Need advice - 4 wks out and sick!

[nervous1sttimer]

I am running a half in four weeks with a specific time goal in mind (>2:00). This is going to be a stretch since my previous best time has been 2:08, but until a week ago my training was going pretty well.

I've been following a plan calling for three runs per week - a speed run, a tempo run, and a long run. I have been hitting all my sprint and long run paces, but falling behind in the tempo runs. I thought I had enough time to catch up to where I'm supposed to be.

I've had a cold for the last week. On Thursday I tried to run through it and almost hurled, so I cut it in half. Today I have a long run on tap and I'm going to see how I feel later this afternoon, but right now there is no way I could get through it.

I have sinus pain and chest congestion. I know I should rest completely in order to heal, but I am very worried about how that will affect my training. If I take a week off, then I only have three weeks and one of those would be for tapering, and I'm already not making one of my goal paces. What is the best way to get through this and still make my >2:00 goal?

 

[cewait]

Err <2:00, not >2...

Take the week off and allow your body time to heal. While it may seem like you are working on fitness, you are really stealing energy needed to push the illness away.

If you have not been to a doc, get to one and see if you can get a script to lessen the inflammation side of the illness.

The rule of thumb is if in the head run it out, if in the chest rest. Makes sense as a congested chest can turn worse rather easily.

For the fitness side of this, missing a week now may do little harm to your effort. In fact, taking the week to heal may actually boost your performance. Take this week off and then hop back on schedule next week IF you are better.

 

[nervous1sttimer]

Omg, I can't believe I wrote > twice! This cold really is knocking me out.

I did not even attempt the long run today. I am in bed, feeling worse than ever. Will try to see a doc tomorrow; thanks for the input!

I also registered for another half two weeks after Detroit. It's a certified downhill course! I am going to still give Detroit 100% but have this as a fall-back just in case.

 

[jmasgat]

Hope you feel better soon. I am going to be volunteering at Detroit--probably at the expo.

One comment about the race--if you're doing the international half....save something for the tunnel. Everybody frets about the bridge, but IMO, the tunnel is more of a mental battle. Comes at about mile 8-9 and there's something about going down first, then up, up ,up. It was more of a challenge. As for the bridge, hope the runner traffic clears out before you get there, but if it doesn't, don't stress about it.

 

[goofeygirl]

Hey I was in that EXACT same boat as you. I came down with something sinus wise (change of seasons? ragweed? who really knows). The sinus's hurt so I took painkillers to relieve the pain but it also effected the rest of my body. I was tired. I felt that cold chill down my back and all I wanted to do was go to bed. In fact, all day long I thought about going to bed.

I didn't do squat in that time and I think I posted about it on here. I basically did nothing for two weeks. If I went out to do something I would feel really tired within the first mile and want to come home and go to bed. Call it a day.
I was breathless.

It passed
and I felt guilty that I lost time. However here is what I realize...your health is your wealth. Get better. The goal is now to get better and feel better for that race. Work it from there. When you start clouding your head with thoughts on how you are not going to reach your goal you will stress yourself out. The real goal is be healthy.