Silent But Deadly: A Triumphant Return

What better way to follow up a post about beans than to post one with this title, huh? Well, fear not, no beans or gas in this post.

In case you weren't fortunate enough to listen to me complain about it in person, or read about it on Facebook, or be one of the lucky recipients of my germs, I'm just getting over a bout of the plague.

Frankly, the timing couldn't have been better. If I had gotten sick any earlier, I would have missed out on some good times with my best bud when he came back in town and some other great friends. If a major project at work hadn't been postponed a week, I would have spent 2 overnights spreading my germs and being miserable at a video shoot. If I had gotten sick a week later, the same scenario with the overnight shoot would have happened but this week instead of last.

On top of all that, I had already planned on taking a week off from running when BAM, plague-a-go-go. Sore throat, congestion, coughing, sleeplessness and sleepiness. No fun.

Speaking of taking a week off, it was actually 11 days, including some warm winter days that I'm so bummed I missed out on. I also went through some guilty moments and some fearful moments. Guilty for feeling lazy and fearful about getting out of the habit and never getting back to running again.

Irrational? Maybe. But I won't discount the way I felt. I'm glad I went through those emotions. Without them I'm not sure I would have been so eager to return. I'm also glad for my most recent issues of Runner's World. Right in the pit of my fear and guilt about taking a break, and frustration with being sick, I read a blurb in the magazine about taking a break. It said it's not a bad idea to take a week or 2 off every year. Then I realized that this was the only break I had taken since I started running nearly a year ago. I think I was due. Guilt erased. Kind of. I still feel pretty bad about getting 2 of my co-workers sick. Oops!

Well, I did return to running today. I had the day off following 2 grueling nights of working third shift, so I took advantage of the last day before the White Death visits Cincinnati again tomorrow. The temperature was hovering right above freezing and my parking lot was clear of snow and ice thanks to the last few days of rainy weather.

Since it was still daylight, I knew I couldn't rely on seeing headlights to keep me safe from cars in the parking lot. I decided to leave the headphones at home so I could hear the approaching cars instead.

I ran without noise for the second time and, unlike my first experience, I LOVED it!!!

Not only did I stay safe, I got to hear how much my breath control has improved since the days of gasping and choking--well I still choke, but not for lack of breath (allergies). I knew I was improving, but wow.

The funny thing is, in the same magazine-reading moment I mentioned above, I read that if you don't work on varying your speed and run on hills (neither of which I do), you're JUST going to improve breath control.

JUST? Really?

Like that's not a huge deal? Uh, people, that is the HUGEST deal for me. Breathing is what's held me back from being active for so long. I've spent the last 10+ months working on my breathing so I can run longer, and it worked. That warrants more than a "just," don't you think?

I also enjoyed getting lost in the rhythm of my breathing. For the most part it stayed really steady. It only really changed when I walked for a bit and then started again. I had a hard time getting back to "in 1 beat, out 3 short beats" pattern.

But it felt really good to run today. My legs were ready to go. Considering my 11 days off and the fact that I spent the last two nights standing in virtually one spot for 7 and 8 hours, I'm surprised I could even walk.

I planned on trying 3 laps (3-ish miles) but stopped after 2. I have some kind of mental block on anything more than 2 laps; I need to get rid of that stat.

I also threw in a few short bouts of "fast" running. I keep reading how it's important to do that to work different muscles and to just get the practice, so I tried it out. Not bad! I actually liked it! I think I'll do that from now on and maybe one of these days I'll get faster (right).

So, consider this my triumphant return. Just in time for the city to freeze over. Fabulous.



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