I started writing this post last week, with high hopes for a strong race. Since then, I’ve come down with a nasty chest cold, complete with hacking, wet cough. Now, I’m not even sure I’ll be able to finish the race period, if I decide to start at all. The weather is looking pretty bad, and if it’s freezing cold and raining or snowing, I probably won’t risk getting more sick. As it is, vigorous movement (like jumping rope at rehearsal) is causing my throat to feel like it’s on fire. Needless to say, this is very disheartening, especially when I was feeling so good about things last week. The goals I set out below were goals for when I was healthy and not hacking up a lung. Now, it will be an accomplishment just to finish, so my edits are in italics.
1. Finish healthy and uninjured. After my half in November, I took 6 weeks off due to a mysterious foot injury, and I’d rather not repeat that any time soon. The most important thing is to finish the race without hurting myself. This now also applies to my illness–I need to remember that I have a show in 3 weeks and I need to get healthy ASAP. If I run really hard in the cold and wet, I’m risking prolonging my illness or making it worse. I really don’t need pneumonia right now.
2. Finish under 60 minutes. I know I am perfectly capable of running a sub-60 10k and it’s a fairly comfortable pace for me. If I have a strong recovery in the next 36 hours, I’d say this is still possible, but not likely.
3. Finish under 58:31 (PR). Technically any 10k race would be a PR just because I’ve never run a true 10k race before, but my virtual 10k PR is 58:31. It would be nice to beat that, but I ran that while I was in the middle of a really strong half marathon training cycle, and this cycle has been all over the place. Unless I have a miraculous complete recovery, this goal has pretty much gone out the window.
Right now I’m feeling really conflicted about what to do. I know that it will likely come down to a last-minute decision on Saturday morning when I wake up and assess how I’m feeling. I just hate not knowing what’s going to happen. I also have a tendency to be overly cautious in situations like this, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s just a bummer to have paid for a race and then not do it. Only time will tell.
Would you run a race in the rain with a cough?
awww that’s such a bummer you got sick!! Hopefully you’ll feel better enough to run, although that weather doesn’t sound nice either way. :c(
Yeah, I’m feeling pretty bummed out at the moment, but hoping for a miraculous turnaround.
Well, I’m sending you all my best healing vibes because I’d really like for you to able to run the race you’ve been training for!! That said, I’d probably do the same as you and wait till last minute to decide. Focus on major recovery the next two days – hydrate a lot, drink some tea, even take Advil when you need it. Then see how you feel and what your motivation is like Sat. morning. I would run in the rain if I was feeling well, but not if I was still really sick
Crossing my fingers for a speedy recovery for you!
Thank you! I’m definitely hydrating like a champ and trying to get as much rest as I can, but one of the things about being sick (at least for me) is that I don’t sleep well at all, which doesn’t help me get better 😦
Yes, I would totally run. lol…but I am a bit crazy. I once ran a half with a lung infection and was forced off the course halfway….and I have completed a half with a fractured ankle and a nearly severed tendon in my ankle. lol. Good luck Rae!!! And Get well!
You’re a beast! I’m not quite that motivated. It will depend a lot on how much sleep I get between now and Saturday and whether or not I can clear the crap out of my chest.
I think that, at worst, you could always power walk your way through it. 🙂
I think that you are going into this with a realistic mindset. I don’t think that the rain or the cough are going to necessarily impact you with regards to health, unless it makes it difficult to breathe. You aren’t going to “catch cold” but do make sure that you have a clean change of clothes for after! And BODY GLIDE
ALL THE BODY GLIDE.
I’m sorry to hear that you’re sick. I hope you feel better soon! I would probably not run the race unless I started feeling a lot better. It sounds pretty awful running in the rain while sick. But, I can’t imagine it would be easy to skip a race you already paid for that’s a “new” distance for you.
It’s so hard! #firstworldproblems
Hope you feel better soon.
Thanks, Darlene! Me too.
Aww, that’s such a bummer! Get some rest and hopefully you will much better when you wake up on Saturday. I’ve never missed a race I signed up for but I can think of a few times I should have. Feel better!!
Thank you! I’m feeling a bit better after a solid night of sleep last night, so I’m hopeful.