womp womp

Well, so much for that January marathon I was training for and hoping to run. The week of Thanksgiving I got a cough, from a simple cold. I didn't let it hold me back. I still ran a 15-mile long run. The cough really didn't seem like a problem. I ran two 6-milers on the treadmill the next week, because it was dark and rainy all the time. I survived. But then the rain stopped, and I ran outside. In below-freezing temps. Turns out that's not a good idea if you already have a chesty cough...

I got worse. I skipped my 17-mile long run. I didn't run for an entire week. I just coughed and felt congested. Then on the Friday that I was finally ready to attempt a few miles indoors on the treadmill I started to have pain in my side every time I coughed. So I didn't run. The next day was 70 degrees outside (in December?!) so I attempted an easy 4 miles. It made me cough a little, which wouldn't have bothered me much except for that new sharp pain in my side.

Also, my IT band wasn't happy. That was disappointing. I'd been doing lots of lunges and single-leg squats even when I couldn't run, which I assumed was making me stronger and would help keep the IT band in line. But no.

The rest of the weekend was filled with painful coughing. But don't worry, I never had a fever and the doctor (and an x-ray) confirmed I didn't have pneumonia. Now my cough is gone for the most part, except when I'm outside in the cold. Then I get a tingle in the throat and cough a little. And I think my side is getting better, but it's still uncomfortable to cough. I'm not even going to try to run for the next few days.

So, after what will be three long runs missed and only four weeks away from the January marathon, I'm calling it quits. It's okay I guess. I knew there was a chance my body wouldn't hold up to the marathon training, but I didn't realize actual sickness would also get in the way. Oh well.

(Also, I've learned about coughs and being sick and how I can sometimes get away with pushing through things but other times I need to give into rest. Lessons learned...)