Change of Pace

Funny, I got knocked on my arse by a cold just about this time last year too, but that doesn't make it any less miserable. At least this year I know better than to go running that midnight 5K in the park while the phlegm still rules the roost. I think that's what really screwed me for the first few weeks of 2007. Though come to think of it, cramming in 27 8-minute treadmill miles in three days two weeks ago is probably what sent me over the edge this time around. Oh, that and working three overnight shifts in a row right afterwards.

You know when you're on the verge of illness and your throat is scratching and the coughing and sneezing is just barely starting to rear it's ugly head? Yeah, note to self: take a day or two off right then and there and save yourself the snot-soaked grief that comes when you don't listen to your body's signals.

Other than that, since I last wrote I was also a little distracted from my primary (albeit unpaid) job as a underappreciated marathon prodigy by the fact that my division at work laid off a third of its employees. Yes, two weeks before Christmas, as is heartlessly often the case. When I heard about a couple of the severence packages I have to admit to a brief twinge of jealousy, but for the most part I think I'm relieved that my job was spared. It's strange though. I've only been in the position in that department for about four months, so it was a bit surprising that I wasn't let go. I've worked for the company for more than ten years, so I guess that might have had something to do with it. It's kind of a mystery though, since one person who was laid off had been there for more than 25 years! It's amazing how emotional an upheaval it's been and it's daunting to try and imagine how we're going to run the office with so many people gone.

As for the running, I'm not sure yet when it's prudent to try and start up again. I'm still coughing and there's still a disturbing level of moisture rumbling around in my lungs. I have the next couple of days off though, so I might try going for a nice vigorous walk tomorrow with my camera. Depending on how that goes, I'm tentatively anticipating an easy 4-6 mile jog to mark the New Year, but I'll leave that one up to my hopefully dried out bronchi to decide. The master Boston training plan was to start off the year with a 70-mile week, but considering the circumstances, we may just have to classify this one as a rest week.

Since there will be no running for me tomorrow, I might as well just go ahead and lay out the mileage numbers for the year: