Wipeout !

Not much to report from the last weeks running, because as the title suggests, I have been wiped out.
It's funny how you can learn to spot the warning signs. While I felt fine and well during the day on both Saturday and Sunday, on both nights I woke in a sweat to such an extent that the bed clothes were soaked through. I knew that my body was obviously trying to fight some sort of an infection, so I upped my intake of vitamin C. Surprisingly, even though I knew I was coming down with something, on Sunday I did a 10k tempo to prepare for the St Patricks day 10k, and was happy with a 38.40, with even a little left at the end I felt.
Monday, I had a small dose of the sniffles, and decided I could 'outrun' this oncoming cold, and did 7 miles at 6.50 pace.

With the new position at work, I have been putting in some pretty long days. Tuesdays are normally speed training with Gary O' Hanlon, and I always really look forward to it. So it might give an indication of how bad I felt on Tuesday evening when I reluctantly decided I couldn't muster the energy to go. From then on it was all down hill (ah how I miss a hill) for the week. I would have benefited from a day or two in bed from Wednesday on, but circumstances dictated otherwise, and while I was capable of functioning well enough to work, I just couldn't pull on the trainers for a run at any stage. Each day I hoped I would feel well enough, but it was not to be. And all this on probably the best week of weather we had had since the start of the year! AHHH!!
I took some small comfort from the theory that a few days off running wouldn't make all that much difference, and I could treat it as a mini taper of sorts, and I was sure I would be ok for Mondays 10k.

On Saturday was the day of the wedding. I felt I was staring to recover, and was much more hopeful for Mondays run. I resolved to 'take it easy' at the wedding and enjoy the overnight hotel stay, get some good rest, and not eat too much cake. Well, just imagine the reverse of the last sentence! Our very generous hosts laid it all on, and while I didn't go too mad with the alcohol, I did have 'one or two' glasses of wine.

Whatever improvements I had made were wiped out by Sunday afternoon, and I knew there was no way I would be able to run the 10k today. Luckily Brian C was able to make use of my number, and he was dispatched with strict instructions on a maximum time allowed under my name ;)
While it's 'only' been a week not running, I feel like it's been much longer, and combined with the lack of miles a few weeks ago, I fear I might have suffered a bit of a setback. I have been reading the blog of Mick Rice, and while my short setback doesn't compare to his trials with injury, I can identify with the frustration he feels not running. While the scales have not shown any weight gain, I feel about half a stone heavier. Jesus, I have just realised, us runners are some moaners when we don't get to run!