I had 2 weeks out at the end of January due to a virus / infection. Previous big race builds have always been threatened by injury but illness has never really been a factor. Now I've got two children things are a little different. Both the little darlings we're recently taken out by killer colds. Colds that we're picked up at the "Germ festival" also known as nursury. Once infected the symptoms would result in some sleepless nights for mum and dad. Granted I'm not first to the cot in the 3am foot race to comfort the children but with some early starts for training my immune system must have been taking a beating due to the lack of sleep.
So bingo! 10 days ago today I picked up a second infection / virus. I tried to train on through for the first few days but then things got pretty chesty and I realised I was risking not only the marathon campaign but probably my wider health. I was hacking away at work and things weren't looking good. So I rest…….and I'm still resting.
Back in January I was still fairly optimistic about running fast at the London Marathon in April, even after two weeks of doing nothing. One week later my optimism was confirmed when I ran 1.16 at the Wokingham Half. Thereafter another two good weeks of training followed on and things were going well. It's now been one full week of no swimming, cycling or running and I can't see an end to this. I haven't been to the doctor because I was prescribed antibiotics last time and although it did the trick I'm sure they would be reluctant to dish them out again so soon.
I'm am starting to lose faith in this build up, even having a few thoughts of panning it and maybe entering Berlin later in the year. I hate to admit this to myself after so many long, dark, cold runs. To think that the months of training would go to waste hurts but it would be the first time I've ever had to bail out of a big "A" race, so maybe I've been lucky. So I'm battling once again with the mental side of the sport. The optimist in me keeps saying there's 6 weeks to go and with a "Big March" surely things will be fine. But I'm still not in a position to do anything and this might not change for another week. I'm probably at what's called an athletic low.
Having just watched some IronmanLive coverage (one of my athletes Emma Ross is competing) I'm really starting to miss the training. It's amazing how I'm not bothered about the discomfort of being ill (haven't missed a day of work yet) but more concerned about not being able to swim, ride and run. I won't take good health for granted in a hurry again. I'd be grateful to just be in the game at this point. I'm becoming one of the ill people I always look down (something I inherited from my parents). My dad prides himself on never having a day off in 25 years.
So we'll see. If I can get going at some point next week I believe there's still a chance of running sub 2.45. Only time will tell.
