A Temporary Condition

This is the worst sickness I have had in a while.
I was sick last week and lost a day of running.

I ran with the gang on Monday and it was a pathetic crawl. The first loop, at Holly Rec I knew I was up Sh!**$ Creek without a paddle. I purposely didn't eat breakfast because my poor belly was angry over something. Well, that backfired and kicked me hard. I was getting spotty about mile 4. I was on my way to the car thinking I could grab something to eat. However, Kris and Rachel met us on the trail about a half a mile in. I never made it back to the car, we headed into our second loop.
While they were all chatting it up, I was trailing in the back praying God keep me upright. I knew it was more than sugar issues I was battling with. Sweat was beading up, the energy was drained out of me like a kiss of death and then the nausea started. With less than a tenth of a mile things got real spotty, I panicked and asked to walk. I just needed to calm down, catch my breath and try to access the issues I was struggling with.
I couldn't get home soon enough. I started the bath, hot, soapy and like a coffin I crawled in. Within 10 minutes I was OUT COLD.
I was sick AGAIN!

I called off work on Tuesday. I didn't need the guilt of getting anyone else sick. But I wasn't the only one who got sick. My poor Alec vomited 6 times. Alec never gets sick. That poor kid looked like death and smelled like it too.

There was NO WAY I was cancelling on Jeff again. I asked if we could push our workout back to 8am. This would give me time to take care of Alec before school. That crazy boy wouldn't stay home. But then his crazy mom wasn't staying home either.
Alec went to school.
I went to GAC.

TODAYS PLAN:

• Core
• Stretch, roll
• TM wars with Jeff: I had 10X400M repeats to do with a 400M recovery to do.
• Legs
• Stretch, roll
• Shower, sauna..

"Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent." Marilyn vos Savant

Problem 1.

I had not recovered my energy, as excited as I get to see Ole Jeffery, it is NOT enough excitement to get me through a hard W/O.

Problem 2.

Everything was a problem, I was scared I was going to FAIL miserably. I started wussing out. There was only a "Do it and DIE doing it" thought OR "You suck, you should have just stayed home you big baby."

This is why I love having Jeff coaching me. I need a voice BIGGER than mine. One with Wisdom.

"OK, Nita, what are you going to do?" Jeff asks before he heads to the locker to grab his headband and drop off his phone.

" I was thinking 1 mile warm up, then hit my 400's at 8.5 on the TM. I know I should be hitting them faster but I don't think I can even do that...."  

Jeff just stared at me, "OK, see how you feel...." then turned and left me punching numbers in the TM.

Sweat was dripping off me like I was running in Africa. A stinking warm up mile and I was baking in a inferno. I felt weak, I felt like I just wanted to give up.

Jeff startled me as he came up from behind. "ANITA, Wait! Let's do this.....Try this and see how you feel......" Jeff is a numbers guy. That man is made of numbers, he breaths and sweats numbers. He threw out a bunch of numbers and a new plan for my 400's. I suddenly had hope. It was a plan. One I felt confident I could do, Yes, it was still going to hurt and I was still going to have to gut it out. However, He didn't just throw a plan at me, He gave me the training tips to motivate me and encourage me to accomplish it. It made sense.

"JEFF, NUMBER 6! YOU know Jeff, If you can do 6 you can do...." I giggled loudly waiting for him to finish my sentence.

"YOU CAN do 10!" Jeff responded in his own Suckfest.

"REALLY JEFF, I was thinking 8...."  I laughed loudly not caring who was listening to out ridiculousness.

I finished all 10. Not as hard as I wanted but each one I progressed. Each little progression gave me enough encouragement to keep that momentum going. Each repeat reminded me that I was still standing, I wasn't puking, dying or crying. And this gave me inspiration within MYSELF to keep going, One at a Time, Punching the buttons each time a little faster ending up where I originally wanted.  

Bringing this all together: What I learned today.

DON'T BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF.

• Do what you can do is MORE than NOT doing anything at all.

I was going to scratch all my speedwork with a million excuses. I was going to take the easy route. Who would say anything anyway? I mean, after all, I was sick. It was a bonus I was running anyway. NO!! You don't know what you can do until you really go TOE to TOE with yourself.

• The power of a good running partner

Jeff doesn't just spout his mouth with training plans and numbers. He does not speak to speak. He puts ME into the equation and makes it personal. He has ran with me enough that he knows what I can do, what I will do and what I will whine about!

Its not all numbers, its a lot of silliness and laughter. He is a old man version of me, he may even be a little bit quirkier!

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I love cooking, more when I have time. I was in the kitchen cooking for 2 1/2 hours today.

I made a big pot of Chicken Noodle soup.

I sautéed my veggies and fresh herbs. (garlic, carrots, onions, celery, rosemary, thyme, basil & a bay leaf.)

I add sea salt, white pepper, Wildtree Garlic Galore and Organic Chicken Stock.

I cheat and buy the rotisserie Simple Truth chicken and tear that apart. I used to do my own chicken but then I had kids and life got crazier. I like healthy short cuts.

I can NOT think of the last time I made soup with noodles. I stay away from noodles BUT I splurged. I was making the soup for Andys Maw maw. She like noodles.

REAMES.. The ONLY noodles I have ever used.
OH...and I don't measure.. sorry.

NOW, my family will NOT eat soup. So I have this big pot to share!
I made then Pork chops with cherry currant sauce, green beans and cous cous. I also made a package of bacon. They LOVE bacon. It was going to be for in the morning but they might have snacked on it until it was gone!

TEA TIME;
I tried a new Tea, Harney and Sons. They make a lovely Green Tea. But I tried their Vanilla Comoro Decaffeinated. The tea came in a sachet. It was very fragrant. The vanilla was a cozy smell. I added sugar cubes, (always reminds me of my grandma) and a little Vanilla creamer. It was very nice.

Anita~