"There's only one hard and fast rule in running: sometimes you have to run one hard and fast."








Monday, November 9, 2009

On the Mend

Now that I'm recovering, I'm finally willing to admit that my illness was much more serious than I suggested. Originally told it was not H1N1 flu, later I found out the test was a false negative; add a strep infection and I had the flu with complications that were life-threatening for a couple of days. It's probable that if I hadn't developed an unusually high lung capacity from training I would've been put on a respirator at some point as my lungs filled with fluid.

Today I can walk a quarter mile before I have to stop and rest and I can make it up a flight of steps - but not if I'm carrying anything. I expect to run for the first time in 6 weeks at the end of this week or the beginning of next week.

I took down the poll about what I should train for next year because I may not be able to do any racing at all until late next year. It's going to be a long, long way back and I've considered retiring for good. I know everyone expects that I'm going to shake this off quickly and will be running some crazy race soon, but right now, I'm feeling pretty fragile.

Hope to see some of you on the trails before year's end. Just don't expect me to be up front.

11 comments:

Bill S said...

I hope you feel better soon, Steve. Make recovery your mission, and you'll be running again when it feels right. You mentioned Yoga in the past. Any chance you could rediscover an old hobby to mix things up in the meantime?

Kel said...

Take care of yourself!

I've run at the back of the pack my entire career - it's not that bad. Really.

Anonymous said...

Glad your on the mend. A warrior like you will bounce back eventually. Running trails is not only a pleasure and a test of will, it's a source of health. Even if your not running as fast the first couple of months back, it will definitely help. Like you said, if you had retired from running last year, you may not have pulled through.

joyRuN said...

Yikes. A strep pneumonia sneaking up behind H1N1 is no joke.

Rest up & recover well.

Londell said...

To bad... You have had a very hard year for a number of reasons and top that off with the Ultra Ultra quest you did. Prayers be with you.

Glaven Q. Heisenberg said...

Glad you're finally feeling better.

Of course this just confirms my suspicion that you are unkillable like a Terminator or a wingnutty rumor. I have numerous theories as to why that is. I haven't settled on one particular one yet.

But thanks for confirming the unkillable part. By not dying.

Jean said...

That sounds awful, Steve. Recover quickly and get well. Take good care!

brendaontheRun said...

I'm sorry to hear that you've been so sick. I hope you get better soon!

Beth said...

I'm so glad that you are on the mend. Boy, you were really sick. Good thing you were in good shape and took care of yourself. I agree with Bill, maybe you should take up knitting or something while you finish your recovery.

sea legs girl said...

Wow. I guess that was a joke about you trying to run the other day.

BUT I think you will recover faster than you suggest and there is no reason to give up on running all together(interrobang).

I agree with anonymous when he/she said that starting running little by little again will be a source of health.

If it were me, I would use this setback as an excuse to slowly, gradually get into the shape of my life. (But I'm not the one who just has a brush with death... most importatnly I'm glad you're okay.)

phillip gary said...

Steve writes, "Hope to see some of you on the trails before year's end. Just don't expect me to be up front."

Now you'll be able to enjoy the pleasure of trail running while not facing the agony of having to be 'up front,' a location that I have read and written about.

It sure beats the alternative.
Call it an age thing . . . .