Well, I was right. What started as a small cold quickly became bronchitis. (Personally, I blame all those dumb freshman for making out with one another then having the nerve not to cover their mouths in one of my two classes this semester.) Regardless of how I became sick, the doctor said I have to take 2-3 weeks off.
I've never been one to listen to the doctor. When the doc said I needed to stay off my knee back in 2006, I laughed and competed in Collegiate Nationals. When they said, "Seriously, Meredith, no more" I chuckled, completed a sprint tri, flew out to California, ran a marathon the next day, then hiked up a mountain the following day. What happened? My knee cured itself. Something I doubt would have happened had I bonded with my couch cushion.
So when the doctor says, "Meredith, 2-3 weeks off, and I mean it this time" I will only half-listen. I won't go hard. I won't swim (I'll leave the spreading of sickness to the underclassmen). I won't run in terribly cold weather that might upset my lungs. But that won't mean that I'll lose all my winter training. Tomorrow will be a day of lifting and one LONG walk. Nice weather and the safety of being in my hometown with my parents allows me that comfort.
Ironman Wisconsin training isn't postponed, it's just temporarily altered. Can you dig?
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Sickly Workout
Well, tonight is Tuesday Trainer workout and Andy picked a Spinerval DVD that had an intensity rating of 9.5/10. Sick. It was all about uphill climbing. Though only 45 minutes long, my muscles cried out and I even let a "BUGGERS!" slip as my anger towards Coach Troy rose because he said "Stand again!".
I feel a cold coming on. It came on pretty quick. Super achy, cough, overall 'blah' feeling. Nothing a hot shower and some Nyquil can't take care of. (Note: I generally steer clear of medicine, but I have a LOT coming up on my schedule and I don't want to take any chances.)
I feel a cold coming on. It came on pretty quick. Super achy, cough, overall 'blah' feeling. Nothing a hot shower and some Nyquil can't take care of. (Note: I generally steer clear of medicine, but I have a LOT coming up on my schedule and I don't want to take any chances.)
Monday, March 3, 2008
Feelin Good
As promised, I went grocery shopping today. My fridge is overflowing with healthy food--whoopie!
It's going to be a full day. My Mandatory Monday Meredith Run had to be pushed back to around 9pm, which is quite a bit later than I usually like seeing as Tues/Thurs I need to be up for work at 4:45am.
Before heading out on my run, I took a nap. Or some might refer to it as an extended form of hibernation: 3 hours. I need that sleep considering the fact that I run my body down and I need to recharge it whenever the opportunity arises. Immediately following my nap, I ate an orange, drank a few glasses of water, stretched, then headed out on my run.
Tonight's run went well: the air was VERY cold and the wind was enough that it made me question that the temps read "Wind Chil 13". 13? Seriously? That was COLD! My feet were warm the whole time, but my hands were painfully numb even with my trusted Asics gloves that have carried me through much colder temperatures.
Running on the streets seems safer, so I stuck to medium-traffic roads. Keeping a moderate pace of about 9 minute miles, I moved through ISU's campus and around areas that I usually run during the day. Certain areas make me slightly more nervous running at night, but that just increases my motivation to keep moving forward.
Tonight, I decided, is the night to finish my audio book. I uploaded the files on to my iPod and listened to probably the most monotone voice ever reading me "What Should I Do With My Life?". Time management, folks, time management. I'm graduating in May and am taking advice from all areas...even books on tape. Don't judge.
Training Summary: Tonight felt great. My knees ached when I ran, but I attribute that to the cold weather. I ran for 40 minutes keeping my 9 minute-mile pace (or so I believe). The course was flat for the most part with one short downhill and one continuous uphill for about a quarter of a mile.
It's going to be a full day. My Mandatory Monday Meredith Run had to be pushed back to around 9pm, which is quite a bit later than I usually like seeing as Tues/Thurs I need to be up for work at 4:45am.
