Gasp, Wheeze, Choke
Some of you may remember that I had a Plan, a most fantastic plan that involved me competing in a Triathlon. Right. So. When last we discussed the Plan, everything was going fine, just lovely in fact. I was going running as often as I could (given the cold weather), and running between 2.5 to 3 km every time I went out. I intended to start upping that distance, as well as the frequency that I ran, plus seriously start training for the biking and swimming aspects of this thing, as soon as I had finished my classes and the weather co-operated with me.
Instead, I got sick. About four weeks of sickness, all told. Even when I was functionally sick, the various symptoms definitely excluded me from any serious training--or any training at all, really.
So today I decided that though I'm still coughing and whatnot, I am most definitely well enough to get my ass in gear again and went out for a run. I changed out of my work clothes and put on my running shoes, locked up the house and headed out. I ran for a grand total of six minutes before staggering to a wheezing halt. I had taken my Ventolin already. I walked the rest of the way home.
Instead of upping my training levels and continuing to build stamina, I find myself back at the very beginning. (Okay, not the
very beginning--after all, when I first asked my Dad to teach me to run I could barely run farther than the mailbox, just a few dozen houses away. But close enough.) I am, in a word, discouraged. Now don't get me wrong, quitting is not an option. Accepting this trembly-limbed exhaustion as my fate and just giving up is in no way part of the Plan. But damn it, I'm not happy about this.
And it just means that I'm going to have to run another six minutes tomorrow. Maybe seven. And like it or not, this Sunday sounds like a most excellent day to start swimming. (Indoors, of course. Though the weather has been absolutely gorgeous these past two days, I have no wish to be ill for the rest of the summer.) As for biking ... that one's going to be a bit more difficult, seeing as I live in the city and have rather major issues with riding on the same streets as vehicles. (I have major issues with even driving by people on bikes, for that matter...) But I'll work something out. You'll see.
