I had the day off today, so I had the time to do an upper body workout, an ab workout, and take dumb workout photos for this blog.

The pics people expect me to take vs. the pics I actually take.

Picture #2: I dutifully took the time to foam roll today, causing me to put on my foam roll face.

3 guesses as to what I'm foam rolling there to cause that face.

Picture #3: After the workout, female cat gave her opinion of my fitness efforts in no uncertain terms.

TOTAL WIMP HYOOMAN

Picture #4: Male cat was doing his version of corpse pose in my office chair the entire time I was working out.

And now for a few little learnings:

• My legs were pretty sore from yesterday's 20 miler and they were sure to let me know during my entire workout today.
• Female cat is full of opinions lately.
• Life is too short for normal, pretty fitness photos that all look the same after awhile.

Tomorrow's workout:  An 8 x 800m workout...if my hamstrings comply, that is.

I made a runner-to-nonrunner dictionary. You're welcome.

This morning the training plan indicated a need for speed.

What good is a treadmill if you can't do things on it
you're really not supposed to do when it's moving?

Well, I'm not so speedy in that pic.  But I did manage to bust out those ten 400m repeats with some sass to spare.

Ten 400m repeats...

...and some SASS

I was talking with someone about this workout and I was all "Oh I love 400s...way better than 1600m repeats....I think 800s are my favorites though...way better than tempo-ing for 10 miles fer sure..." and this someone said this to me after I was done babbling:

"I have no idea what you just said.  Did you run or what?  How many miles is 400 meters?"

Buh.  Understanding was foiled by my use of content-specific vocabulary.  After explaining what I meant, I realized that putting together a little runner-to-nonrunner dictionary may be in order, just to promote peace between our two peoples.  Below is my first attempt at such a dictionary:

1. Body glide: A substance that prevents chafing in mentionable and unmentionable places and prevents screaming when a runner first steps in the shower after a long run.
2. Long run: When runners of their own voluntary free will run the same number of miles that, when that number of miles is mentioned to a non-runner, will cause the non-runner's eyes to bug out of their head all cartoon-style.
3. Repeat: When runners (again, voluntarily) run shorter distances at insane speeds over and over again in the hopes that they will get magically faster when running 26.2 miles.
4. Vitamin I: A vitamin of amazing powers that, when runners take it before a run, banishes all pain and makes minor injuries seem to disappear.  Also known as "ibuprofen."
5. Energy gel: A little packet of flavored sugar that is sold to runners at exorbitant prices, making them consider just eating cake frosting while running because it's cheaper.
6. 4 AM Run: The most unfathomable run to non-runners, this type of run occurs when the runner has an hour-long commute, which causes the runner to immediately pass out with exhaustion after work so the run must be done at 4 AM to get it done at all.
7. Tempo run: Where a runner runs 3-8 miles at what's known as a "comfortably hard" pace, a pace also known as "why am I running this fast when I could be on the couch with some cheesy puffs" pace.
8. Head lamp: A device that allows a runner trucking around outside at 4 AM to see the road in front of them, all sorts of creepy shadows in the corn, and the glowing little eyes of whatever critters are huddling in the ditches wondering WTF is running by them at that crazy hour of the morning.
9. Butt-light: A blinky little (usually) red light that runners wear on their backs (and much less often, their butts) that is probably the result of some prank pulled on a runner by a non-runner.  
10. Hydration belt: Just a fancy, more socially acceptable fanny pack for runners.

And there you go; while I'm sure I've left some terms out, this is a start for all you runners out there trying to hold a meaningful and intelligible conversation with a non-runner.  Conversely, if you're a nonrunner, this dictionary will help you communicate more effectively with your happy little runners.

Well, if you even want to talk to them.  That's the assumption, after all.


And now we're assuming you want some of these good learnings:

• Hubbs hates it when I do potentially dangerous things on the treadmill.  Which is why I keep doing them and taking pictures to send to him later.
• When you turn your headphones up really really loudly you can't hear how much wheezing you're doing during those 400s.
• I didn't really want to do the run this morning.  I wanted to go back to bed because I had gotten the first nice deep sleep since I got sick over a week ago.
• I have had way too many running convos with people who nod and smile through my explanation of my workout and then cock their head at me and say, "So...what exactly does all that mean?  Did you have a good run?" .....*sigh*
• After I publish this I'll re-read it and think of about 50 funnier things I could have said in that dictionary.  Bummer.
• Female cat says this post is over and for me to go to bed.  

Hyooman.  Time to shut it.

And I listen to her because she can kill me in my sleep so easily.

Tomorrow's workout: Cathe! PHA! And some abs!

The Bladez Fusion GS II exercise bike: An ode in bulleted list form

This morning's workout was 30 minutes on my still new exercise bike.  And, after using it for a few weeks now, I think I like it.  I really, really like it.  Like, really really.

