And we're all sick again. I used to love winter, now it's just months of colds, dark and rain. I had been consistently hitting 40 mile weeks until last week, I ended up about 32. I just lost all willpower managing injury, sickness, tiredness, and grumpiness throughout the family.

I'm back running nights again which sucks. Kids are all over the place with their sleeping. 

Times like these I wonder why I put so much effort into running these odd events. I'd get the same benefits from short races and probably even not racing at all. Maybe it's the hope I get some attention for something. Otherwise I'm really just like everyone else, or less possibly since I'm not sucessful. There goes that winter depression talking again, I love living here. 

I've began aggressively acting on this piriformis issue, strengthening and rolling a few times per day. It flares around 10 miles usually, and is tolerable but not ideal. I'm ready to pay someone to help. It always seems that when motivation is high I'm hurt or sick. I'm ready for speed work, for longer miles, but physically not there. 

This week will be tough. Kids are off school and the wife took some time off so less time to do anything, no Friday long run. I try to tell myself time off is good but just get antsy. I try to fill the gaps with calisthenics to clear my mind and of course an odd elbow issue pops up from no where, even before I start anything! I just can't win in the winter. 

Ok, my bitch session is over. 

Fevers are good

After a Friday night of the little guy having a fever and throwing up, then the wife getting it and ending up with a cramp in her back from poor sleep, Saturday was a tough one. I ended up not going in to work so I could help out at home.

I hate missing work but I had a productive day at home getting a lot done around the house and getting some solid time with my daughter doing school work and practicing her tae kwon do which is a rarity. She copies a lot and saw me doing a little JKD so she joined in. I wish she would do that more but I'd assume there's a lot going on her her little mind.

Running was obviously on the back burner too, missing an early run and also my lunch break run at work put me behind 15 intended miles. I focused on what time I had left, night, drank some more coffee, put on a fresh new Ten Junk Miles podcast, and laughed my way to Kidderminster and back. Not quite 15 miles but 10 will make Sunday a little easier leaving me 10 to meet my 40 mile week goal.

Nothing beats the Ten Junk Miles Podcast. It's a running podcast, not specifically ultra distance and is all abilities, mainly mid to back pack runners, that is Chicago based. They interview everyday runners for the most part and the humor is very midwest. They don't hold back and are anything but PC like you'd get out in the western US. Their goal is to be the "friends" you'd talk with while out running for people who run alone. Perfect. All the personalities and inappropriate jokes I can pinpoint to friends back home. It's awesome and not always just about running, the tangents they get off on are ridiculous and awesome.

This odd dragging illness had been holding steady. I wasn't sure whether to push through or stop. Last time I had this it lasted 8 weeks. I've lost count but am anxiously awaiting feeling quick again. My quality of running slips more every time I'm out which is demoralizing but I know what the cause is so just need to be patient.

Patience and pushing through turned into about a fever of 101 degrees, probably Sunday, for sure Monday, and Tuesday. I ran Sunday and met my goal despite feeling under the weather. Monday I felt like complete crap and after returning from work discovered I was officially sick with a temp. I worked again Tuesday, with a high temp, but didn't run because the wife was out of town. I began to feel less nauseous late Tuesday. 

Today, Wednesday, I got out for a 10 miler on the canal and felt the best I have in probably a month! Thanks to that fever I'm hoping it nuked whatever I had and I'm on my way to running better. Hopefully some normalcy is to follow. 

Half Marathon, tiredness

A few screenshots from the official race photographer! The Wyre Forest Wizard Half Marathon went about as good as it could. I ran 15 miles on Friday and was expecting a miserable muddy course, which it was as you can see in the photos. Those underfoot conditions were about 90% of the course. The footing limited how fast you could go and days later my feet still are sore from attempting to stay upright. 

I ended up 2nd place and about 20 minutes behind my "summer course" time! Granted the summer course is a bit different, and usually significantly dryer, the mud was the main cause of slow times. Not even really aggressive shoes would've made a difference. Overall a fun race, a great workout (the main goal, but I'll likely not do it again!  

I feel I'm still holding on to some sort of illness. An overall tired feeling all the time, could just be British winter too, but I doubt it! Also a very mild cough and runny nose. Seems similar to what I had last winter but a bit milder, that hung on for 8 weeks. I wish it would go away as I'm ready to have my routine back but I feel weak. I feel like I've been saying that for a month. I'm trying to mainly focus on running, then dribble in a bit of JKD and calisthenics to keep the strength up but it's tough.

I thought I had something else to spew about but it's slipped my mind. Injuries are there but seem to be just that, "there." Today, Friday, I'm anticipating a 15 miler while the little guy is at preschool in the morning, then a scramble to get things organized and together before the kids come home. Tomorrow I'd like 15 again spread between 10 early morning and 5 at work. Still shooting for 40 miles this week but with the wife out for work, general tiredness, night running, it's been kind of a struggle this week so I'm "behind" in time. I'll make it happen though.