Returning from illness - Blog#3

Returning to training from illness

In my last blog post I wrote about how some days I didn’t want to go training. The last two weeks I would have given anything to be training, no matter what. I was down with a fever and chest infection that made it impossible to do any exercise, as even walking caused me great pain and cough attacks. 13 days without training, I literally felt my gains being eaten away.

On Saturday I didn’t feel 100%, but I felt well enough to go running to BaseFit and participate in a Strength & Conditioning class. My fears became true. In the space of just two weeks, I had gone from being able to do 2 unassisted chin-ups to doing none. Back to square one. Start over from scratch. That means that I need to be very efficient during my training sessions to be able to reach my goal of 10 unassisted chin-ups before the summer. The only positive thing to come out of two weeks in bed was my renewed motivation and determination!

I believe that in part my illness was caused by overtraining and insufficient nutrition. This was the only way for my body to force me to rest, by making me bed-ridden. When working out as hard as I was, you need to give your body the right fuel to recover. One factor for me was that I stopped using protein powder months ago because my shaker smelled really bad. No more excuses! A new shaker has been bought and I am going to pay more attention to my diet so I get the right nutrition.

My last training session before I got ill, was when I joined a running group called Midnight Runners for a 10km run and bootcamp in Regent’s Park. I pushed myself very hard to keep a good pace and I had been struggling with a cough for several weeks, but had ignored it. This session pushed me over the edge. However, today I was back again with Midnight Runners, and a few friends joined me and it was amazing! Training with friends gives you that extra motivation and push to do your best.

The pace was fast and it was tough, but I am so proud that I managed to return to this running group although I was ill. I might have lost my strength for chin-ups, but my running hasn't been as affected from the illness, and it’s the small positive things that keep you going. It’s frustrating when you don’t always see the results of your training, but never give up! Always get back on your feet and keep smiling! Life is a rollercoaster with its ups and downs, but just like a rollercoaster, enjoy the ride and smile!