Love at first ride.

So, why do I like this little Bladez Fusion GS II beauty so much? Get ready for some reasons:

• It doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles.  I had a fancier one that had an electronic screen, a connection to iFit, and pre-loaded workouts that promptly broke about 6 months after I had it.  For this purchase, I didn't want all that fancy stuff - I just wanted a bike where I could simulate more of an actual ride rather than something pre-programmed for me.
• It's freaking quiet.  Even female cat isn't freaked out by it, and she's pretty much freaked out by anything that makes any noise whatsoever.

Hyooman.  Leave us alone to bond.

• The seat doesn't hurt my sweet patootie.  A lot of people complain about bike seats, because, you know, it sure isn't like sitting in a nice soft recliner.  But this seat isn't too bad -- especially if you wear bike shorts with padding.
• The bike computer ain't fancy, but it tells me everything I need to know.  Don't need more than distance, calories, speed, and time.  Easy to reset after each ride, and it auto shuts off after a certain amount of time.
• So adjustable.  The seat can adjust up, down, backwards, and forwards, and the height of the handlebars can also be adjusted.  This is a good thing where you have a 5'8" cyclist along with a 6'3" husband of that cyclist who sometimes tries to literally get back on the bike.
• You'll get worked out.  I am always sweating like mad by the end of the first five minutes, and the resistance is such that it really feels like you're pedaling uphill on an outdoor bike.  Because when you're training for an outdoor race, that experience kind of helps.

The only thing I don't like are the design of the handlebars.  While the long bars are long enough so you can lay down and kind of simulate a ride on an actual tri bike with aerobars, they're too far apart and it feels all weird.  There are two shorter bars in the middle where aerobars would be, but they're like really short - not long so you can lay your whole arm on them.  Not too big of a deal, but I may have to grab a real pair of aerobars and slap them on the bike for a better handlebar experience. 

But maybe...before it gets to that point....I'll be riding outside instead!  A runner who is a wanna-be cyclist can only hope.


And maybe there will be learnings listed below:

• The bike is an amazing piece of equipment for a post-really-hilly-marathon low-impact workout.  Just a little FYI.
• The bike is also amazing for those mornings where you have to get up at 3 AM and only have time for 30 minutes of working out.
• It's amazing that I am even posting tonight because, once again, I am exhausted.
• The male cat is amazed at how stoopid the hyooman is that gets up and sweats every morning.

WHOA.  So stoopid.

Tomorrow's workout: Total body weights!  Barbells!  Yum!

The many faces of sucky speed work.

Face #1: Joy at wearing those FREE SHOES (Brooks Levitate) I won during the Twin Cities Marathon in October.  They arrived yesterday and I was all LET'S GET AT THAT SPEED WORK IN THESE BABIES (and they were nice.  I like them.  Even though they're probably more appropriate for tempo or long runs with all that cushion they got in 'em).

Doesn't everyone hold up new shoes to their faces?

Face #2: Sadness at having a sucky speed session (2 x 1200, 4 x 800 @ 7:45 pace), even though the pace has never been a "omg I don't think I can make it" pace ever before.  I think my lungs still aren't over my sickness from a few weeks ago, as evidenced by the stuff that is still coming out of my nose when I blow it. (Mercifully not pictured.  You're welcome.)

Sucky speed work face

Face #3: The female cat judging the ever-loving snot out of you (but not the snot coming out of my nose) for struggling your way through the repeats, stopping in each one to blow more junk out of your nose.

Hyooman.  Mega-wimp.  Stop your wheezing and run.

Face it--here come some learnings:

• The yin and yang of running.  That was the run this morning.
• I'm really tired and I hope you appreciate the energy it took to throw up some random pics and facetious garbage words on this post.
• I hope my lungs get better for next week's speed session, because the wheezing was bothering me as well as female cat.
• I really did like those Brooks Levitates.  I can't wait to try them out for a tempo or a long run.
• Nothing is ever good enough for female cat.  Ever.  Get used to it.

Tomorrow's workout: Got me some Boot Camp on the schedule...

Bad table karaoke-ing and lessons from the long run.

I didn't blog yesterday because my work day turned into 11.5 hours, and all I wanted to do afterwards was embarrass the hubbs with some table karaoke at Applebees because they were playing 80's music.  I couldn't help karaoke-ing; this is the soundtrack to my childhood they were playing, after all.

Just pointing out to the hubbs that everyone wants to rule the
world.

I did work out yesterday, doing Cathe's Cardio Slam from her Strong and Sweaty Series.

