Sunday I signed up to work a double. I don’t think I have mentioned that I picked up a part time job catering to pay for my traveling habit. And I also neglected to mention that I have planned out a trip to Peru 3 days after my Ironman. I really REALLY hope it is to celebrate my finishing victory and not licking my wounds type of trip. But lets be honest, its a trip to Peru so regardless its going to be fucking awesome. More to come on that later…..

So my double at my second job….I work a double- a shift in the morning with about a 2 hour break before I had to go to my second event. I was able to get a row in, a workout not prescribed but at least it was something. During my second event, it hit me. Horrible sinus pressure, a stuffy nose and the feeling of being worn down. I was hoping it was just because of the day and not because I was getting sick. Monday came and holy cold, I felt like absolute shit. I made it through most of the day but ended up going home sick to rest. I took two days off from any working out so that I could let my body rest and recover however I am sort of FOMO so my life did continue. (At this point I can’t remember what I did but I know that I didn’t do myself any justice).

I did manage to get back to the gym for lifting and training on Wednesday but still felt like absolute shit. By Thursday my cold went from my head to my chest and with a vengeance. I could barely breath. Cardio almost killed me but lifting, I kicked ass. I was able to go up in weight each day I lifted. I pushed myself to do my workouts but they were slow, they were hard and they were awful. I could only run for 4 minutes at a time before I had to break for a walk. My runs were slow and my rides were exhausting but I managed through them. I didn’t swim at all because I couldn’t stop coughing, the last thing you ever want to happen during a swim is a coughing fit while under water. This was more of a safety issue (I will continue to tell myself that) than a not wanting to swim sort of situation. I lived another week but I honestly didn’t feel any better as the week progressed.

There is a lot of discussion out there about working out when you are sick. Yes taking it easy is one thing and training is another. However when your body is used to a high level of capacity is the lower intensity actually a “normal” level of working out for a high out putter?