Long Run, Slow Down

Playing Catch-up: 11/22-11/28/10

Well!  I may be very far behind on posts for this blog, but at least I have a good excuse.  I was sick for the better part of seven days or so, which hindered my ability to exercise and to write about exercising.  My sense of well-being vanished, and I resorted to taking every day and every hour on a case-by-case basis, which I’ll explain in more detail below.  The good news is that I think I’m fully recovered—I even ran tonight!  It was a Thanksgiving miracle, and I am grateful to have my health back.

Turning back the clock, let’s start with Monday and I’ll catch you up to speed.

* Monday: I feel a little sick, on and off, for most of the day, but somehow I manage to work a full day and run for 50 minutes in the evening.  I stick to the well-lit and busy streets around my apartment because night has fallen by the time I hit the pavement.  I do a couple of loops, taking a 5-minute walking break at the 35-minute mark.  Though I’m trying to minimize my walking breaks during long runs, I feel much better after my break and finish the remaining 15 minutes feeling much stronger.

* Tuesday: I feel quite ill the whole day.  I consider taking the day off of work, then I decide that I can handle a short day (and I make a deal with myself that if I feel worse, I’ll go home at any time).  I go in late, get some stuff done, then leave early and head straight to bed.

* Wednesday: My illness lingers, but again, I go into work late, get some tasks done, and I leave at a normal time.  I don’t work out at all, and I feed myself rice topped with sautéed onions, garlic, and spinach.  Feta cheese adds a burst of tangy richness, and I feel reasonably well after dinner.

* Thursday: I continue to improve, but my strength is still hampered by illness.  I make a beautiful quiche for Thanksgiving and celebrate the day with a good friend and her circle of friends.  The only exercise I get is a little walking up and down my block, looking for photo opportunities.

* Friday: I take the day as an easy vacation day, though I am feeling much better than earlier in the week.  I get a bunch of stuff done around the house, and later in the day, I head out for a long walk with a friend.  We walk for about an hour, then we seek shelter and hot drinks to warm us up after our chilly walk.  It is a good day and I feel much restored.

* Saturday: I feel my strength returning, so I head out to run errands.  I bike to the university library to return some books.  From there, I ride over to Brazos Natural Foods, where I buy provisions for the week.  I reward my efforts with an evening of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and a bowl of rum raisin ice cream.

* Sunday: I declare myself fully recovered and get tons of exercise today.  Encouraged by the sunny afternoon, I go on a walk around the neighborhood and then over to the grocery store to pick up a few things.  Later, before the sun goes down, I go for a run around my favorite loop.  I was scheduled to run 60 minutes today, but I decide to hold off on the distance.  I run for about 32 minutes and feel good afterwards.  I stretch and do some ab work, then I shift into chef mode and prep a butternut squash for oven roasting.  I forget how much I like this particular recipe for squash and promise myself I’ll make it again with my other butternut.

Now, with my health restored and my mind rested after four days away from the lab, I feel ready for a fresh start—and some roasted butternut squash.