This workout consists of three main parts - a floor cardio section where you just do really hard bouncy and jumpy things on the floor; a mat section where you do various kind of hard bouncy and jumpy things on and around a mat; and finally a step platform section where you again do bouncy and jumpy things on and around it.  Almost every exercise is repeated which, if you're a fan of pain, will be good for you.  Below is my quick review of each section of the workout:

• Floor cardio: Boy, this gets the heart rate up.  Even with the low-impact exercises thrown in for little breaks.
• Mat cardio: Starts off OK, but GAWD I hate football runs.  A lot.
• Step platform cardio:  BUH.

It's a solid workout, but I was kind of bored during the step platform section and was just waiting for the workout to be over.  It's a good thing there's a premix that cuts that section out for me; Cathe always comes through with the right premix.

And my training plan always comes through with a long run on the weekends.  On the plan today was a 20-miler, but considering the fact that I was still getting over this sickness of mine, I decided to play it by ear and see how far I could make it. Below is how it ended up:

I stopped at the house after mile 17 to refill my water bottles, fully intending to carry on to mile 20.  However, my lungs voiced their opinion on the matter by inducing a coughing fit that had me doubled over for a good minute.  This seemed like a pretty strong opinion to me, so I listened and shut down the run at that point.  Since I didn't run long at all last weekend, I think 17 is a good distance for a recovering sicko to accomplish.

What else is good about the run is the lessons that it taught me.  All runs teach you something, and this run gave me 3 hours of lessons.  Since I'm a former teacher, let's get ready for class, shall we?


Lesson #1: It was good to run with large dog for the first 6 miles because it saved my baseboards from being molested.

Mom. Take me running or the baseboards get it.

Lesson #2: Long runs are made better with tie-dye shoes.  Those suckers are Brooks Launch 5s, and while I can tell they are a bit heavier and have a bit more forefoot cushioning than the 4s, they still felt good for the entire run.

Lesson #3: I was reminded how nice it was not to have to wear winter gear.  Female cat agrees, and pre-approved my outfit.

Hyooman. You look less ridiculous than usual.
Now get out of my house.

Lesson #4: I can do more than I think I can do.  While the temperature was freaking awesome for a Saturday in January here in almost-Wisconsin, I wanted to quit every time I was running straight into the strong winds we had today. But I kept telling myself to just get to the next mile and then whaddya know I was at 17 and my lungs were leading a mutiny of the rest of the run.

Lesson #5: Running outside after running on the treadmill for weeks makes your calves really, really sore.  Or it makes mine sore, anyway.  Right now they're telling me that I'll be lucky to walk tomorrow.

Lesson #6: Apparently I have a problem with body parts talking to me (re: calves and lungs).

Lesson #7: I also apparently haven't learned my lesson with this whole "running really long distances hurts" thing and still have the energy to take stupid pictures afterwards while I slowly start to freeze to death in my wet clothes.

Bonus learnings!

• That mesh running jacket was the perfect jacket for a "windy one way so you need the jacket but not windy the other way and you might spontaneously combust you're so warm" kind of run like today.
• I was so sick of that freaking wind I was giving every car that passed me dirty looks for making me run on the shoulder instead of the road.  Sorry, innocent drivers.
• Not gonna lie - doing that Cathe workout the day before this long run was a bad idea.  My quads were tired by mile 6.
• At least my quads weren't yakking away at me about how tired they were during the run like my calves were.  That's one body part that can keep quiet.

Tomorrow's workout:  Upper body weights..if my calves will let me move at all, that is.

Just the last four pics on my phone turned into a blog post.

Here's how I slept last night, only imagine me coughing up a lung every 0.3 nanoseconds.

Those are Perrier bottles, FYI.

After an awesome night's sleep like that, only one thing could make me get on the treadmill for my run:

Awww yeah.

Speaking of aww yeah, male cat was in feline awe of them.

Hyooman.  Tye-dye has me trippin'

I then got on the treadmill and I tried to do my speed work, I really did...I was all "this speed work will be cake" during the warm up but 30 seconds into that first 1000m repeat my lungs were all "DO YOU NOT REMEMBER THAT WE WERE COUGHING ALL NIGHT LET ME REMIND YOU" and I decided to modify the workout and do 3 miles of 1-minute pickups instead.  Which worked out much better, and made female cat quite pleased.  For once.

For once, hyooman, you not stoopid.  Too bad it won't last long.

Learnings:

• That sleeping picture may or may not have been a revenge pic because I have taken tons of pictures of the hubbs sleeping and made a small collage of it this weekend that I may or may not have threatened to post to social media.
• Those shoes are so awesome I may just buy another pair.
• Although those shoes are a Launch 5...which, to be honest, feel a little heavier than the Launch 2-4s.  But tie-dye, you know.
• I can't have stupidly unhelpful advice for every post.  Sometimes all I have are the last 4 pics on my phone and a will to write a dumb blog post.

Tomorrow's workout: That thing where I lift heavy weights over and over again.

When all you want is your face and teeth to stop hurting.

