Running for two--or, mostly walking

Argh.  Remember how Paul was sick all weekend?  I think I'm getting it now, too.  I did a short, easy, immune-system-boosting 2 miler on the treadmill.  Hopefully this kicks the pending cold to the curb.  Mostly it's just a little scratch at the back of my throat, so maybe I won't really get sick.  We'll see.

Well, that scratch in the back of my throat turned into a full-fledged sore throat, and a cough to boot.  I took a nap at lunch time instead of going to the gym.  I'm hoping this doesn't get too serious.  I really hate missing work (despite the fact that I don't love work).

That cold I was trying to avoid, it finally caught up with me.  I went to work today, but I came home after two hours.  I spent the rest of the day sleeping and watching movies.  I'm not sure, but I don't think I've eaten very much today.  I'm just not hungry.  Hoping this passes quickly so I can get back to running.  And I was doing so well.

Oh my goodness!  Today I felt so much better!  The sore throat is pretty much history and the cough, while still there, is deeper and less persistent (read: frequent) than it was yesterday.  I guess four hour naps and Hitchcock movies will cure just about anything.

On a totally unrelated note (that is, to get back to running), when I went back to work after my lunch break (which I used to finish Paul's Christmas present rather than going to the gym) it was beautiful and about 40 degrees.  However, when I left work four hours later, there were several inches of snow on the ground and there were huge flakes coming down.  It was like a wonderful, beautiful dream.  So, of course, I couldn't resist and had to get a run, albeit a short one, in while it was perfect snow running weather.  My first snow run of the year and it couldn't have gone better.  Okay, maybe if I had had some company it could have been better, but it was still pretty good.  I could still feel the cold in my lungs a little while I was running, but I didn't cough until I got home.  Winter is finally here.  Now when is it going to be over? 

I'm not sure why I tried to go for a distance PR while I was still recovering from this nasty cough, but it was just so tempting. Needless to say, I wasn't able to run the entire way because I haven't acquired the ever-impressive skill of running while hacking up a lung, but I ran about 3 miles of the 3.5, so I still feel pretty good about it. Hopefully I'll be able to get some good miles in next week, since I think I'm pretty much done with this cold (plus I'm okay with walking while I'm hacking since I'm a beginner runner).

So, about my run, it was pretty uneventful. It's a good thing that I'm not concerned about speed because, with the sidewalks covered with ice, I'm pretty sure that I was going faster when I took those coughing/walking breaks than when I was running. What ever happened to the age old tradition of shoveling your sidewalk? There must have been ice that was three inches thick in some parts, which is pretty impressive considering that we got our first snow two days ago. I'm pretty sure that there's a city ordinance about shoveling your sidewalk that says something like if you don't shovel your sidewalk then the city council is allowed to drag you out into the street and make you do a one man parade with your pants around your ankles. I could be wrong about that, but I think people would definitely rather shovel their sidewalks than show off their skivvies. I could be wrong about that, too.

I almost forgot.  I heard my new favorite song on my run today.  It's by Sixpence None the Richer and it goes like this:  Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, lean not on your own understanding.  In all of your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight.  Don't worry about tomorrow, He's got it under control.  Just trust in the Lord with all of your heart and He will carry you through.  I love songs that are based on Scripture.