Before heading out on my run, I took a nap. Or some might refer to it as an extended form of hibernation: 3 hours. I need that sleep considering the fact that I run my body down and I need to recharge it whenever the opportunity arises. Immediately following my nap, I ate an orange, drank a few glasses of water, stretched, then headed out on my run.
Tonight's run went well: the air was VERY cold and the wind was enough that it made me question that the temps read "Wind Chil 13". 13? Seriously? That was COLD! My feet were warm the whole time, but my hands were painfully numb even with my trusted Asics gloves that have carried me through much colder temperatures.
Running on the streets seems safer, so I stuck to medium-traffic roads. Keeping a moderate pace of about 9 minute miles, I moved through ISU's campus and around areas that I usually run during the day. Certain areas make me slightly more nervous running at night, but that just increases my motivation to keep moving forward.
Tonight, I decided, is the night to finish my audio book. I uploaded the files on to my iPod and listened to probably the most monotone voice ever reading me "What Should I Do With My Life?". Time management, folks, time management. I'm graduating in May and am taking advice from all areas...even books on tape. Don't judge.
Training Summary: Tonight felt great. My knees ached when I ran, but I attribute that to the cold weather. I ran for 40 minutes keeping my 9 minute-mile pace (or so I believe). The course was flat for the most part with one short downhill and one continuous uphill for about a quarter of a mile.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Fresh Air Does A Body Good
Please keep in mind that temperatures have been wicked cold lately. It's not uncommon to wake up in the morning before work (at a lovely 4:45am) and see the wind chill reading -19. That's cold. Going to work this morning was cold, but not nearly as bitter as a week or so ago, temperatures were actually in positive digits. Hurray!
As a matter of fact, temps reached into the 50's today. There is a beautiful breeze streaming through all windows in my dingy apartment. With every deep breath, I feel better. It is almost as though I'm smelling freshness for the first time again. College kids were outside playing bags, starting pickup games of street hockey, walking in shorts and t-shirts, and of course there were the ones sitting along the side of the road with the sign "You honk; we drink!". Needless to say that my post-work nap had a soundtrack of various pitches of horns in the background of it.
I feel so much better now. Healthy foods, drinking more water, and breathing fresh air is making me feel alive. You know how a dog sticks his head out a car window and just looks like he's in heaven breathing in the air? Well, minus the shedding, I'm like that today. Every few seconds or so, I pull myself away from my laptop where I'm finalizing a study guide for my midterm tomorrow morning (and writing this as procrastination, of course), and fill my lungs until they are at full capacity. Too bad there isn't an invention where I can store up all the fresh air so that tomorrow morning when the next snowstorm hits, I can revert back to feeling alive again.
Basically, thank you to global warming, or El Nino, or Mother Nature, or whoever is responsible for today because this temporary escape from winter weather was exactly what I needed. My body thanks you!
As a matter of fact, temps reached into the 50's today. There is a beautiful breeze streaming through all windows in my dingy apartment. With every deep breath, I feel better. It is almost as though I'm smelling freshness for the first time again. College kids were outside playing bags, starting pickup games of street hockey, walking in shorts and t-shirts, and of course there were the ones sitting along the side of the road with the sign "You honk; we drink!". Needless to say that my post-work nap had a soundtrack of various pitches of horns in the background of it.
I feel so much better now. Healthy foods, drinking more water, and breathing fresh air is making me feel alive. You know how a dog sticks his head out a car window and just looks like he's in heaven breathing in the air? Well, minus the shedding, I'm like that today. Every few seconds or so, I pull myself away from my laptop where I'm finalizing a study guide for my midterm tomorrow morning (and writing this as procrastination, of course), and fill my lungs until they are at full capacity. Too bad there isn't an invention where I can store up all the fresh air so that tomorrow morning when the next snowstorm hits, I can revert back to feeling alive again.
Basically, thank you to global warming, or El Nino, or Mother Nature, or whoever is responsible for today because this temporary escape from winter weather was exactly what I needed. My body thanks you!
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