Saturday, February 09, 2008

PRE-MARATHON PLAGUE

Usually about 2-3 weeks before a marathon I get a cold or something. I call it my standard pre-marathon illness.

This time I've got something that ain't no plain ol' cold.

I felt unmotivated on Sunday but that's not unusual. Skipped my planned 12-15-mile run. Monday started a progression of increasing fatigue, achiness, sore throat, headache and cough. Called off work Wednesday thru Friday, on which morning I woke up with blood-red goopy eyes as well. Like, gross. So now I'm on a week of Augmentin and a week of quinolone-antibiotic eyedrops. The quinolones include Cipro which is sometimes associated with tendonitis and Achilles tendon rupture, but the doctor assured me that the drops would have only local effect and would not rupture my tendons just in time for the Austin Marathon next weekend. I can't wear my contacts for a week and have to pitch all my eye makeup and start over.

My marathon is in danger. I have not run all week. I did not run all of last week, either, recovering 2 days from my 20.2-miler and then crediting my 3 bike commutes as runs. And I sure as hell am not going to be running the coming week. So by marathon day I won't have run for 3 weeks.

It could go one of several ways:

  • I won't be well enough to run it and the whole deal's off.
  • I'll give it a shot and have my first-ever DNF.
  • I'll finish struggling and slow and be glad it's my last marathon.
  • The enforced rest will solidify my training and I'll run a blistering last marathon and go out in a blaze of glory.

This is not impossible. It's happened to me before. Illness or injury has sabotaged my last 2 weeks or month of training and then I've run an amazing marathon.

So till then I'm going to eat very well, hydrate very well, rest and sleep as much as I can, and hope for the best.

I'm glad the marathon's not tomorrow.

5 comments:

Ann (bunnygirl) said...

Well, at least you've got a good base. If you do decide to go for it, you should be able to manage okay. What about doing a Gallowalk? I usually do run/walk when I'm coming back from injury or illness. It helps.

Get well soon!

Ellie Hamilton said...

Actually I'd already decided to do that, Bunny! Great minds think alike :-) On my 20-miler the pattern of run 2 miles/walk 2 minutes worked so well I decided to do that for the race.

Galloway in "Running Till You're 100" suggests that people my age run about 2:30 (minutes) and walk 30 seconds. I'll probably end up somewhere in between :-)

UltraMamaC said...

get better soon! those antibiotics always mess with my stomach, though. blech. I just sent you an email --let me know what works for you!

ShirleyPerly said...

Oh no, sorry to hear you're sick. Hey, whereabouts are you in Austin? I'm headed there this week and would love to say hi in person if you're feeling better. Otherwise, rest up and get to the starting line as healthy as possible!

*jeanne* said...

Really? Only run 2:30, then walk 30 seconds?
Hmmm...
maybe I should try that.
I'm a couple years younger. Maybe I should run 3 minutes...