Faster then a speeding slug, more powerful then a bowl of jello

As of my run yesterday, that title about sums things up. I hate getting sick, I hate training some days, I hate missing the days I hate training because I am sick.

I forgot about this Sweetheart 8k Brad signed me up for. I love when I get these email updates about races I have registered for, that I haven't really registered for, but my husband thought I might like to do it with him. He's been training hard to have an amazing Ukrops 10K, the Sweetheart 8k is part of his running plan. I had been training, just hoping to shave a few minutes off of my 10k..but wouldn't you know my kids had other plans for me. We all got sick, so training came abruptly grinding to a halt for a week and a day for me. I did NOTHING, except take care of sick people, while trying to make myself feel better.

As we were getting ready for the Tri Club banquet on Saturday night, me still all hacky and miserable, Brad brings up the Sweetheart 8k. "You realize it's in a week right?" Uh, no, I hadn't thought that far ahead. I was concentrating on the tuberculosis/typhus like atmosphere in my house and didn't really think about my race schedule. I guess there's that darned Mom gene in me. It took every ounce of energy, plus all of my stage make-up knowledge to get me to look even part way presentable to walk out the door for the banquet. I have no superhuman makeup skills when it comes to my racing, no smoke and mirrors for that!

Geez, a Sweetheart 8k on Valentine's Day, imagine that! Who was the marketing genius who thought that one up?! So I drag myself out on Monday for a run. Yesterday, I told myself I had to do the 5 miles that race covered, regardless of time, and I did it, running the first 5k in a great time, then having to walk during one of my coughing sessions, running again, then walking every time I started to hack a lung up. It took me all of 53 minutes to do, so I guess I accomplished something.

Today, I am taking it easy. I am doing a nice, 30 recovery type run. I think I did a nice, easy 53 minute recovery run yesterday. Whatever, in the immortal words of my teenager. I did it right?

Tomorrow, I will run another 5, just to show myself I can make the distance again. There is absolutely no chance of coming close to any of the other runners. This is a RRRC event. It's not like you get a great cross section of people at one of their events. You get runners, most seem like they have been runners for a long time. Most who will be done with a measly 5 miles in 30 minutes, while the likes of me will be slogging along, trying to finish in under 50.

My running friend Tom said to me at the banquet, "But you're a fast runner!" Yeah, for short bursts, I can run like a Kenyan once around the track, but ask me to keep that pace up and I will be hurling on the side of the road. Is there a Sweetheart 400M to sign up for??

I need to remind myself though, that I haven't trained for this so well, I had 5 sick people to look after, me not included. And I can cover this distance, so there's something. Still, Saturday is looming and I feel all unready and unsure of myself, boo.

I wonder if there are any snails looking for a Sweetheart on Saturday?