Aching backs, sickness and botched blood boondoggles!

   When last we spoke, I think I had just finished telling you about my wonky back from working on the back yard and generally how my aging body seemed intent on placing obstacles in my running path.

Couldn't finish the run but
enjoyed the scenery along the way!

   Well that was then and this is now and for the last two weeks my body has presented me with both the pre-amble to and the after effects of a miserable head cold.
   I've had enough head colds in my life that I can pretty well tell you the chronology of them as they take me on their journey. This one has taken me down the same scratchy-throat, watery-nose, clogged-sinuses, and hacking-cough road pretty well every other cold has forced me to travel on. This one did seem to be one of the worst, though.
   Through it all, I have tried to run twice. Each time, I was able to make it to about the three and a half kilometer mark before my lungs forced me to stop. The legs felt okay but it was impossible to take in a deep breath without gagging on whatever it was that was rattling around in my chest.

More of that scenery!

   The second time I tried to run was the same day I was scheduled to make a blood donation. From previous experience, I've learned that you don't try and run after a blood donation. Just doesn't work! So I made sure to get the run in a little earlier in the day. The donation itself was kind of strange. The person doing it had all the earmarks of a first-timer---seemed distracted and nervous, fumbling with equipment, couldn't find a vein, after the needle was already in had to adjust it and then, to top it all off, something got stuck in the needle and they weren't able to even complete the donation! Then, afterwards, I'm sitting in the little refreshment area and a fellow donator finishes her donation and comes and sits down. She's barely in her chair when all of the sudden I hear her say "oh oh", I look over and blood is just gushing out if her arm and all over the floor! Staff end up running around all over the place, staunching the flow and cleaning up. Very bleachy there for awhile! I really wanted to thank her on the way out for the awesome show! All in all, a strange trip to the clinic!

Remnants of my botched donation...

   And this all came as I was finally starting to follow a 10K training plan.
   After stating this as one of my goals for the year I have actually signed up (and paid for!) a 10K race later in the summer. This has led me to seek out a 10K training plan and I finally found one of Hal Higdon's novice 8-week training plans on the internet. Almost immediately as I began it, I got sick! Today I am two weeks removed from the initial signs of the cold coming on and I still have not been involved with  running or any of the other training components of the plan which include stretching, weight training and cross training. Obviously, I may need to slightly revise the 8-week plan!
   I already know that I can run 10K as I've done it a couple of times this spring. Both times, though, I did them in about 1:18. If I do this race at that speed, I'll still be out on the course as they're handing out the awards! So a little distance-specific training is in order!
   Nor has the weather been particularly accommodating for getting out there and hitting the pavement---LOTS of rain and wind in these parts!
   Today, Victoria Day, however, is looking and feeling like a much better day to run so I really need to get out there at some point. The lungs still don't feel a hundred per cent but hopefully I'll be able to get a full 5K in this time around. And if there is anything still nestled down there inside that chest cavity that shouldn't be there then maybe a brisk little run will take care of that for me! Wish me luck!