I am lame.

I have had to take a couple trips this month for business. I have been sick both times. I don't think the traveling and the sicknesses have been related, (the entire east side of Tennessee is apparently sick right now), but nonetheless I haven't been running as much as I'd like. How do runners run while they're traveling? I find it hard to fit in and frankly I usually don't have the energy.

I've heard that you are not supposed to exercise when you aren't feeling well, because you'll never get better? I don't know the truth in the matter, but I've taken that 'advice' nonetheless.

Well, sort of. I felt myself getting sick last Thursday, so I took it easy and tried to sleep and drink a lot of fluids because I knew I had an 18 mile run on Saturday. I was going to run that 18 miler on Saturday come hell or high water--so, Saturday rolls around and I go meet up the group at 7:30AM for the run. The group was about 1/2 the size of what it normally is--I think people were chickening out on the 18 miler, but I'm sure there were a lot of smart sick ones that didn't try it. (you know, since the plague has covered east TN)

I, on the other hand, was a sick one....but not a 'smart' sick one. I knew I didn't have all of my normal energy, so it was going to take a miracle to run for all 18 miles. I also was attempting this run with no GU or energy gel, powerade or any other 'performance enhancers'--another bad idea. It turned out to be a good learning experience, because I was able to find out how far I can go before I just don't have the energy to run anymore--I did make it 2 hrs and 8 minutes before I started walking--and I had covered about 14-15 miles. I walked because I just felt spent. I wasn't sore, out of breath, or anything like that--which is good. I am happy with my strength and preparedness going into this marathon. It's just that whole GU/powerade thing I gotta work on.

I have been in FLA all this week, and the weather was warm, but it's either been really windy or raining the whole time. Oh well. (At least they had 7-11 which meant SLURPEES EVERYDAY!!!!!) (7-11's don't exist in Tennessee) I'll be home tonight and I have a 1/2 marathon Saturday. I'm pushing for 1:45, but since I've been sick all week and I don't know how that's going to effect me. I did run 3 miles on a treadmill this morning but it's the only time I've ran since the 18 mile run/walk on Saturday. I'm either going to be well rested or weak and out of it. We'll see, I guess. I will have a report shortly after the race.