Recovery

The doctor cleared me to run on Thursday if I was up to it.   I was totally NOT up to it.   I planned my return for the weekend.   I had grand plans.  Run a 2 miler on Saturday....a 4 miler on Sunday and then my scheduled 6 miler in Monday.    I was ready!

On Friday, other than the coughing and tightness in my chest, I actually felt half human!    I was ready to run!

Saturday morning I laid in bed, filled with dread and nerves.  What if the missed runs wreaked havoc on all my efforts????   Finally, I bite the bullet and got out there.   

I didn't set any speed records...but I really wasn't that far off my normal pace. (Seconds really).    I ran.  Other than a twinge in my arthritic knee, my legs felt fabulous!!!  Breathing was ok....chest was extra tight from the first half mile mark onward.  But I have an incredible run.   It was so incredible that I actually contemplated pushing onward.  Maybe I could knock out my 4 miler.   Heck, maybe I could just roll with it and eliminate that 6 mile run.   That would leave me with just a light run later in the weekend.  I was on top of the world!  

Seriously, this run was awesome!   I usually stop and walk for a few seconds at about the mile mark and every half mile to full mile thereafter.  No stopping yesterday....at all!!!!

Sanity prevailed and I reminded myself that I am after all recovering from pneumonia and that I should stick to my somewhat conservative return plan.

I arrived back at my house (2.5 miles completed). and stopped running and immediately felt light headed, wobbly and 'woah, I need to sit down...right now!'   I sat on my front porch for a few minutes and then felt better!

Physically I felt better.....however the rest of the day I was so wiped out that I could barely function!!   Do I blame it on the 2.5 miles of running?  Or did I just have a wee little relapse in the exhaustion of recovery? I'm not sure.   What I am sure of?   I have re-tooled the weekend running plans.  Sunday is now a rest day and Monday I will attempt whatever I can do.  Aiming for at least 4.    (Secretly I would like between 5 and 6.....the magical originally scheduled amount for my weekend)

And my sick weigh in...the low number I posted on Wednesday....it's climbing.   I kinda figured it would.   First, I was sick.....and probably dehydrated and all sorts of weight skewing things. I have done minimal exercise.   And I'm still on an oral steroid....which I know can affect weight.   I am still tracking and moving forward though!!!