Damn Bugs!

My Runuary aims have been hampered by some damn bug this week. I was forced to resort to the 'walk for at least a mile if you can not run' fall back option on three consecutive days. I really didn't expect that I would have to make use of this option when I made my plans for Runuary at the end of last year. I started to feel a little ill on Wednesday, with the main symptom being a complete lack of appetite and a slight feeling of nausea. I just wasn't able to finish either my lunch or dinner, which is very unlike me. I was still able to take the Sweaty Betty Running Club in the evening, but I coasted along at the back of the group.

Thursday was a very up and down sort of day. I felt rough first thing in the morning, so cancelled my first client of the day. I considered cancelling my lunchtime kettlebell class, but held on to the last minute. As the time drew nearer I convinced myself I was feeling better, so off I went. I didn’t say anything to my clients, but I tried to do as little as possible and used a much lighter kettlebell than normal. As I wrapped up the class I was sure I felt much better and told myself that the fresh air and exercise had helped. However, by the time I arrived back home for lunch I was feeling awful again and couldn't eat anything without feeling sick. So I cancelled the next one-to-one session but decided to wait until the last minute before cancelling my two evening kettlebell classes. By this time I still hadn't been for a run. The idea of running seemed too horrendous and I contemplated not doing anything and writing off my Runuary attempt there and then. But then I thought that I might feel better for doing a 1 mile walk and I could use the time and brief bit of exercise to decide whether I needed to cancel my classes and Friday's one-to-one sessions. As it happens I did feel a lot better after the walk, so decided to carry on with the classes.

In the evening I felt absolutely fine teaching my two classes. In fact I seemed to get better with each passing minute. I taught the first class with a 12kg bell and the second class with a 14kg bell, still lighter than my usual weight. I also felt hungrier as the classes progressed, and I couldn't stop thinking about pork pies. I decided that I should give in to my cravings and buy a couple of calorie dense pork pies on my way home. Clearly it was what my body needed. I stopped at the supermarket on my way home and stood looking at pork pies and suddenly felt that it wasn't what I wanted. I looked at pizzas and decided that a pizza would certainly help replace some of my missed calories from lunchtime and yesterday's half eaten meals. I waited to see if my stomach would reject the idea or be in agreement. It certainly didn't seem to be against the idea, so I grabbed a fairly plain chicken pizza and paid for it before either my brain or stomach had a chance to consider other options.

At home I plonked myself in front of the TV with just half of the pizza to see how that would go down. All seemed good and I felt I had room for more, so I helped myself to another quarter of pizza. Several minutes passed and I had no adverse reaction and was possibly still feeling hungry. Hmm, should I finish it all off? What’s the worst that could happen? I wondered. So with an entire pizza in my belly I was feeling very happy with myself and believed I’d conquered my bug.

But, oh no! My little bug was just getting going. I’ll try to spare you from the worst of the details, but let’s just say that that night I spent a long time considering the wisdom of eating a pizza as I spent my time on my hands and knees in front of the toilet making noises that I thought could quite possibly summon Beelzebub. With no food in my belly and a mostly sleepless night there was no way I was going to work on Friday. Being self employed I don’t cancel work lightly, but by Friday I was feeling absolutely awful and spent most of the day in bed. I did manage to go for another walk late in the afternoon to keep my Runuary streak going. I combined my walk with a trip to a chemist to buy some aspirin.  In the evening I managed a small meal. This one also passed through me very quickly and so I spent a second night making repeated trips to the bathroom.

By Saturday I was utterly fed up of being ill. We were supposed to be meeting friends in the evening at a new pub in Cambridge that has had some great reviews for both its beer and food, and I was really looking forward to eating there. Sadly, it was evident that I wouldn’t be going out. I did manage another walk of about 1.5 miles. So that was my third consecutive day without a run. In the evening I also managed to eat half of my dinner. I was in bed before 10pm, and had 10 hours of completely undisturbed sleep. I didn’t even notice Ruth come to bed later in the evening. I was so thankful that when I awoke I was actually feeling better and looked forward to eating some breakfast.

I do have a tendency to feel completely sorry for myself when I am ill, and I know I am lucky to have Ruth who is willing to fulfil the role of my nurse during these times. So whilst it was a big relief to me that I was feeling much better, it must also have been a huge relief for Ruth, as I must have been a burden over the last few days. I’m sure I’m not the only man who has a very understanding and carrying partner in times of sickness. I’d like to think that we all pay them back for their devotion and compassion during these times. I'll be thinking of ways to pay Ruth back over the next few days.

So after three days of not running I went for a very tentative run this afternoon. The plan was to go for 2.5 miles.  As soon as I was out of the door and running down the street my entire body was overcome with shear joy at being able to run again. My legs actually felt better than they have done in ages. I didn’t think there was anything wrong with my legs before, but they suddenly felt like the legs of a younger man. The three days of forced rest must have been a blessing in disguise. Within a couple of minutes of my run I had decided I would go a little further than originally planned. Rather than just heading around the block I would head to the river to run by The Cam for a short stretch and then back home, making for a distance of just over 4 miles. I’m still feeling rejuvenated by my run and I’m looking forward to completing Runuary and to next weekend’s 66 mile Pilgrim Challenge.