Relentless- to be a firery, driving force that let's no challenge or obstacle get in the way of a noteworthy goal.
So...I conquered a tropical storm to finish the IM 70.3 Cozumel and was rewarded a few days later with line horrendous, painful sore throat followed up with a chest crushing cough.
I made it through the rest of the week on a bag of cough drops and two bottles of cough syrup. Came home on a Saturday, ran 16 with my MCM buddy, Misty. Everything went south from there with me ending up in the doctors office and having her throw the kitchen sink at me; tsk tsking me at not getting in there earlier; glad that we MAY have caught it (bronchitis) early enough - blah blah blah.
She got my attention when she said no running till I finish the antibiotic. 10 days. NOT GONNA HAPPEN DOC! I have the MCM in 23 days. Ummm, yeah that's not gonna work. More sucking of teeth, a rescue inhaler added and you can try on Sunday.
I get up and go for what is supposed to be an easy 8 miles...and didn't make it 2 before I was sucking on my inhaler and it wasn't doing anything. I coughed my way back 2 miles and spent the rest of the day wishing I'd actually crack a rib instead of just feeling like it.
What to do? I'll put it to you exactly as the FireMarshall did...SIT YOUR AZZ DOWN SOMEWHERE AND BE STILL! Woman, get well, trust that you have a base of training, trust that you are tenacious enough to finish and pick it up when you can friggin breath. *stomps out of room*
Mmmmm...it is damn near killing me to sit still. After training damn near every day for months, going 2 days - 4 days doing no more than going to work...I'm pulling my hair out.
This has been the absolute worse racing years. Sick or injured more often than not, I have felt like I've been behind the power curve making no forward progress at all.
...and perhaps I should back this bus up, regroup, get healthy and start again.
I will run the Army10 and the MCM. Will I have put in all the mileage - no. I know I can do the distance but it won't be fast by any stretch of the imagination. If I don't make the bridge, I'm okay with that. I can only do what my body lets me and I believe I'm getting a strong message - LISTEN or ELSE. Keep pushing and we gonna push back. I'm trying to listen...sigh.
Off to take my Meds and go to bed. Ya know, there is nothing cute about a bag of drugs by your side. Not a single thing.
Being RELENTLESS!
