Take my advice – I’m not using it

So, here I sit, almost one week on from when I felt the first signs of a sore throat and head cold. The last post was about the inner battle to rest instead of continue training. For the most part I followed my own advice. I decided to treat recovery equally important to the training I was missing. 

I hydrated and ate well.  I stocked up vitamin C and got as much sleep as possible. I gargled TCP which is not an easy feat, the gagging from the taste is one thing, walking around smelling like a small hospital is another! 

I made an appointment with the doctor only to be told there was a 3 day waiting list....the joys of winter. I decided to take the appointment even though when it came around yesterday I felt a lot better thought still not 100%, I still had a decision to make about getting back to some quality training or weather it was still too soon. My thought was to get some antibiotics from the doc in case I relapse when travelling over the Christmas period and jump back into training. 

Sitting in the surgery waiting area I felt I'd played the situation well, I'd treated recovery from the dreaded manflu with respect, I'd listened to my own reasoning and even though still not fully over it I had already decided that I'd taken enough time off and would get a session in tonight before resting up for the half marathon in Waterford on Saturday. The truth was I'd only take 2 days off, I wasn't fully recovered and I was willing to break my own advise of not rushing back to so......the impatience of runners knows no bounds.

On entering the surgery this was backed up by Doc when he  broached the subject of running. (knows my thought process being a triathlete and runner himself).

Doc- 'Your not running are you?'

Me- 'Nope, have been resting up to make sure it clears up properly' (just a white lie as I did an easy 6 on Sunday).

Doc- 'Very good.....your not running Waterford at the weekend?'

Me- 'Errr yes.'

Doc- places head in hands

So I ended up coming away with the antibiotics and instruction not to run hard or to do Waterford as 90 minutes of maximal effort after a viral or bacterial infection is 'asking for trouble'. To make matters worse Doc will be running Waterford himself so will likely know if I've listened to his advice. 

I already knew rushing back was a silly idea that could undermine all the good decisions I'd made re recovery. I knew I shouldn't go out and run a hard session last night. The trouble was I can only take so much advice from myself. I'd convinced myself that I was better and that I only played it up slightly for Doc to get some medication, that the phlegm I was still producing in copious amounts was the body clearing out the bad stuff.

I was faced with the same decision as last week- continue to recover and make sure I'm fit, fresh and healthy to start the marathon training plan which kicks in this Thursday or listen instead to my inner chimp who wanted to ignore the advice of a trained medical practitioner and my own reasonable brain and go out and smash a session before recovering in time for a half marathon race on Saturday.

The chimp won:

9 mile w/ 5 miles @ Tempo (6:42 min/mi average)