Illness and the long road back.

It is never easy coming back from a lengthy illness.

Especially when I have not been able to identify what put me in bed for almost 3 weeks.

The last time I was this ill was back in 2014, 

when similar symptoms laid me low for a month!

Coming back from illness or injury is difficult.

It has been made more difficult by the fact that my trying to return to training

coincided with the first cold snap of winter here in Johannesburg.

Not only was I feeling sorry for myself, I really did NOT want to be cold as well.

Neither did I want to waste all the good work that I had done thanks to SG.

So a dilemma of sorts...
An upside of me being sick was the fact that food was not a priority.
This as a result of my throat feeling like it was covered in broken glass,
making every mouthful an effort.
But eventually it had to get to a point where I needed to get back to training.
I missed two half marathons, but I knew that there was no way
I would have been capable of running either of those.
(As an aside, with age comes wisdom...back in the day
I would probably gone back to running/training despite my symptoms)
Finally, I have been able to shake off whatever infection had attacked me
and I am gently getting myself back into shape.
The reason for this posting is that I know I am not alone.
This time of year there are many who get colds and flu
and who are too keen to get back to their training routine.
This can have severe repercussions later.
If, like me, you have been out of commission for any length of time,
then please take the long road back.

After 5 weeks of no training at all,

I was able to go out and run this...

Was it easy?

No it was not, but I persevered and completed!

My second run this week.

Perhaps I bit of more than I could chew,

but I have to admit that I did walk for a short distance.

Considering that I had been running 21.1km's just a few months ago,

this might be seen as a "set back".

I would like to see it as a step forward in getting back to full fitness.

I was told that I should only increase my running distance by more than10% a week

 in order to get back to optimal fitness. 

Not easy when all I REALLY want to do is run...fast. 

But a small increase of about 20m this morning saw me running 

a couple of sub 6 minute kms!

I have mapped out my road races for the rest of 2017,

and hopefully I will be back to 100% fitness by the end of July.

I have "forced" myself to return to gym.

It all was so easy 6 weeks ago...now even the rowing machine mocked me.

But I was there...and I did about 30 minutes which is a start.

I thought that I could pick up where I left off 6 weeks ago.

I was sadly mistaken! 

I know from past experience that it takes 21 consecutive days

 to set a habit (either good or bad), so only 20 to go...

Once more the open road beckons,

but it might be a month or two before I am back to "full strength".

That being said, I know that long term victories are better short term gains.

I want to make certain that my come back to full fitness is done correctly.

To this end I will be monitoring my progress carefully.

Getting upset about missing races is not conducive to positive gains 

If necessary, I will re-asses my running goals for the year.

Slowly, slowly...no matter how frustrating is the best option.

Routine...or getting back to it is what is important

and to that end, I am making a concerted effort to reclaim that focus.

There has been an upside to being ill.

I lost 6kg's which has taken me to my goal weight...

after almost two years of "fighting" to rid myself of those final kgs!

I am not certain if I am 100% ready to begin the Monday Challenge yet.

But I am willing to give it a try...

Yes I can!

My continuing commitment to myself for 2017.