I did something incredibly stupid yesterday.  I went for a 3 mile run with large dog.

Large dog be like OMG RUNNING

Large dog felt fantastic afterwards.  I, however, did not.  I meant to do all of the 17 miles that were on the training plan, but after 3 I headed back inside the house to use an indoor bathroom...and after that I felt kind of bad.  And about 10 minutes later, I felt super bad.  And then it was all I could do to shower, shove some NyQuil down my throat, and crawl under a blanket and go to sleep.

Hyooman.  You can't have my blanket.

And I felt like crap all night.  If only my face and teeth would have stopped hurting from the severe congestion, I would have been fine.  But I wasn't fine; I got up at 5 AM and stumbled downstairs to take the dogs out and get something to eat.  I was ravenous because I had been asleep for 13 freaking hours, and I was still managing to feel absolutely rotten.  Through the rottenness, I realized I should probably take something while I was awake to try and ease my suffering.  And, after rummaging through the medicine cabinet, I finally found some medication that wasn't past it's expiration date--some Tylenol Severe Sinus.

I'm not usually a pill-popper, but at this point I was willing to try anything--and boy was I glad I did.  My face and teeth finally stopped hurting, and I got 3 solid, blissful, entirely wonderful more hours of sleep without any pain.  And then all the junk up in my head started to drain, making it less likely I would feel like the right side of my face had been replaced with a brick.  I felt so good after popping those meds I managed to clean the house and make me some dinner via Crock Pot.

Female cat was still unimpressed.

I wanted to see if I could get in a long-ish run on the treadmill today, but hubbs made me promise not to do any workout because of what happened yesterday.  So, that means another run on the training plan scrapped due to this sickness...hopefully this won't extend into the coming week.  I hope it doesn't, or I'll be blaming any poor performances at my goal marathon on these missed runs like any irrational runner would do.

Just a few little learnings:

• Why didn't I take that freaking Tylenol earlier in the week? I'm an idiot.
• Well, at least it's not the flu.  Then all you'd be reading in my blog posts would be "zzzzzzzzzz  *snore* zzzzzzz"
• In case you were wondering, I made chicken alfredo in the crock pot.  And it was wonderful even if the onions were a little strong.
• I'm glad I could clean the house because if I don't vacuum the animal hair starts working on sentience if it's left alone too long.

Tomorrow's workout:  I'm going to attempt speed work to get back on schedule.  Just 5 x 1000m...

When your ears hurt when you swallow, speed work gets cancelled.

I didn't do my speed work this morning.  Or this afternoon.  Or this evening.  That's because I was sick all day today.  I would love to post really awkward treadmill running pics or sweaty pics of me post-run, but I don't have any.  All I have is this recreation of what I did all day instead:

Last night I felt a fever and sore throat (hurt like crazy to swallow) coming on, so I dutifully drugged myself with NyQuil and did some sinus rinsing.

Why sinus rinsing?  Because the last time I had a fever and a sore throat, it ended with one of my eardrums bursting and then me not hearing out of one ear for about a month.  And I was miserable. No wonder little kids are so cranky during ear infections; I know I was pretty much insufferable when that happened and was begging for anyone to put me into a coma the entire time. 

So, I guess what I'm saying is that I don't mess around with sore throats.  I rinse out the ol' sinuses and then gargle with some of the rinsing solution, and I am very glad I did.  While I woke up still having a small fever and was a little stuffed up, my throat wasn't nearly as sore and it didn't hurt so bad to swallow.

Because having a fever is where I draw the line at going to work, I emailed in sick and then went downstairs and promptly fell asleep in the recliner.  I had one blanket over my lower half because a dog was laying on it so I couldn't pull it all the way up over me, so I had to get a second blanket for the upper part of my body.

I'm sure I looked like a sleeping hobo.  But I didn't care.  I was warm.  The animals didn't care either.

I don't judge, Mom.  Just gimme treats.

Female cat was a little judgy.

Stay away from me.  Sicko.

Small dog was oblivious to my sickness and I kept getting awoken to him shoving various toys in my chair and squeaking them like "WHAT ARE YOU DOING JUST SITTING THERE WOMAN WE COULD BE PLAYING"

I'm going to just call today's speed work a loss and move on to tomorrow's workout.  If I can swallow without pain and don't have a fever, that is.

Learnings from my sickness:

• Sinus rinsing is gross, but it will help you feel better much, much faster.  Just don't use tap water unless you want to risk getting a brain-eating amoeba.  Your call, though.
• Brain-eating amoebas are one of my greatest fears.  True story.
• The cats left me pretty much alone today to sleep; female cat only did one proof-of-life check today by booping me in the face.
• Can you tell I'm on NyQuil again?  Yeah.  You can.

Tomorrow's workout:  Maybe Cathe's PHA workout.  We'll see.